National Republican., 1883-01-10
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
A Lengthy and Decidedly Interesting Session
Of the Trustees.
Spicy and Acrimonious Discussion Over
a Committee Report
The President and Some Of the Trustees Don't Seem to
Agree, as It Were.
The Matter TO be Strengthened Out by an
Intoxicating Committee.

The regular meeting of the board of trustees
for the public schools of the district was held
at Franklin building last evening. Presents
President Birney, Messrs. Lovejoy Clark,
Cragin, Brooks Warner, johnson, Wormley,
and Baum, and Secretary @. Il. Rheem.
A communication from the district COM
missioners was read forbidding the furnish
ing of information in regard to the affairs of
the district, except through the commits
sioners. except to the press, &c. This matter
provoked some discussion, and upon motion
of Mr.. Warner it was declared that this order
did not in any way apply to the board
of school trustees. Mr. Brooks declared the
purpose of the order was to prevent the MEM
bers of the board from approaching members
of congress- and claimed that IL was but right
and proper that this matter should be settled
definitely, and the motion was carried unani-
mously Applications were received for
teachers positions from Matte Il. Dickinson,
Rosie b. Walsh, Maude Phillips, Mamie H.
GriiIen, Ida l.. Meyers, Sophia b. Kent, Edith
Burgess, and Augusta Donch, and for ianitor's
position from James Thompson. Referred to
committee on teachers
The resignation of Ella 3. Chase as
teacher in the seventh division was accepted
and the thanks of the board were extended TO
this lady for her valuable services as a teacher
in the public schools.
IN MEMORY OF LoNGFELLow.
A communication from superintendent Will
son was read recommending that appropriate
exercises relating TO tho life and writings Of
the poet Longfellow be had in the public
schools. and that the pupils be allowed to con.
tribute to the LOnglellow memorial fund
under proper arrangements. Referred to
the committee on teachers Superntend-
ent Wilson also submitted combinations
from Edward Clark, architect of the capitol
a,,1A ,aI e ~, Of n,1N s.,
relation to the heating apparatus of the high
school building, which were referred to the
committee on buildings and repairs, at the
instance of Mr.. Brooks, with instructions to
investigate the specifications of this work and
report whose fault it was that this heating
apparatus failed to give satisfaction.
The abstract OF monthly reports was re-
ceived and filed.
A communication from superintendent
Wilson was then read asking that n select
committee be appointed to make arrangements
for a meeting of the department of superin-
tendence of the national educational associa-
tion, which, it is proposed, shall be held in
this city in February next. Tho thanks of
the board were voted to the department of
superntendents for their efforts in behalf of
educational interests of the districts,a and a
mittee was appointed in this connection, con-
sisting of Nlessrs. LovCioy, Clark, and Brooks
Nominations were then made as follows For
teacher, Martha r. McCauslin; subassistant,
Florence Williams; substitutes, Lily Wilson
and Florence w. Leighton.
Some discussion followed as TO the power
of trustees to appoint substitutes and tempor-
ary teaches. Mr.. Warner moved that as the
sense of the board the members of local COM
mittees are empowered to employ temporary
teachers in cases of emergency and that the
the rules be SO construed. Adopted.
From the committee on supplies Mr.. Brooks
reported bills amounting to $i,35425, which
a
pointment of James Thompson rs ianitor in
place of George w. Smith was confirmed.
THE COMMITTEE on TEACHERS REPORTED
As FOLLOWS:
Accept the resignation of Helen G. Baker
as teacher of second division, to take effect
December 81, 1852. Temporary issued as fol-
lows First class, Martha Il. Freeman, Mrs.
Sarah G. Waring, Mary Gibson, Mrs. Rachael
Floyd second class, Henry A. Lewis; third
class, Sophia B. Kent Second division, ap-
point Mrs. r. j. Floyd acting teacher in sec
ond grade, vice Miss Ball, retired; appoint
Sophia b. Kent acting teacher seventh grade
vice Miss Digelow, retired, appointment Go
date from assuming duties; promote
Miss l.. j. Havenner teacher in Sec
ond grade, vice Miss Baker, resigned ::
appoint Lillian Hughes subassistant, vice
Miss Havenner, promoted transfer Miss Cor
nelia Clum from the sixth to the second di-
vison to be assigned to fifth grade, vice Mrs
Deale, retired; all TO take effect January l.
1888 Fifth division Appoint Mrs Margaret
Bryan teacher in the third grade, vice Miss
Ada Woodley, retired; appoint Mrs. Mary
Gibson acting teacherin second grade, vice Miss
Kate Reyburn, resigned, to take effect Jan
unry /, 1883. Sixth division: Promote Mrs
Sarah @. Warng from subassstant's position
to be acting teacher in first grade, vice Miss
Euretta b. BOzcman, dismissed; appoint
Henry A. Lewis TO be acting teacher, vice
Alexander c. Shippen retired; all to take
effect January l, 1883.
The report as whole was then adopted.
A LIVELY DEBATE.
Mr.. Lovejoy then proceeded to read from
the minutes of the teachers committee the
certificate filed by Gen. Birney in behalf of
Miss Marie Chadwick and the statements
attached thereto in committee, to the effect
that the lady in question had not been con-
fined to her room by the fit of nervous pros
tratiOn which prevented her appearing for
examination, and presented this extract from
the minutes as majority report for the con-
sideratiOn of the board.
Gen Birney then presented q minority re-
port, in which he stated that he had per-
sonal knowledge of the ladys condition, and
knew that she was untitled to undergo the
examination which had lasted from o a. m. to
Sp, m. He quoted from the old minutes OF
the board to show that in u number of in
stances on the part OF teachers who had failed
to pass the regular examination had
been granted temporary certificates at
ter such failures and continued in charge
of schools; that fair play demanded
that the same consideration should be OK
tended to Miss Chadwick aud Miss Longlol-
low, who were thoroughly competent teach
ors. These instances of teachers so continued
We're especially commended to the attention
Of Mi, Loveioy, OF the first division, and Mr..
Johnson, of the eighth division, as the cases
quoted had occurred under their Jurisdictions.
Messrs. Loyeioy and johnson called upon
the superintendent5 present to explain the
nature of these combinations, aud Mes5rs.
Wilson and Cook made statements going to
show that the parties so continued had not
taught in the schools previous to their failure
to pass examinations aud therefore the rule
could not be fairly applied to them.
Gen Birney again took the floor aud said
that careful examination of the records of
the board and the pay rolls had been made,
and he was prepared to maintain that the
teachers referred TO had taught in the schools
and held temporary certificates both before
and after their failure to pass examination.
This assertion
CREATED A DECIDED sENsATIoN'
and Mr. Lovejoy, after making a personal
statement moved that a committee to con-
sist Of Messrs. Warner, Baum, and Cragin-
all new members Of the bOard--shuuld be
designated to examine the allegations made
in the minority report at the earliest possible
moment and report back to the board.
Al this iuDCturn tlp discussion had bppOTnp