The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-07-19

VI 'ht W. 'N"N 'e i''''
a. In case OF the absence OF any teacher on nc
count o. sickness or other jgstlnable cause for mo-
90 In case OF longer absence, or where the ab
sence Ia likely to he 81 longer duration, the teacher
may furnish n substitute provided that the person
selected he satisfactory to inc supervising principal
superintendent, or local trustee having special charg,
a. In case the absentee does moi elect to proyld,
q substitute, he or she shall forthwith notify, oi
cause to he notified, the supervising principal
superintendent, or local trustee, whose duty II shal
he TO employ substitute: and such substitute alal
he paid by such absentee an amount equal TO one
half OF his or her salary during the ilme that his o
OF the matter Of precedent we viii sneak later
The money earned during the months OF January
February, and March-SlbO (bcng at the rate Of So
for each monih)-was paid 10 tho sick teacher, Mis-
Bartlett. This Is sworn to positively by Professor
Able, NJ whose house she was, and where abe died
Miss bartlett was too conscientious to keep moro o
this money than she actually earned, and either sh,
or her sister gave to Mr.. Wilson about si25 OF this
being all that she received loss the salary for abou
one-half OF the month OF january, which shc carne'
herself OF the sum SO given about $50 or <J5 were
applied 10 her burial expenses. The salaries fo
The months OF April, May, aud June were drawn 10y
Miss Mcqueen, making mall slgo; and lhis sum wa'
In all about $40 The testimony shows approx
maicly how this was expended, 10 wit:
For rcnoyailng grand plano property OF the
For moving piano. music, etc, al exhibition Of WV
For Miss iartleirs funeral expenses .......... ii
For apparatus for the Normal School,. .....,. S,
This completes the history OF tho fret Ave spcca
cations. IL m part on this state OF facts that Tho
charge OF Mr. Birnev was published. These facts
were admitted IN the opening statement, and they
are shown by the proof To bc as admitted, nothing
more. Counsel do not purpose making any argu
ment about them, save to hereafter refer 10 Ger,
tain prec0denis IN the schools which would jusif,
all engaged IN Tits matter IN claiming that they had
not even been irregular, according TO the mos, tech
nlca construction OF the rules But the charge here
IL The charge published TO the world s-falsifca
ton 0f pay-rOs. Counsel ask you M honorable men
having regulations which are dear to you, IL II moi
an outrage on Mr.. lovcjoy that, for what he did IN
this matter, he shonld have been thus dealt with b,
this false accuscr? Ought such man M this one
whose malice In sO bitter or whose nature IL per
voiieo, ought such man as Mr. Blrncy here appears
To hc to continue trustee of the schools?
Permit us TO ray n few words IN behalf OF MIR
Wilson, whom we do not represent, and who IL ab
sent and physically disabled through hts labors II
behalf OF our schools, and who has the confidence al
The most reputable citizens Of washington IN ever,
way, both as 10 Intelligence and integrity of The
sirctcst kind; man respected Of all the teachers
and who had SO endeared himself TO the children
that the mention OF his name at the late commence
mcnis made their hands try to tell what their heart
felt for himr-permit counsel to say Of him, az en-
acns and lawyers who have studied this case, tina
there IL nothing either developed limited at IN IN,
testimony save what II much to hts credit that ht
appears TO have actc In the OF Miss Bartlett, "
which Mr.. West has made M unwarranied an a,tacl
upon him absent, IN the most honest AMI manly way
There are two other matters TO which we wish toc cal
Barilc,ts school. This school was thoroughly IN
vesgaied by Mr.. West himself as to the time whci
Miss Mcqueen signed the pay-rolls in April, May
aud June OF 1sS2 IN connection with Mr. Wilson
The result of that investigation IN well known Il
yon. In order, however, to refresh your recocc
lions, we desire to inscrt here the letter OF Mr. Wcs
OF this record. II reads M fo'lows
"orrrcE or THE COMMISSIONERS,
"DisTRIcr OF COLUMBIA,
"WASHtNGTON, October 2, 1881.
IA In mr. liam, MI u
had with the Commissioners at our Interview wit,
you yesterday, I called upon Miss Mcqueen, and th'
version obtained from her as to her salary as teacher
April to June, 1882. was the same as given by you
viz, that her compensation as such teacher wa
voluntarily turned over TO you In order that pian
which was used by the whole school might lie r.
paired.
~ Deg to assure you that upon Investigation IL
reproach rests upon You or upon any other pcrsol
connected with the schools In respect to the pay
Miss Mcqueen or OF Its disposition.
This letter Is written with the knowledge OF m
colleagues, and meets their Endorsement II will IN
made Official, II You 80 desire.
~. Ii. WEST
"iiow. j. ORaosp WILSON, Supt. Schools'
Now, counsel are unable to persuade thenselve
that MIR. West did not at that time also inquire int
the months OF January, February, and March, bu
II he did not Inquire, II is dcult to understand hov
any couli lie 20 convinced about the prophet
aud regularity OF what happened In that school II
the three latter months, and vet insist, AZ Mr.
West seems to, that the three earlier months are s.
One other matter: Mr.. West was examined ma
Witness by MIR. Birneys counsel with respect TO In
time when the charges and specifications I'm this cas-
were first presented TO him by Mr. Blrney. Mr. Yves
testified substantially that Mr. Birney brough, In
charges and specifications to him in the same shap
in which they now are, save that there were onl
dive OF tlem-Mrs. Rodicr's case not being Include,
in March OF this year; that he urged Birney moi Il
present them. on the ground that 1t would sinp
create scandal that Mr. Srney acquicsced In sug
gesiion and withdrew THE charges. Counsel cannO
perceive that the addition of charge with respect
Mrs. Rodier could materially alter the Judgment %
advice OF Mr.. West, acquicsced in by Mr.. Btrncy II
Anrch last. The inquiry then Is, What motive nov
urges these gentlemen on, when In March they boil
concluded that It would he injudicious and upropc
to present these charges?
The remaining specification is In relation to Mira
Rodier, and eau he briefly stated, together with th
history of the case, thus
Mrs. Maria Il. Rodier commenced tho career of
school teacher In the city when she was seventeen
years OF age, and since the year She has beer
continuously connected with the public schools herr
as teacher. As the standard OF the schools lia
been developed, and rs modern and approved meth
DDS of teaching have been introduced, Mrs. Rode
has, with great industry and with COnntendablc
hilton, qualified herself although educated undo
the old nelhod5-tO still compete with the yOunHc
sriIction aud of acquiring methods with create
readiness than can be commanded by those Whose
early instruction has been Of an entirely difercn
sort. So well has Mrs. ROdier persevercd In th
dncnlt course that her school retained the uXcel'en
standard that she had at first given to II, despite al
mchois q tcaching with which she lad to str'gg,
hard TO Keep place. In the year 1851 Mrs. Itodlc
voluntarily, and without suggestion from any one
determined to employ an assistant, whom she pali
out OF her own salary, tO aid her in her work. Ih!
assistant has been continuously with her since an,
IL now the teacher OF this school. Mrs. ROdicrs Hrs
purpose In employing her was to have her do certain
work Mt the blackboard which required more physi
cal agility than she possessed As the months wen
by and brought their own burden with them th.
assistant teacher took the place OF the principal to
gradually greater extent, until finally Ia November
last Mrs. Rodler ceased her active work.
We wish to call attention, first TO the fact that II
tis case, ~ In that OF Mlss Bartlett, 1t IL not rug
gcsic that The standard OF this school has not heel
kept up; that Ia admitted without question:; and IN,
former assistant, Miss Backiston, IL now the teacher
OF ths school. Here, them IL no pretcnce that IN,
Interests OF the school or Of tho pupils attending
have nj all suffered. on the contrary, 1t liz admiitc,
that the standard Of this school Is higher than the
average; 80 that the public has suffered no loss
Here - no question with respect to the compensa
airy regularly and paid her assistant, as the assstan
confesses.
The question Of regularity under the rules Is mo-
dicult ia determine. This IL not the Of a sub
stue for substitute, by force OF the term, iakc'
tho place OF the principal. There cannot he
time In the same school; hut, from tue evidence
there eau be no doubt that Mrs. Rodier has been
her school daily. with few exceptions, un'il III.
respect TO assistants save ~ the eighth grade
where suhassisant s provided for; but this, II II
conceded. has no application here. The question
presented by this case OF Mrs. ltOdcr IN M follows
The rules neither permit nor refuse the employ
nient Of an assistant. Can an assistant ever b,
properly employed when the rules are silent on IN,
subject?
Now, while this might properly bc made the sub
ject of discussion at u meeting OF the School Boar,
with reference to an enlargement of the rules or
greater Btrctncss In definition on their part, It caI
hardly he urged that the employment ofan assistant
while the rules remain as they now are, would fur
nsh ground for criminal charge; and yet this u
exactly what the charge IL herc--that Mr. LoycJOy
fasiied the payrolls, IN that he certified that Mrs
ROdlcr earned her money, when In point of fact The
services were rendered by her and her assisan an,
later by the assistant almost entirely. These IN,
facts IN Mrs Rodicr's case.
Now, tnasmuch as the pay-rols and their ALLEGED
falsillcaon are often mentioned In this inquiry,
VIII no well To understand exactly what connection
MIR. LOyeJOy has with them, aud the counsel vii
call attention To certain piecedents illustrating III,
course OF procedure with respect TO these rolls
The pnblic-schOOl teachers of the District Of 60
lunba are paid their salaries monthly. There ar,
certain divisions Of these schools aud each division
has supervising principal who has immediate
charge thereof, and who prepares the certificate cacl
month, giving the names OF teachers and their sala
rcs The accuracy OF this list AZ to matters OF fac
" vouched Tor by The principal OF each district |
would be physically impossible for the chairman %
the committee on teachers 10 go over and verify al
of the lists from all OF the divisions every month
This certificate OF the supervising principal IL cert
fed To IN turn by The superintendent and the chairman
OF the committee on teachers Mr.. LoyelOy. For
merry the trustees performed the duties of supervising
principal and then he properly signed the pay Ger