Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-23

To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
Are they entitled by law to fill all vacancies
in the ranks of teachers in the public schools
That they are is claimed for them under the
legislative assembly act of June 49, 1873 At
that date there were 1873 public schools in Wash
ington city, of which were of the eighth
grade. There was no high school The pub
hc-school systems of the levy court. George
town and Washington city. were distinct. and
each system was under the control of a board
OF trustees. In these circumstances the act was
passed for the city of Washington" only. In
effect 1t authorized the city board Ito establish
a normal school. with one teacher, in the
Franklin building" for advanced pupils who
are to become teachers in the public schools of
said city," provided that no expense shall be
incurred beyond aggregate of teachers salaries
for 1874
The act was temporary and expired under
the operation Of its own proviso in or before
1876, when the aggregate Of teachers salaries
exceeded that for 1874. Normal instruction IL
now given in three buildings instead of one; to
graduates of two high schools. not to advanced
pupils" in the eight lower grades; by six teach
ers, not by one only; and the expense is in ex-
cess of the teachers salaries for 1874 and is
several times as much as that authorized in the
act of 1873. Besides, the graduates are not
limited to Washington city in their appoint
ments. but teach anywhere in the District The
school is not governed by city board but by
District one. 1t differs from the school author
lied in 1878, in every point locality pupils
teachers, expenditures, territory to be supplied
and government. 1t is the creation Of the
District trustees and not Of a city board. The
act of 1878 does not apply to it. That act,
with many other enactments of an early day,
has been made obsolete and repealed by the
legislation into existence of many things in
consistent with it. 1t lies buried deep in the
same grave with city and levy court boards
With laws requiring separate accounts of taxa
ton and expenditure for the county and each
OF the two cities, or special assessments for
street improvements, or relating to Tiber
creek wharves, or apportloning the school
fund between white and colored children, or
forbiddlns the trustees to organize schools in
excess OF certain proportion to the number
OF pupils IN the preceding year, or requiring
certain sum for the benefit Of schools to be
paid by the Baltimore and Potomac railroad
company for its privileges public reserva-
ton II it could be revived and rejuvenated
by some elixir it is too small and narrow for
present use.
The phrase, The graduates of this school
shall have preference in all cases when ap-
pointments Of teachers for the public schools
are 10 be made" is the identical provision in
force IN several of the states. but 1t has never
been held equivalent to the phrase, ''All va
cancies shall be filed with graduates until their
number Is exhausted" II means that in max
itss appointments the graduates shall be
FIRST considered, and, if better qualified than
other candidates. shall be appointed. This has
been the Interpretation from 1873 to the pres
ent time. Any Interpretation forcing the ap-
pointment OF an incompetent person as
teacher would greatly injure the schools A
New York law provides that preference shall
be given to ex-soldiers in appointments to
minor Offices Suppose a veteran with two
cork legs applies for the post of messenger,
must 1t be given TO him? Or one without hands
applies to be appointed recording clerk has
he the legal right TO il? The main rule in in
rlno At sot 10
II am correctly informed none of the high
school teachers are graduates of the local nor
NAL Are they all to be turned out to make
room for the young graduates? LAWYER