National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-08-03
A HINT AT SOMETHING WRONG
CONSPIRACY AGAINST MR.. CHAMPLE
EFFORT TO GEORGE THB BOARD

The committee of teachers of the white
schools of Washington and Georgetown re-
sumed its examination of the charges against
Mr.. John E. Thompson last evening.
Mrs. Martin, principal of the Female Gram
mar school of the Fourth district, testified
that she had been so employed for about five
wears, The regular annual written examina-
ton was held in witness school, and in the
Male Grammar school at the close of the last
school year. Mr.. Edward Thompson con-
Quoted the examination in her school, AMI
witness conducted the examination in Mr..
Thompson's school. In the examination in
Mr.. Thompson's school witness observed
some commun cation among the boys; spoke
to Mr.. Thompson about it. and the boys were
detained after school; witness though THAT the
order was as good that day as usual; witness
did not know what was Mr.. Thompson's course
when the matter of communicating among the
boys was brought to his notice; witness took
charge and corrected Mr.. Thompson's exami-
nation papers for the first day; had particular
reasons for not examining the rest; thought
that it would be more satisfactory if Mr.. Eddie
Thompson examined the rest, and left them
with him; some of the witness papers wee
examined by Mr.. Thompson and some by her
self; Mr.. Thompson made out his own report.
The report of the examination of Mr.. Thomp
sons school, signed by witness name, was
shown to witness, who said that the name was
not in her handwriting.
HIGH PERCENTAGE.
Trustee Randolph read the reports Of the
percentage attained in the Grammar schools
of the different districts, which gave the
Fourth district a percentage sixteen per cent.
higher than any other school. He explained
that the committee, upon comparing the per-
eentage, thought it would be well to learn
how the examinations were conducted.
The percentages of the Female Grammar
schools were read, giving Mrs. Martins school
superior percentage. Mrs. Martin explained
that she thought the percentage would be
higher if Mr.. Thompson had examined the
papers and made the report. Witness first
suggested that Mr.. Thompson should examine
his own papers. Witness did not accept Mr..
Thompson's report as her own. Mr.. Thomp-
son sent to her to know If he should sign her
name to the paper, and she replied that he
could do as he pleased. Did not think that
she would have signed the report unless she
had made the averages herself 1t had not
been the custom previous to this year for Mr..
Thompson and witness to examine their own
papers.
Superintendent Wilson explained, in answer
to Trustee Lloyd, thst'lor particular reasons
Mr.. Gage and Mrs. Lane, in the Second dis
trict, examined their oW q reports and signed
their own names. Witness suggested the
change because she thought it would be more
pleasant; thought that Mr.. Eddie Thompson
was not satisfied with some of her markings.
Witness had not seen the examination papers
Tor the three days prior to the first day Ok the
examinations.
EXAMINATION PAPERS.
Superintendent Wilson explained that the
papers were sent sealed to the supervising
principals, with instructions not to open them
until the day of the examinations. Witness
did not consider the papers secret, and some
other teachers had seen them in her posses
sion, but none of her scholars had seen them.
Witness supposed her name was signed BY Mr..
Edward Thompson.
Mr.. Tho mpson explained the system of
marking that both he and Mrs. Martin had
agreed upon before the examinations. Mrs.
Martin on the second day Of the examinations
suggested that each teacher would be better
able to mark his own papers, as, knowing the
qualifications of the pupils, he or she would
be able to detect the results Of rrompting
Mrs Martin corroboratcd this explanation,
and testified further that she examined the
boys school the year before; some papers had
been given out the first d'y by mistake which
ought not to have been gwen out that day.
Mr.. Thompson explained this matter him
self. number of papers had been laid on
the boys desks before it was discovered that
the wrong papers had been distributed. He
had gathered the papers up again Immediately.
He was afterwards informed that one of the
boys had gotten one of the slips and kept it.
He had afterwards judged that the unfortu-
nate mistake made about ten per cent differ
cDce in the percentage of the school, and re-
ported the fact to Superintendent Wilson.
His own belief was that the percentages in his
own district could not be reduced by the most
rigid marking to exceed ten FER cent. Upon
L: hit q. l-al
about fairly as papers are generally
marked.
Trustee Randolph referred to The flct that
Mr.. Cages percentage, calculated by himself,
was 81 and Mr.. Thompson's was 81, and
asked if Mr.. Thompson thought that both were
subjected to the same rigid markiug.
Mr.. Thompson continued: He had not given
the questions to his son. He had taken them
home and brought down each days papers as
they were required, in order to prevent any
such mistake as had occurred the year before.
He had kept them open at home, and his son
had seen them before the examinations. He
had full confidence in his soa, and would not
have hesitated in giving the papers to him any
more than in giving them to Mrs. Martin. lie
had no plan or intention of raising the percent
age Of his school; he had no such intention.
He did not believe there ever was in q school a
perfectly honest,
SQUARE WRITTEN EXAMINATION.
1t was almost impossible to stop communica-
ton and prevent the pupils from having access
to books. He always maintained that the
papers should be examined by an unknown
party not specially interested in tine school. 1t
was impossible to defeat the shrewdness of the
pupils, who had dumb signs and other modes
of communication He had used great dill
gencc to prevent any such thing, and taken
special pains to have all books removed from
the school room. He would be very happy to
L H.
lad seen nothing of Mrs. Martins papers after
- The first day, and knew nothing personally of
the marking of the Male Grammar school by
Mr.. Ed. Thompson.
Superintendent Wilson testified that the in
structions to the supervising principals regard
ing the examinations this last year were that
the teachers should be interchanged He had
stated then that the plan of each teacher mark
ing his own examinations would give rise to
the suspicion of too liberal marking. The
questions we're sealed and properly marked.
Nothing was said about opening the papers,
but he had taken it for granted that each
principal would see that no pupils were al
lowed to see them. He would have had no
objections to having them opened by their prin-
cipals for their own inspection. If the princi-
pals wished there were many ways in which
he could aid the pupils. If an answer was
uniformly correct he would presume that the
pupils had been especially instructed on that
particular subject, or that there had been
Communication among The pupils. There were
cases sometimes where certain questions hap
pened to hit upon subject which had been re-
viewed Just before the examination.
MR.. Tuos. PLowMAN,
inspector Of public buildings, was sworn Was
first called to the Jefferson building the latter
part of August, 1874; was directed by the
gineer to make certain examinations of the
building in relation to certain repairs to be
made; the repairs were made and completed
about the 1st of September Of that year; the
character Of the repairs were an Oycrhauliug
81 Of the doors and windows, making alterations
in the water closets, putting in wire screens,
and in the other schools water closets were
erected. He was directed by engineer to make
limited repairs wher necessary without further
instructions. Mr.. Lloyd and Mr. Thompson
came to him at one time il reference to repair
ing the blackboaTds, and he had gone over to
the building and found in some rooms that the
blackboards had been damaged by frost.
He had sent man to estimate the cost Of
repairs, who had estimated 1t at $50, and he