National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-10-29
THE SCHOOL SCANDAL.



sary.
The result Of the investigation OF the text
book section of the public school scandal was
reached yesterday In the form Of report by
Cen. !. r. West which was approved at the
executive session Of the district commission
crs rehearsal OF tho circumstances which
led up to the inquiry Is given, aud MIR. y. II.
Warmers course in dealing with the commits
sloncrs' request Of him, as president Of the
board, for information, is thus referred to :
This application was made to tho president OF
the board, as II was presumed that he would
know what the board and his oWI committee
had done in the premises lie however re.
icrred the subject Tor reply to the secretary OF
SupL Wilson, and said to DO secretary OF the
board for nn explanation Of proceedings that
could only be legally done by the vote OF two
thirds of the whole board Of trustees. Inc
explanation of the ChnugCsseut tOthc commits
sioncrs, YDuchcd for merely by an officer sub
ordinate in the third degree, ignores entirely
the question asked by them, whether changes
nave been made in accordance with law hnu
embraces only statement Of how, when, ana
to what book dealers he. the clerk TO the SUI
perintcndcnt, communicated the intelligence
that changes had or would be mnde.'
The findings Of Gen. West are, first, that the
actual changes In text books comprised new
editions of the Fourth and Flnh franklin
Readers and three new books. on English his
viously used in the High school; that these
were authorized by the committee on teachers
and text books, which committee ordered the
change on sept. s. The change, however, ap,,
pears to have been unOliuiHlly determined
upon by Supt Wilson on Aug, TO- II not earlier.
Ancr rcctlng the rule of the board affecting
changes the report says; The changes were
unauthorized. they were made by the commit
tee on teachers and text books, without the
knowledge Of the board, on Sept $, although
the board sanctioned them Sept 80 No report
was made on the subject in june, aud II can
not be claimed with justice that the committee
on text books, &c, Is authorized to report al
any time and change books nj their pleasure.
The words quoted In the above rule state the
law on the subject and no school authority
can waive or should ovadc that law"
Gen. West estimates that the cost of the
changes In readers was 5000 10 5000, falling
upon The pupils and the district no extra OK.
ponsc apparently to have attended the High
school changes lie finds that the changes In
inadyisablc; "lt would have been better to al
low the schools to contkuc the use of old
books for year than by Irregularities to
create discomfort and cause complaint"
"'rhe irregIlarity the change" the report
continues, "was more than technical. 1t was
an iniudciOus assumption of power by the
committee on text books teachers, &c, con.
trary to the rules OF the board of trustees, and
In violation of law. Their action took place
officially though illegally, some time after II
hnd evidently been determined upon in the
mind Oi the superintendent, whose deterlnlnn-
tion was communicated 10 the trade at an
earlier or later date by his secretary according
TO the diligence with which the dealers np-
piled to him for information on the subject
THE board of trustees by Its rules and tho
law by its restrictions recognize the sensitive
ness with which changes in text books are re-
garded in public schools and this sensitive
ness peryadcs, according to the observation Of
the commissioners all public school systems
throughout the United States. When pre-
scribcd forms are disrcgarded and safeguards
are ignored only complaint aud scandal enslle.
The intelligence and uprightness which
should characterize the management of the
public schools of the district has been brought
into question, and the estimation which they
should command from all good citizens has
been impaired.
During that inquiry n letter to Superln-
tendent Wilson, from the committee on teach
ers and text books, was submitted by him in
answer to the inquiry rs to who made the
ChaugcsY and accompanies this summary. 1t
is to be regretted that the irregularity of the
proceedings Is not Us frankly admitted by the
committee us is their responsibility for its &C.
Currence.
The commissioners, in approving this re-
port, recognize that the infringement ofschools
including the change Of text books, is within
the province of the trustees, and that the re-
sponsibility, therefore, rests upon them; also,
that upon complaint by citizens OF illegality or
proper for the commissioners to ascertain tho
facts In this case, believing the irregular
change in text books did not originate in an
intention to violate law, and that 1t Is not
likely TO occur again, the commissioners deem
no further action to be necessary