Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-14
The Public Schools.

SEPTEMBER MEETING OF THE TRCSTEES-A
COLOR QUESTION RAIsED-APPI.ICATIONs, NOM
NATIONS AND RESERVATIONS OF TEACHERS
THE STANDING COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
The Board Of School Trustees met last even
ing at Franklin building
A communication was received from Robert
W. Fenwick and others asking the appointment
OF teacher for the kindergarten school at 18th
street and Ohio avenue at $3.50 per year; re-
ferred to the committee on teachers.
An offer was received from Prof Henri Mas
son to give course Of lessons In French in the
Normal school, which was accepted with thanks.
Miss Rosetta Gasch applied for an indefinite
leave Of absence on account Of ill-health;
granted.
4 communication suggesting the introduction
of copy slips i'm the schools was referred to the
committee on text books.
THE COLOR QUESTION RAISED.
communication was received from James
NJ. Gregory, of 9th street extended, appealing
from the action of the teachers of the Prescott
Building, under direction of Mr. Wormley in
refusing admission to his son G. years old which
he alleges was on account of color. Mr.
Gregory says: "On Monday the 5th day of
september inst, l sent my son, Eugene, at 9
O'Clock a. m. to the public school taught in the
Prescott Building Miss Nichols, principaD to
be admitted as pupil. At that time and as late
as Friday last, other children were admitted as
new pupils. My child was refused admission on
Monday, Tuesday, and other days Of the week,
the teacher, the principal, and the trustee in
Charge, Mr.. WOrmley, each refusing the two
former pleading positive instructions to that
effect from Mr.. Wormley. Mr.. Wormley him
self, in written answer, on behalf of the SUBJ
board, to an application addressed to him by
me, refers me to a rule Of the board of trustees
directing that separate schools for ,rlaite
children and colored children shall be provided
in accordance with existing laws" and thus by
implication. declares that he refuses to admit my
son to the Prescott Building on account of color.
Ii 1t be claimed that at the time
of the establishment of the present public-schOOl
system in the District of Columbia expediency
demanded separate schools. so that persons of
different cOlOrs might send to special ones, if
they chose to do so, and that in the larger num-
Der OF cases these have been sufficient for the
public needs, still this expediency does not vest
your honorable body with legal power to erect
into law, against the provisions of several acts
of Congress. absolute determinations against
citizens on account of their race or color, to dis
regard in admissions to school all considerations
OF convenience or prOpriety, and to infiict upon
innocent children pains and degradation dictated
by the prejudces of times now happily past.
The school to which, must presume, the
trustee in charge wishes me to send the child is
more ore than three times as far from my residence
as the school in the Prescott building.
10 exclude him from the Prescott school is In
effect to impose upon me the alternative of seek
ing to educate him at great expense in other
schools where this unjust discrimination is not
made, or to teach him at this tender age that he
Is now to be publicly assigned to a prescribed
class of the citizens of his country and thus de-
prlved of that equality before the law which is
established in the Constitution of the United
States. do therefore respectfully petition you
to reverse the decision of Mr. WOrmley, the
trustee in charge, and of the sub-board of the
division, and to grant the application which
now make to you for the admission of my son
Eugene to the school kept in the Prescott build
ing"
RESERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS.
Inc RESERVATIONS Of the following teachers
were accepted: Anna NJ. Briggs, 9th division;
Mary c. Dodge and Mary E. BOhrer. Sd division
The applications of the following for teachers
position were referred: Mrs. A. C. Gatchell, O.
NJ. Wood Roe F. Saunders. A. F. Perrie. Jose
phine A. Church, Lucy Reder, C. N. Bowman
Mary A. BrOwnell, Lizzie H. Norton, Frank R.
Lane, Emma c. BOnney, Hattie Craft.
Applications Of Edwin s. Smith and John E.
Ferguson for janitors positions were referred
A wARM-wEATHER SUGGESTION NOT ACCEPTED
A letter was received from Emeline Weight
man, of the Seaton building. suggesting during
the present phenomenal spell Ofweather that there
should be but one session of the schools per day.
which would be- a relief to the pupils by saving
them an oppressive walk at noon time.
Mr. LOvejOy offered resolutions relating to this
which were adopted. They
declare that respectful communications to the
not deem the suggestion wise one, and COM
mends to the teachers the fundamental law of
the District giving the board the control of the
schools.
The sub-board of the seventh division asked
authority to have the buildings on street. near
4th. recently occupied by the second division,
for additional schools; adopted.
NOMINATIONS AND COMBINATIONS
The sub-bOard of the fourth division made the
following nominations: M. Louise StrObel. Jane
X. McCauley, Selma B. Reynex and Marian w.
Anderson, which were confirmed.
Leave OF absence was era nted to NJ. Louise
StrObel.
The fifth divi sion sub-board nominated as
teachers Annie F. Perrie and Mrs. II. K. Bur-
roughs (acting), and the sixth division Annie E.
Lewis; confirmed.
THE STANDING COMMITTEES.
The chair announced the standing committees
as follows: Rules-Matthews Farley, Loyejoy
and Smith; ways and meahs-LlOyd Smith and
Temple; buildings and repars-Curtis, Dodge,
Samson, Brooks, Brown, Temple Pearson: sup
plies and accounts Middleton, Temple Pear
son, Brown, Curtis, Samson and Brooks; jani-
NOurse and Pearson; teach
ers-LOvejOy, Brown. Curtis, Lambert. Lloyd.
Middleton and Brooks; text books and course
of study-Lambert, LOvejoy and Dodge; exami-
Pope and Griswold; scholar
ships and priZes-Fairley, Pearson and Worm
ley; musc-MiddletOn, Lloyd and Smith; draw
ing and penmanship-SamsOn. Pope and Girls
void; annual report-Lambert, Nourse and VIII
kinsOn; printing-BrOOks, Pearson and Pope;
Middleton and Lambert.
THE COLOR QUESTION REFERRED TO COMMIT
TEE.
Mr.. Brown offered the following as the report
Of the sub-board of the sixth division in refer
ence to the petition Of Mr.. Gregory: "Your
of the 9th inst. is received. In
reply have to refer you to the Rules of the
Public Schools, D. c. article l. Admission of
pupils as follows: Separate schools for white
children and cOlOred children shall be provided
IN accordance with existing laws The board
has provided and maintains schools for the adj
mission OF children, between the ages of six and
seventeen years inclusive. 1t does not permit the
parent to designate the school to which his or
her child shall be admitted This matter ia
determined by the board Of trustees. If Won
desire to avail yourself OF the pubic school ac-
commOdations for your child provided by the
board, the sub-board of the sixth division will
designate such school within the division as
your child shall, after examination, be found
qualified for admission to-" N
Mr.. Brown moved that the subject be referred
to a select committee Of three
Mr.. Brooks said he had been informed that
there was cOlOred child in the Franklin build-
ing.
Ar n co;l II lnI