Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-09-15
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The School Board Resumes Business
for the Year.

NEW OFFICERS cHosEN-cHANGEs AMONG THE
TECHERs-Ex-TRUsTEE BROOKS DENIES THE
STATEMENT THAT HE IMPOSED UPON THE
TEXTBOOK COMMITTEE.
The school board last evening held its first
meeting since July. The new members, DR..
Francis and Mr.. Johnson, being present, the
board recognized for the year by clecting Mr.
j. j. Darlington president and re-eecting Mr..
j. q. Gurley as secretary. Among the first
papers that came up for action was q letter
from the District Commissioners, dated August
ID, asking the board to transmit to the Com
missioners by September 10 estimates of the
amounts needed for the support OF the public
schools during the next fiscal year. Subse-
quently the new committee on ways and
means was elected by ballot, as follows: Messrs
Clark, Johnson and Curtis, with the view of
having this committee ut once prepare the
estimates. The appointment Of the other
regular committees was deferred. Mr.. johnson
was assigned to the seventh and DIR. Francis
to the sixth division.
Upon motion OF Mr.. Darlington teachers
manuals, prepared by the superintendent, pre-
reading for the lower grades, were added to the
list of text books.
CHANGES AMONG THE TEACHERS.
The designations of Mrs. s. n. Taylor and
Misses J.Eleanor catcher and Elizabeth A. Cook,
teachers in the colored schools, and Miss Clara
school, were accepted. Miss Goodwin is sick In
Maine. Miss Cook, a daughter of Collector
Cook, is going to Paris for two years to study
kindergarten methods, and Miss catcher, who
graduated from the Minor Normal school last
June, goes to Massachusetts to continue her
normal studies.
The committee on examination of teachers
made report, which was adopted, recon-
mcnding the granting of certificates as follows:
Special certificates for the Washington High
schools to Percy Hughes, Helen NJ. Hayes, Eva
VI. Pitts and Frances Haldeman.
Special certificates for Washington High
school to w. G.. Wesson industrial education),
and Andrew Stewart military drill.)
First-class certificate 10 Dora 4. Smith.
Appoint Edith X. Boyle. graduate of Oswego,
class IL, IS 1907, and assign her to Washington
High school.
Freyhold, third division, tor one year, and
Miss Ella McMahon, first division, until jan
nary LIST.
Upon Il motion of Mr. Johnson, Miss 4. 7.
Howard, who has declined to serve teacher
in the colored high school, was transferred to
the Wormley building; Miss Emily j. Pattcr-
son, from the Lincoln building to the high
school; and Miss Julia Mason, from the Worm
ley to the Lincoln building.
EX-TRUsTEE BROOKS PROTESTS.
A long letter was read from eX-Trustee Brooks
in relation to the recent action of the board in
resembling its action adopting the report Of the
committee on text books So far as it provided
for changing the arithmetics in use in the
schools This vote was reScinded upon mOts0n
OF members OF the text book committee, who
stated in substance that the committee had
been miSled into believing that they were
simply enforcing action already taken by the
board.
Mr.. Brooks statements to the committee
Were represented as the basis of their action
Mr. Brooks, in his letter, emphaticaliy denied
having imposed upon the committee. He said
the proposed change from Davies and Peck 8
to tooinson's was IL good one approved by tine
teachers and the supervising principals, and
one that would have involved no expense to
the District or to pupils. He charged that the
powerful influence OF Il publishing house had
kept the present text books i'll. The question,
he said, was, when could the public have the
Judgment OF the board and the text book COIN
mIiiee III the selection OF text books if IL were
impossible to put out bad text book. He init.
mated that the agents of the publishing house
had gone to the Commissioners and also in
spired the newspaper publications against the
proposed changes, and again denied having
made any Measurements.