The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-09
THE SCHOOL BOARD.


vestigate The subject matter contained I'll the
communication Of Mr. II. i. Lawler. and pub
liahed In the pisautte Of the seventh instant
Roy. j K Gtitl1eim In The ehait.
On motion the injunction Of secrecy was re-
moved.
Mr.. tiuthain said chat the reason WHY this
meeting was called might be said TO be extra
ordinary. and that it grew out Of the pub
lished communication of Mr.. II. Z. LAWYER,
relative to alleged statements OF MI Cavanae
placing a stigma Oh teachers In the public
schools and members of the board, Mr.. Gu..
theim then read from the ''rules Of the board
lin justification of the secrecy OF the last SEES.
sonl, In cases Of charges being made against
teachers aud members Of the boafd which
should be indefinite. He dwelt on the
Wisdom of The rule, and that 1t was also wise
to annnint the committee to ascertain the
character Of the Indefinite charges. Mr.. Gu
theim closed by saying that the publication
made in the Hcuy,ute was unauthorized NY
this board
Mr. Archibald Mitchell rising to question
Of privilege, said that he wished 1t understood
that the letter Of Mr.. Lawler had never left
his pnasessiun He wished to say this In order
to relieve the ether metnbers Of the COMMITTEES
from any suspicion that they had communi-
Gated ii TO The Ifcdltn,p.
Mnesrs Handy and Capdevlelle said that
othey had called ON the editor OF the lfeoy,tne,
Mr.. Nicholson, on Thursday night to ascer-
tain the name Of the person, who had furnish
Ell Llle Will VI ltft ttbt1ti HlI uilbO
they were told by Mi. Nicholson that Mr..
Lawler had given II TO him.
Mr.. swatbrick took the floor to cay that
Mr.. Nicholson had called at his store on the
into the matter. Mr., swarbrick said that he
advised Mr.. Nicholson not to publish Mr..
LAWYERS letter, but that Mr. Nicholson took
no notice Of this ADVICE but said that he was
going on too long that 1t was the public talk on
The streets that there were bad characters in
the pulic schoes. o
Mr.. Mitchell here presented the report Of
the Investigating committee, In the shape of
the following correspondence that had oc-
Cured between the committee and Mr. Cava-
nae, which he read, to Wit
NHw ORLEANS Feb 7, 1919,
To the Hon. Chas. Cavanae
Dpur eti. The undersigned, committee. ap,
pointed ut secret session Of the school
board. held on February @ 1878. for the purpose
Of calling on YOU for INFORMATION Ia regard to
ton received BY the board. in which 1t is stated
that Mr.. Ohas, 1'ayanae. Ad,ninisttator 81 Com
tutes amongst the present corps Of teachers,
and that more than one Of our honorable
body were entertaining Improper relations with
We would respectfully ask Of you to state to
ns. whether you employed the alb We, euhRe,
sponse should be In the affirmative. we ask of
you to name the teachefs whom Won know to be
persR,hs ct iInroper ghaaaeet ah nd to furnish
whom yo,i referred as being improperly ultimate
respeefnilg as ss Of fp You TO furnish Us with ali
the Inf ,rmation that you possess that may aid
us In this Investigation, and with such eSrlana-
Hons az YOU may deem proper IN regard to the
conversation referred to.
We are, with the hiehest respect,
A 4 F SS}'}y& #55S sFyffRit
Of Committee.
brick had beet, excused from waiting on Mr.
Gavhfap. owing to his close connection with
the affair. Mr.. Mitchell added that when the
call was made on Mr. Cavanac by him and
Mr.. Ferguson. Mir. GaVanac declined to make
any statement owing to the fact that MI,
LAWYERS communication had just appeared
tn the evening PtcdHnne, and he thought that
written correspondence was necessary.
Mr.. Mitchell now read the answer OF Mr..
Cavanac to the note Of the committee, as fol
lows
NHw ORLEANS, February I. 1879.
TO the President and members of the School
Genlemen-l notice in the ProWne, Of this
evening d card sienad by H. I, Lawler pre-
aentng very craze ehatK1 asains n9 hass
upon reported statement of mine that knew |
OF twenty prostitutes in the present corps OF
teachers. and that more than one OF your hon |
otahe body were entertaining improper rea- |
tions with Them.
have given publicity TO a card containing So IN
definite and damaging statement, and which |
may cause vile and UNJUST suspicious to rest
upon any pure woman among the teachers |
whom the evil eyes and tongues of men may
cho se to single. out. Az the letter OF Mr.. Law
able body, discussed most property in secret
session. and proper action taken by your com
NJ it h to aPseran all the aet7 the r, pg9n'atoaa
purpose, and was simply wrong and an out.
rage upon tho indies, though I presume the OBJ
ieet was to asaail and iniure me-.
Whatever have said on the Euhlact was |
uttered IN private conversation. and Was
o tie o 5ss IN the pses
p conversation with friends there. may have
been word Of popularity mingled with the facts;
indefinite charge ~ Al inst any Of the teachers.
III | had thought Tiny duty to Dc 80 should have
apeeaeS &c at the character bar sg q good Women
might not be made by me, az they have been by.
the ficapane and lite correspondent. subjects OF
suspicion. EVIL report and wrong.
have too high an opinion 81 the gentlemen
composing your honorable body to suppose for
himsaf - III 70 be nis II The srime nm charged
with having seriously made against more than
Az 70 the ladies who are teaching in the
schools. go far rs am acquainted with them.
know them to be of the most estimable eharac-
ter and far above suPpicion. and l deeply re-
gret that nay name has been used in a manner
salcnlated to cast suspicion upon the virtue of
Very respectfully. -
Mr. Craig moved TO adopt the report of the
committee.
Mr. Hassinger jumping to his feet, said. ID
with great emphasis, that the answer of Mr.,
Cavanac was not sufficient. Ii he was wfSng
let him say So
Mr. Swatbrick, in the same strain said that
the public would not be satisfied with any
such answer. It was not definite enough. It
was rather wishy -washy
The reading Of the report was called for,
and Mr. uavanac's answer read again.
Mr.. Hassnger said that he was entirely dis
satisfied: that that was no answer. II Mr..
Cavanac had made the charges In a mon,ant
of excitement he should acknowledge IT,
Mr. BARLEY wanted to know what else Mr..
Hassinger wanted Mr.. Cavanao to do some
thing that he tMr, Hassinger) would not do
himself. He reviewed the letter to show that
Mr.. Cavanae has fully answered the request
of the committee.
Mr.. Swarhrick said that the charge had
been made by Mr.. Cavanac to him personally;