National Republican., 1883-10-19
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
Special Meeting Last Night-nIrs. Boston's
appointment Observation-Disclosures as 60
Pool Rooms.

!
appointment Rovokcd-ESesoIution as 60
Pool Rooms.
| The board of school trustees hold called
meeting yesterday afternoon. There were
porosent b. II. Warner chairman Messrs
Brooks Smith, and Clark, and G. b. Rheem,
secretary.
A communication was received from the
Townsend Publishing company, of Philadel-
phia, asking the introduction into the schools
of their system of teaching kindegartcn
methods, Referred to the committee on text
books
An anonymous communication was received
! alleging that grocery store opposite the
Miner school building sells liquor to school
children and Others without u license. Re-
ferred to the major of police.
Applications for teacherships were received
from Mrs. Carrie d. Pumphrey, S. Thwiug,
and Benjamin b. Holmes, and for janitors
position from Austin Fichling. Referred to
the committee on teachers aud janitors.
The designations of Miss Mary V. Osburn,
to take effect Aug. 81, 1888; of Maurice p.
White, to date from Sept. 30, 1888, and Miss
| M. Alice Carroll, to take effect Oct. 81, 1858,
were received and accepted.
| Mr.. Clark offered q resolution, which was
adopted, that committee of three members
be appointed by the president to ascertain if
u change of location will increase the eiii-
cheney of the Normal school, now located in
the Franklin school building, and also con-
slider such other measures as may, in their
| opinion, have a beneficial influence upon our
public schools, and report their conclusions to
this board.
The committee on teachers submitted the
following report, which was adopted:
"rhe following temporary certificates have
been issued: first class, Alice G. Reed; fourth
class, Sophie B. Rent and J F. Moore AppointJ.
| f. Moore, acting teacher in the first division
to be assigned to the eighth grade, vice Mr.
NJ. p. White, resigned to date from Ottober
/, 1888; Appoint Miss Mollie Mcclellan Wylie
to be sub-assistant in the third division, to
date from September 81, 1888. Revoke the
appointment of Mrs. Anna NJ. Boston,"
In supporting the report of the committee
Mr.. Brooks said he thought the board, in tho
interest of good morals and decency, should
approve the action of the committee
on teachers and let the matter end as
quietly as possible 1t would be best for the
schools the teachers corps, and the woman
that her services be dispensed with
and she be allowed to retire to pri-
vate life. 1t was unfortunate that
such wide publicity should have
beel given to charges so scandalOus
in their nature, but it could not be prevented,
| us the teacher, the party most concerned, 50
elected. Charges made by responsible and
reputable citizens against teachers must be
noticed and investigated. The public has the
right to protect the morals of the children
attending the public schools. The protection
of the teachers rests, first, upon their good
| conduct and CircumSpeCtion and purity in
moral and social life Selected as they are
for their high mental qualities and moral
worth, guarded and protected by carefully
drawn rules, aud retained in the public SER
vice during good behavior, it is all important
to the public veal that the teachers
should be regarded rs above sus-
picion The mere canvassing of II
teachers moral reputation by parents and
pupils is very harmful to the schools; but the
direct and open charge of moral obiquity of
u public school teacher, followed by specfca-
tiOns before tho accused, which We're re-
garded sufficient for action by the school
officers and the dismissal by the police court
of the charge of criminal libel preferred by
the teacher against her accuser, renders fur
ther profitable service by the accused in tho
schools out of the question, and, having failed
to resign, her appointment should be at once
revoked.
Mr. Smith offered the following resolution,
which was referred to committee on teachers :
Resolved That in the matter of appointments OF
male teachers in the public schools OF the District
OF Columbia, the nae graduates Of the, high
schools OF the district shall be preferred, provided
they pass the required examination.
Mr.. Smith also offered an amendment to
rule "A, section 10, providing that the usual
recess OF one nOur at noon DC lllnlteu dI tne
discretion of the superintendents and on
stormy days dispensed with by permission OF
the supervising principal. In such case the
schools shall be closed at o'clock. lt
Laid over under the rules.
Mr.. Warner offered a resolution, which was
pending when the board adjourned. 1t called
upon the commissioners to take measures to
repress the growing evil of pool rooms located
in the neighborhood of public Schools Gspe-
cially of the high school,.
The abstract of superintendent's reports for
September, 1888, shows whole number of
pupils enrolled, 26,497; average number OF
pupils enrolled, 24664 average number of
pupils in daily attendance, 3,S54 number Of
teachers employed, 525; cases of tardiness
1889; cases of corporal punishment, IL
number OF pupils dismissed, 3. Increase over
September, 1882: In the average enrolment
of pupils White, 6S3; colored, 303; total
9S6 In the number of teachers Is.