National Republican., 1883-07-17
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
APPOINTMENTS OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES.
To me Editor

40 INC EdtfOfa
Somebody signing himself Sixth Division"
utters growl in this mornings REPUBLICAN
about the recent appointments. His article
is full of mistakes. Allow mo to correct few
of them. 1t is not true that "the district is
divided into three divisions for the colored
schools" IL is true that certain schools in
the city are called the seventh and certain
others the eighth, but there is no boundary
line.
1t Is not true that tho county is one of the
colored school divisions known as the sixth,
and that it was represented last
year by Mr.. wormley. 1t is true
that the county division contains both
white and colored schools, all of which
report to the white superintendent and chat
Mossrs. Wormley and Warner represented the
whole division. Mr.. Wormley, a colored man,
| represented both white and colored schools,
and did ii we'll. Both of these gentlemen re-
sided in the county in the summer and in the
city the rest of the time. 1t is of no conse.
quence whether their legal residence was in
| one or tho other.
1t is not true that Messrs. Brooks and
johnson resided in their respective divisions
| This was impossible, unless they resided in
| school houses, and that is not claimed.
1t is not true that parents should have
somo one living near to them and with whom
they arc acquainted, as a neighbor" &c. II
is manifostly impossible in n largo city like
this to make appointments on any such prin-
ciple OF tho many thousand parents who
patronize the public schools nearly all under
stand that they can apply to the teacher,
principal, supervising principal, or superiu-
tendent. trustee should not usurp the
functions of any or all of these, Tho sixth
division stretches from the Potomac near
| Tenallytown around the cities, to the same
river opposite Alexandra about twenty miles.
| Where is tho man who lives near everybody
| in that distance2
This growing against the commissioners
for appointing according to law is unreasona-
BILE. Blame them when they deserve il. In
the present case, they have made excellent
appointments, likely to result in great bene-
fit TO all the schools.
Ono good thing may result from the action
of the commissioners AT present tho divis-
ions are unequal, they run all the way from
about thirty-fve to ninety schools. They
ought to he equalzed so that the work OF
trustees and supervising principals shall be
equal Another result may be hoped for, the
attention of the trustees to all the schools.
According to recent speech of Mr.. Brooks,
the colored schools are inferior to the white
There is no good reason why this should be
so or why any trustee should be indifferent
to any school. Let all have FAIR PLAY.
UNFAIRNEss IN CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINA-
TIoNs.
10 the Editor.
1t may not be generally known, yet il is
certainly fact, that in the recent civil serv-
ice examinations held in this city the same
sets of questions were given out each day. II
will be seen at a glance by this means most
provoking outrage was perpetrated on those
who were summoned before the examining
board tho first day. 1t was generally under
stood that the questions would be different
for each days examination, as they certainly
should have been, so that while applicants
for tho second days examination did
not expect that the same questions would
be again proposed yet they were all anxious
to know the questions which had been asked
so as to better judge of the character of the
examination. We, who were examined the
first day, were of course willing TO give the
anxious ones any information which would
not give them an unfair advantage over us
and willingly detailed the questions as wei
as memory would serve us, in many cases dis
cussing the answers as we'll as questions
} Let me give you one instance which viii
show the great advantage second day appli
cants possessed and the great, injustice don't
us. One of the questions was: What terri
tory has the United States acquired since the
revolutionary war, by what means was it &C
} quired, and from what countries" An &C
quaintauce of mine who was examined th
| second day heard the question on the evening
| of the first days examination, and has since
told me that it was subject about which hi
knew absolutely nothing. He was interested
; in the question, however, and, though nevel
dreaming that it would be asked ON the fol
lowing day, upon returning home studied the
J matter up thoroughly for his own informa
tion. But imagine his glad surprise when or
the morrow the same identical question wa!
: again proposed, and he Of course received {
marking of 10O when, if he had been in the
examination of the day before, he would hav,
received large 0. This is but one illustration
of the way this thing worked, and yet il
J serves to show what n great advantage somt
think, Mr.. Editor, that this matter should b,
thoroughly ventilated. 1t is just possibl,
: that this gross injustice was not intended
) and that the wrong sets of questions wero is
sued but if this be the case we should be 81
; informed, and, if possible the matter SHOULD
: be righted. JUsTILIA.