Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-24

INCOMPETENT AND INEFFICIENT TEACHERS
SHOULD BE REMOVED.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
The controversy now going on in regard to
the management of the public schools WILL we
trust, result in good to them, and we beg to
submit the following suggestions:
First That great injustice is being done to q
capable and efficient trustee, in much that is
being said and done have scarcely the honor
OF an acquaintance with Gen. Birney and can
have no motive in his defense of a personal
nature, but am unable to conceive of any inn
proper motive on his part in dropping some of
the teachers IN the District under his immedi-
ate supervision an act which is surely not a very
popular one; 1t would have been much easier
Tor him to have allowed things to go on in the
corrective. ~ f'0Po'
The people of his district are to be conoratn.
lated that kley have an officer who dares to act
up to his convictions OF duty and if his asso-
elates Will give little earnest attention in the
same respect III their particular charges per-
haps they will go and do likewise The writer
OF this has at least two mot i'm the second
sGistrict in MS mind where incompetent and
IneIhcient teachers were retained year after
year, 10 the loss of such children as were so un-
Fortunate as TO be sent TO them, and the trus-
tees either did not give sufficient attention to
their duties To gain the knowledge, or knowing
It. did not have the courage TO perform their
duty by removing these persons II will not he
contended for by any one we presume that
All the young persons who pass the re-
CURED examinations prove to be good
and with equal candor we presume it will he
admitted that some of those who for wears per
formed their duties satisfactorily become for
various reasons, untitled for their responsible
trust; In such cases what should be dOnep
Should they he allowed To remain to the iniurv
o. huhureds OF children. or should they be re-
moved and efficient persons put in their places
Now al who read this will say that the iuftc1.
process is the proper one, and yet the former is
tne one generally, aye almost exclusively
adopted, and those who are cognizant of the
facts in the case, but have not the power TO rec
lily The wrong, have TO wait until marriage;
death or some other providential occurrence
rds the schools OF these inetiicients and incom-
petentS.
Some, | see, suggest that the board of trus-
tees be abolished and the control of the schools
be placed with the principals the superin.
tendent and the Commissioners: We beg To
oifier with such in toto, and TO suggest exactly
the opposite course, a Q. to increase the number
Oh trustees from one to four in each District be-
ueVlng that no one person can attend property
70 hundred schools this would tighten the
burden In each district, would secure a Quorum
al all meetings of the board with u representa-
tlon OF each district at all the meetings and
would give greater coiidence to the people OF
eacn district In the decision of its sub-board
when that sub-board was com posed of We ner''
sons, than when it was only one person.
We have already had too much OF the sone-
man power in our school system and we sno.
gest a return to the multitude of COUNSEL as
exlsung before some OF our Commissioners re.
ouceu the number, so that they might report
TO Congress that the number OF officials under
them mad been reduced some sixteen or went y
IN the interests OF economy, but forgot To state
mat THESE o1flclaiS received no COMPENSATION
Let these school matters be discussed before
the public and the system will moi dry rot huf
VIII be rendered more efficient, and besides the
people. have right to know the WINS and
wherefores in the management of this iu,norf-
ant branch of the public service and iet ON
,rustees DO Their duty fearlessIy in examining
into the personnel of the service and applyinS
the pruning knife where 1t Is needed and the
public Will sustain them In this proper DER.
UfWance VI soeH duties. PUBLIC COOP.