Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-05
WORK OF thea DvIsOaY BOARD
An Unsatisfactory showing.
ne Editor ofTax tvsNixs STAR

To the Editor Of TsfE kvsNISe STAR
The school year il nearly closed, and the advis-
DRY system has been subjected to the final test,
and what Is the showinsf Formerly teachers
certificates Of qualification were based upon All
examination carefully regulated by rules pre-
scrIoed by the board of trustees, and no person
was appointed 10 IA teachers position who did
not bold the certificate of the board fairly OBJ
tained under the rules. and there was, too,
Partially. Now there are persons employed
Is teachers who hold no certificates; there are
Others who hold positions and receive salaries
above the grade IA which their certificates en-
title them; there others VINO hold their GER
ttfcates by favoritism having failed to- Reach the
standard required by the ad i>ory board; they
had friends In and oui said board Influential
enough To have certificates voted them not
outstanding their failure TO attain In the ex-
animation the STANDARD WHICH even tue ''.,d
Visory board required. Others hold Positions
VINO sigoasiy famed III pass any examination,
aud there are some who even refused To- at
tend the examinations. i am informed that
one more teachers are employed and are on
the payroll receiving salaries who have never
been even formally appointed by either the
board % trustees or the Commissioners. For
merry there Was liked schedule OF salaries
based on character oil work and length of
Vice, and teachers We're appoInle To these POI
sitions. For instance. the salary OF u teacher
in the NTH grade school 5000 the first
year with AN addition of sou u year Ior expe-
riencs. u:itil IL reached the maximum of $3.50
per aaIsuni. Under the new system teacher
has been hired, il is termed ior 5000 per an
IL Is said that this hrtr.g system is going
TO he Introduced anu applied To The lower
grades, To economiLs below IN order To pay
larger salaries towards the top.
W LAT Is The effect oi THESE irregularities and
changes, with their threatening possibilities?
The teachers Ieel that personal Judgment or
caprice. taSoritlsm and influence are about to
be substituted Tor scholarship, ValuaUIe expert
ence and good record. We nave neard or read
something about immaculate civil service lists
which are TO guide Commissioner Webb in the
appointment, promotion and assignment oi
teacEerS. We nave not learned how the IN ieg-
rity AID inipartiaity OF these lists are 10 DC
gudFdL teed, and II seems Io that the Inanip-
uiator OF the lists will he enabled To subordinate
In teachersnips and salaries 10 Tie Use oil his
friends aud iavortrs.
the discussions oi all school questions in the
ole board did at least iniofm the teachers aud
parents vi pupils what Was done proposed
To be done, but NOW there seems to be star
chamber method. Even ~Ome OF the .'auvislng'
Trustees have been kept Tor "a time IN ignorance
Of many things which have been done by these
ways thai are dark" The press occasionally
emil. htens their ignorance.
The teachers and ali interested ia our schools
would be gratitied ia The STAR would turn un
the light by ootsinIns and publishing Mr.
Commissioner W ebb's vIewS anu IntentIuns in
the presence OF the statements here made.
one, FUR MANY.