Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-08
THE SCHOOL WAR.
citizens Asking for the Revocation of
Trustee Birney's Appointment.

Citizens Asking for the Revocation OF
trustee Birney's Appointment.
PAPERS SENT To COMMISSIONERS EDMoNDs AND
| LYDECKER TO-DAY.
Inc following papers were to-day sent to Dis
| trlct Commissioners Edmonds and Lydecker
WASHINGTON, d. c., July z, 1885.
10 Commissioners Ednnonds and Lydecker:
GENTLEMEN: We hand you herewith mem
orandum setting forth reasons why we think
MI VIM. Birney is not iii man to be entrusted
WITH the management of the public schools.
re nave recently, together with other residents
school, board for the astgnment Of some trus rus
Tee other than Mr.. Birney to that division as
local committee. No action has been taken on
our petition 80 far as we are advised.
we come now to you, who are vested with
power ct removal as We'll as appointment, and
respectfully request the revocation of Mr.. Bir-
ney appointment as school trustee.
In making this request we are not actuated
by any personal motives, but solely by a wish
To rescue our school system from impending
generalization and the schools OF our division
from further injury.
Weaddress our request to you instead of the
| lull board OF mmissioners from belief that
Cen Blrney that no remedial action can be ex-
pected from him. Very respectfully, (Signed)
I. a; Lambert. John Randolph, A. Hart, Ed
| Little, Richard Norris, Alex. Kent, John r.
Major, S. Goldstein, Dudley A. Denison, and
others.
referred to In the foregoing letter Is as follows:
1.-The undersigned respectfully petition that
some trustee, other than Gen. WIN. Brney, be
assigned to the second school division as local
committee"
Il. b. DERRICK, VIM. ]. Rhees. Brainard H.
Warner, s. Wolf, Geo. Mason, William Lord,
William r. Woodward, and others, ex-schoo1
trustees.
Il agree with the request of the ex-trustees."
Jas. l.. Barbour.
And L, VIM. w. Moore.
I'VE concur in the foregoing petition. In our
OPINION the trustee named is not safe or suita-
bic man To be intrusted with the management
OF the public schools"
Jesse b. Wilson, Noble D. Larner, John E.
Norris, Samuel Norment, Samuel Polkinhorn,
Chas. b. Bailey, Harrison Dingman, A. Nj. Clapp,
Adolph ClusS, o. F. Presbury, John 7. Given,
Mrs Robert H. Graham, Mrs. j. Markriter, Mrs.
;. W. Flynn, Mrs. de B. Randolph keim, Rev.
"; EdT va h, DID, Rey. j. l. Mills Dp,
Patch, A: Behrend, MD, u. w. Prentiss,
Mp, E. b; Rankin, MD, J. I. Winter, MD,
RI s MD r Heron n k kipns a AP Roa IS
ton, Nd X. G. Mauss, Md. l.. c. Bishop, Nj.
D.; III. c. Spencer, Jas. 2. Willett, w. F. Ran
l. Sheriff, Henry Franc, Lansburgh & Bro, j.
d. Free, jr;, Chas Baum, Fred. Freund, ]. s..
SwoGrmstedtt J. R;G1sbnrne, Lawrence gardner,
schmid, p. j. Behrend & Son, t. Jarvis Ell
Phonzo Youngs, Geo Ryneal, jr., E. Morrison
Breitbarth, H. 4. Hail, E. A. McIntire, Jas. E.
Waugh. Geo. W. Stickney, Hinke Il Budd, J.
William m Lee, r. F. simpson, J: B: Kendall,
Heilbrun, III. Baumgarten, c. II. Burgess, l.. IL.
Schneider, Woodward Il Lothrop, C. III. Bell, j.
": Cromwell, j: kass. John Joy Edison, H. c..
w Indsor, A. L. W hitney, Anton Fischer, G. S.
Cudlipp & Co., J. B. Bryan, Horatio Brown
ing. F, A. Lutz, Johnson & Bro, j. Richard Rig
john %a aGeg SdT eo BGgn
B. Towner, w. II. Proctor, W. T. Turpin, VIM.
Mayse, Emil Rupert, J. W. Wade, ]. H; Self
ii. b. kalusowski, A. +. Moran, E. III. MOrsell
e Auerbach, Thomas S. Moore, s. Hirsch, and
about four hundred more, parents and citizens
OF the second school division.
MEMORANDUM OF REASONS WHY.
The memorandum referred to is as follows
School Trustee William Brney is not a safe
or suitable man to be entrusted with the care
and management of the public schools:
First. Because of his apparently incurable
tendency to stir up strife in the school board
sometimes by making incorrect and misead-
Ing statements and sometimes by assuming
individually, to exercise the powers of the
board, or of some of its committees without
the assent of a majority of the members
Second. Because of his singing out for dis
missal experienced teachers who have demon
strated their competency by long and success
ful service in the schools, and who according to
a large preponderance of testimony, are still
able to perform acceptably the duties of their
Third. Because of his attempt without rea-
sonable cause to deprive the second school di-
Gage; in the execution of which attempt he
presented to Mr.. Gage the alternative of leav-
Ing that division, or OF being dropped
from the corps OF teachers. This proposition,
when discovered by the people of the second
division, raised such a storm of indignant pro-
test that he fastened to withdraw il and to IL
sure Mr.. Gage that he would nominate him for
reappointment to his old place. 1t is not sup
posed, however, that his hostile purpose to-
poned; 1t may be expected to reappear again in
some form other.
Fourth. Because of his so conducting himself
In the management of school affairs I'm the
second division as to create a state OF apprehen-
sion and fear on the part of the teachers of
that division. tending to divert their attention
from their appropriate duties, and, correspond
lngly, to diminish the effectiveness of their
teaching. School teachers are untitled for ac-
when made to feel that they are under the
espionage of reckless and opinionated
theorist who carries In his belt the execuioner's
axe.
FVth Because Of his offensive assumption of
the one man power. as appears by his issuing
on his Individual responsibility an order to the
teacherS OF the second school division prohibit
ing written examinations; and because of his
eXtraVagant statements respecting these exam
nations, which, though mot true" were never
theiess calculated to mislead public opinion
and injure the public schools, and lid so.
Srrn because OF ms narsn, not to say un
families.
SeUenth. Because Of his persistent efforts to
enbroil the community in a contest over the
simple reading OF the Bible In the schools with
OUT note or comment, and the repeating OF the
Lord prayer, at the option of the teacher
E1oftth. Because of want of confidence in his
htneSs for the office of school trustee on the
part OF large and respectable body of citizens
MARRIAGE LICENsEs.-The clerk of the court
has issued marriage licenses to j. Moulton
Jones and Mary Alice Gardiner; Chas WebeI
and Katie c. Dom; Ira w. Hopkins and Annie
NJ. Riggles; Howard j. Spaldfng and Katie M
Nichol, both of Point of Rocks, Md: L. D. Mil
Ter and Martha A. Towers; Harrison Davis and
Bertha Peake.
NoLLE PROSES IN GERMAN-AMERICAN
BANK CASE-In the Criminal Court Yesterday
nolle prosequies as to Messrs. r. B. Donaldson
ana W. r. Mattingly in the case of the indict-
ment found against them in connection with
MesSrs. John HitZ and Charles E. Prentiss
charging them officers and directors of the
communication National bank with MAX
Ing false entry in the bank book under date of
March list, 1873 TO the effect that the sum of
S4O,OOO had been sent as q remittance to the
Importers and Traders Bank OF New York
This was one OF the criminal prosecutions which
grew out of the suspension OF the German
American National bank several years ago.
WASHINGTON SINGING SOCIETIES IN Brook
LYN.-A dispatch from New York, in giving an
account OF the great saengerfest at BROOKLYN
states that In the prize singing of the second
class seven societies, from Carlsbad Washing
ton. Camden, Richmond, Troy, PHILADELPHIA