Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-06
THE SCHOOL INVESTIGATION.
Evidence In the Cas-,

The SCHOOL INvEsTIGATION.
Documentary Evidence In the Case.
The school board room at the Franklin build
ing was again ffed with school officials school
teachers, trustees and ex-trustees when Com.
missioner West at O'Clock to-day resumed the
Investigation Of the charges brought by school
Trustee Birney against School Trustee Lovejoy
Mr.. Perry. counsel for Mr.. Lovejoy, began his
side of the by putting on the record the let
ter from Mr. Birney TO the Commissioners
dated March 18th LAST, and to which q post
script, dated June 27th, was appended, present.
ing charges against Mr.. Lovejoy, with Mr. Love-
order OF the COMMISSIONER directing an inves-
legation, Mr.. Lovejoys protest against Commits
sioner West alone making the investigation,
evidence would be reported 10 the full board OF
Commissioners.
Mr.. Perry offered In evidence a letter written
by Commissioner EdTnonds TO Mr.. Wilson. after
an investigation had been made by the Com
missioners Of the Mcqueen case, SSonerating
Mr.. Wilson.
ALErrER FROM COMMISSIONERS WEST.
Mr.. Perry also submitted the following letter
from Mr.. West, dated october 2, 1884:
dear Mfr. WIison,-As by the understanding
had with the Commissioners at our interview
With You yesterday, I called upon Miss Nc
her salary as teacher, April to June, 1882, was
the same as given by you, viz: That her COM
pens sd as such teacher was voluntarily
was used by the whole school might be re-
paired.
beg to assure you that upon Investigation
no reproach rests upon you or upon any other
person connected with the schools in respect TO
the pay of Miss Mcqueen or OF its disposition.
my colleagues, aud meets their Endorsement.
II WIZ De made official il you SO desire Very
Hon. j. 6rmond Wilson, supt. schools
LETTER FROM Ey-SrpERINrENpENr WILSON
Mr.. Perry also submitted a letter from ex-
Supt Wilson to Trustee Lovejoy, dated Nam
tucket, July 1st,enclosing the letters from Com
missioners Edmonds and West relating to
Miss Bartetts case 50 far as Miss Mcqueen was
In conclusion the letter says: "The whole
transaction may be Summarized follows:
The District paid the amount authorized by
law for the support of the school i'm question,
and received Tor the same the full amount of
service required, and, ip addition thereto, fur
1921, for use In the Normal school. at
the same time most meritorious teacher
whose health had been broken down in the
service OF the District was enabled TO hold her
position, the duties being performed in part by
herself and in part by "a substitute, and 10 re-
ceive some pecuniary assistance, at a time
when IT was greatly needed by her. This was
done, as understand il, without any violation
OF law or OF the rules of the school board.
think Mrs. Rodier has been continuously in
the service of the schools since 1s43. The re-
port will show that her school has uniformly
sustained the very best rank from that date tn
the present time. A few years ago, she be-
gan 10 feel the infirmitics of advancing years,
but needed TO continue her work in order to
support herself, she employed young lady
teacher, a graduate from the public schools, to
give her some assistance. The amount of as
sistance rendered was Increased from time TO
time As Mrs. ROdier advanced in age and he
came less and less able TO perform all the duties
OF teacher
So far as know the employment OF assistants
and the amount paid for the same were matters
OF mutual arrangement between herself and her
assistant. The school was conducted To the en-
tire satisfaction OF the officers and invariably
took high rank in scholarship. SO long as
this was the case the officers We're satisfied and
did not feel called upon TO interfere with the
arrangement made 10y herself, but, on the other
hand, think may say that it was regarded
as a humane duty to an old and
long and eminentiy successful services not TO
Interfere with an arrangement that enabled
her to support herself while the school was man.
aged and instructed TO the entire satisfaction
OF It's patrons and the school officers, and the
District received the Iull amount OF services for
which Ii paid.
DIRECTING TO THE LETTER AS TESTIMONY.
Mr.. Willoughby objected to receiving such a
letter as testimony, especially, he said. as IL
came from n man who is implicated in the same
charges against Mr. Lovejoy
>, Mr. West said that he was Obliged to receive
1t as matter OF record. They had to take every
thing for what 1t was worth.
Mr. f. A. Paul. principal OF the High school,
Who, until the LIST inst, served temporarily as
u
six divisions, as chairman OF the CON-
mittee on teachers for five or six years,
testified that Mr.. Lovejoy had had especial
charge of the High school and Normal school.
He said that he thought the general sentiment
of the teachers OF the High school was that they
had always received great deal Of assistance
encouragement and good advice from MrLove-
joy. 1t was his opinion that MIR. Lovejoy's SER
vices had been valuable to the schools.
The witness was examined at some length as
to the manner Of making cut pay-rolls He
mentioned several instances where the names
of substitutes had appeared on the pay-rolls
during the past few months under the order of
the Commissioners requiring that the names of
substitutes serving a full month or more should
appear.
Mr.. Perry asked lift were not Justification of
the rolls by the Commissioners, or some one I'm
suppressing the names Of those who had served
for less than a month. One supervising princi-
pal, he said, had sent to the superintendent's
office his certified rolls for both May and June.
Mr.. Paul said it would be impracticable to
put in the names of all casual substitutes
Ex-Trustees b. H. Warner. Robert Reyburn
Geo. Sampson, A. Hart, E. F. French and J. M
Wilson were examined and testified TO Mr..
LOveJOy's zeal, efficiency and enthusiasm as q
school official. Mr.. Willoughby questioned Dr.
Reyburn TO show that Mr. Lovejoy was bache-
lor, and that q school trustee received no COM
pensatiOn.
81 supposed, !" said Mr.. Perry. shat really this
inquiry might be the answer as to what his
compensation was-a very large crop of ingrati-
tude."