Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-14
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
superintendent Cook Writes Letter of
Protest.

Protest.
He sAYs TIE OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF ool~
oRKD SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE ABOLISHED
TIE WHOLE MArTKR REFERRKp 10 THE HOB
SCHOOL ooMNIrTkE-orHER BUSINESS BEFORE
THE BOARD.
~ was expected that at the meeting of the
echool board last night the proposal Of DIR.
Francis to abolish the Office Of superintendent
OF coiored schools would come up for discus
sion Among the communications received by
the board was the following from Mr.. g. +. T.
Cook, superintendent Of colored schools, dated
yesterday: AT the last meeting Of the board
q report was submitted by q special committee
appointed to'investigate the controversy be-
tween Messrs. Cardozo and Browne, teachers
in the high school Of the seventh and eighth
divisions, which was supplemented by . paper
from DIR. John r. Francis, in which the ad-
ministration Of this Office was criticized and the
superintendent represented as being
the real cause OF the difficulties in
the special committee in no manner connected
the ONCE OF superintendent or the superin-
tendent himself with the controversy. and
nothing whatever was brought out by the ex-
animation that warranted the verbal state
allegations in the supplemental paper submitted
by him. On the other hand a positive state
ment was made by Mr.. Browne during the in
veshgation by the special committee that he
was instigated to the act which led to the con-
troversy and encouraged in il by DIR. Francis.
The inference is q reasonable one that but for
such action on the part Of DIR. Francis, there
would have been no controversy.
During my administration of this Office the
rules and regulations Of the board have been
strictly obeyed; all duties imposed by the board
have been promptly discharged, and the most
harmonious and friendly relations official and
personal, have existed between the offices of
the two superintendents. am Of the opinion
that not in the sacrifice Of individuality TO the
mechanical following Of identical deteils, but
In the results OF the school-room is to be found
the measure of efficient management. regret
to say that in the disposition and apparent pol
ICY OF the committeeman to disregard the
judgment, recommendations, powers and du-
ties of the Office of superintendent in the
schools of the seventh division and the high
school, relations inharmonious and somewhat
strained exist.
The office Of superintendent Of colored
schools OF Washington and Georgetown re-
gard as belonging to the colored people, crea-
ted for their benefit, and absolutely necessary
to the success of their schools; therefore, in
my opinion, while separate schools for white
and colored children are maintained, the dis
tlnct Office should be preserved. During nv
occupancy of the position have ever held, and
now as firmly hold, that change should be
made when, by competent authority, IL ID
deemed best for the interests of the schools.
The Office itself is of first importance; its oc-
cupant SO far as he is personally concerned
secondary. l am sure that in proposing to
abolish the office of superintendent of colored
schools of Washington and Georgetown Dr.
Francis does not voice the wishes Of the col
ored citizens"
nm En- kvrYo Dvrrrs
When the secretary had read the letter, DIR.
Francis remarked that the reference to his hav-
ing instigated Mr.. Browne was false. He said
that the intimaton in this letter of strained re-
lations between himself and the superintendent
was the first knowledge he had of such condi-
ton OF affairs. He did not know how such an
impression existed, unless it arose from the fact
that he never saw Mr.. Cook and all their commu-
nication was through the mail This was, he
said, because Mr.. Cook was never in his Office
at hours when DIR. Francis could go there
I On motion of Mr.. Fish the report made by
DR.. Francis at the last meeting and Mr. Cooks
letter were referred to the committee on high
schools and there was no further discussion.
OBJECTS TO THE BELL.
A communication signed Insomnia" was re-
ferred to the board by the Commissioners.
Insomnia" complained that the bells on the
Sumner school building were rung at night
Mr.. Whelpley was anxious to learn who got up
at night to ring the bells. Mr.. Francis said
that the bells were the clock bells that struck
the hours. Mr.. Whelpley thought they could
not stop a clock.
A petition was received from J. II. Hollidge
and others asking that sum be included in the
estimates for the erection of a four-room school
building near the Soldiers Home school. A
potion was received from DR.. John r. Francis
and others asking the adoption of the kinder
garten system in the Stevens building.
ALLEGED INEQUALITIES IN SALARIES.
Letters were read from two teachers COM
planning of injustice in the salaries of teachers
in the same grade. One of them, Anna L. Sar-
gent, wrote that there were teachers in the 5th
grade who had taught one year who were re-
ceiving 500, while she, serving her second
year in that grade, received but $3.50. An
other teacher, NJ. Francis Harmon, complained
of similar inequalities in the salaries of the 9th
grade teachers. The matter was referred to
the committee on teachers and janitors for re-
port.
Mr.. Darlington said that there were in the
schools teachers who, under the old system,
had been advanced to the maximum. When
the system was changed their salaries were not
reduced. With the exception of such cases
he did not believe there were any Unequal
ities."
CHANGES AND APPOINTMENTS.
Changes and appointments were made as fol-
lows: Second division-Misses Kate Schermer-
horn and Blanch Smith appointed substitutes
Fifth division-Mrs. Elizabeth Upperman ap-
pointed janitor of Threlkeld school, vice Mrs.
Margaret Cole, deceased. Martha Divine, APP
pointed janitor of cooking room, and Edwin
Smith janitor of manual training room.
Sixth neutrality-suspicious. Miss A. ID. John
son, class to 10, vice Miss Alice Strange, re-
signed; Miss ]. NJ Spars, class to 8; Miss L. b.
Crow. class to 6; Miss w. A. Nichols, class 2
to 6; Miss G. A. Walker, class to 6. Appoint
Emma George to class 2.
Seventh neutrality-suspicious. Misses II. NJ.
Bruce, class IL to ID; NJ. A. Lawton, 10 70 IL; M.
v. Tibbs, 8 to 10; NJ. T. Fletcher, 8 to 81 H. Z.
Bruce, 8 to 8; NJ. p. Evans, 8 to 8; E.G. Brooke,
z to 8; ID. N. Coleman, z to 8; r. Page, to 8;
A. Taylor, s to 8; A. E. Cole, to 8; E. B. Lee,
to q; E. F. Shimm, 5 to z; ]. Z. Thomas, 5 to
z; NJ Benjamin, 8 to 4.
Eighth division-Miss Maggie Saunders ap-
pointed substitute to class 1, vice Miss. NJ E.
Pryor, deceased; Mrs. Minnie B. Brown and c.
I. Mason appointed substitutes. Moses Saun-
ders appointed janitor of school at Miner insti-
tute building
VIM. George appointed janitor Of Lincoln
building, vice Jonas Cooper resigned
Contributions Needed.
L. S. Emery, general secretary Of the Asso-
cisted Charities, asks The STAB to-remind the
citizens Of Washington that contributions of
mopev are very much neodad Aleo cloxb;c<,