Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-14


board have been as uneventful as the trans
action Of merely routine business could make
them. At the meeting Tuesday evening there
was slight change in the program. A
matter was introduced that gave promise
of . breezy discussion, and while there
was some earnest talk yet the members
did not get sufficiently warmed up to in
dulge in any remarks that were ealcu-
lated to produce heated personalities. The
entire discussion reyolyed about a paragraph
in the last annual report of the president Of the
board John T. Mitchell, to the Commissioners.
The paragraph reads as followsi
WHAT CAUSED THE DISCUSSION.
"The seventh and eighth divisions embracing
the colored schools of the city have been 3 sub
ject Of serious thought with tho whole board
Of trustees. The question has been asked by
the best class of colored citizens and by others
who feel a deep interest in the success Of their
schools, are We getting the best results obtain
able for the expenditure of means? From the
best information that i, as the president of the
board of trustees, have been able to obtain /
am clearly of the opinion that we do not. I
have been visited by end have consulted with
the most intelligent and educated of the colored
citizens, with whom it has been q subject of
anxious thought. What, say they, shall we do
to improve our schoOlsr We know that we are
not obtaining the best results; we are not
abreast Of the white schools nor do We yet ex-
pect to be; but we are too far behind them,
and such should not be the case"
Mr. coRNIsH's PROTEST
The attention of the board was called to the
matter By Mr.. Cornish. one of the colored
members Of the board, who. while dsclaming
any intention of rejecting personally upon
the president, yet deemed it his duty as rep
resenting one of the divisions named to enter
. protest against the statements contained in
the report Dr.Shadd and Mr.. Bruce, the Recorder
Of deeds, the other two colored members of
the board, had their say. and then president
Mitchell responded and j. J. Darlington, the
only other trustee present, made . few brief
observations
Mr.. Cornish in his remarks commented upon
tbe fact that the report of President Mitchell
was not authorized by the board and protested
against it on the following grounds:
LIST. There has not been any complaint made
to this board, and Investigated by order Of the
same.
ID. The members Of the 9TH and sth divis-
IONS were not given any intimation that such
an address, severely rejecting upon the schools
which they represent. was to be published.
Sd. We most positively assert that the duties
OF the teachers in the 18th and sth divisions
have been and faithfully performed and
protest against the policy Of parading every
local incident of discipline happening in these
divisions and the oral statement of interested
parties as evidence Of inferiority and misman-
agement.
He was Of the opinion that if there we're any
complaints they should be reduced to writing
and officially Investigated
DR.. Shadd made an elaborate and carefully
prepared address, in which he started from
the proposition laid down by the best edu-
Gators that education should be practical and
adapted to prepare the students for the
active duties OF life. He considered that
the colored High School was not alive to
the spirit of the times. but was ploddng along
In the old beaten track, from which the other
schools in our system are getting as far away as
possible. When the academic course does not
provide a sufficiently liberal education for the
white children who have, as a rule, superior
advantages in their surroundings, how lament
able, he asked, must be the condition OF the
colored boys and girls who taught the
same branches only far enough to give
them q smattering Of the classics. He
thought that it was not . matter Of
surprise that such boys and girls walking
the streets in idleness, since they have not re-
ceived the kind of education which fits
them for the battle Of life. He considered that
this was q good time to correct mistakes and
he congratulated the board upon the fact that
the president had seen fit to direct attention to
some Of the weak points in the educational
chair Of public school instruction in the Dis
trict In conclusion he moved that q commit
tee Of five be appointed to investigate this
matter.
Mr.. Mitchell explained that he had written
the report in order that the school reports
might not be delayed There seemed to be
nothing else to do and so he had undertaken
the work. He then read the paragraph re-
ferred to and maintained that the facts justified
the assertions made. He spoke Of his kindly
feeling toward he colored people and their
schools. and said that he was actuated in this
matter solely by the desire to benefit the
schools.
In the opinion Of Mr.. Bruce 1t was not i'm
portant who makes q report or what IL said
about the schools Of the seventh and eighth
divisions The important question was, are
these statements true? He would be better
satisfied when he knew whether they were true
or not III an investigation should be made
authority to conduct it. He did not ask for an
the District Commissioners were the proper
investigation, but II one was to be made he de-
sired that 1t should be conducted by competent
authority He spoke Of the colored high
course and contrasting the course Of study in
that school with the one followed in the white
school he said that there was bus little differ
snee between the two schools.
NOTION TO INVESTIGATE
After Mr.. Bruce had concluded Mr.. Cornish
moved that the matter be Investigated, and
then some informal talk followed in regard TO
the scope Of the Investigation, and IL was con-
eluded by the three colorsd members that Il
ought to take in the entire system Of the col
ored schOols
DinBoni VINO was csneu 70 tne cnau
by Mr.. Mitchell and who had taken no part in
the debate, made few remarks for the purpose,
as be said, OF calling attention to the fact that
the board Of trustees had the entire control of
the course Of studies and Of the teachers II
there was anything wrong the board was re-
sponslble and should take the proper steps to
correct any defects He also observed that il
had been customary for the annual report of
the board to be written and sent to the Com
missioners without being submitted 10 the
board This was owing to the DELAY in getting
the report of the superintendents to the Com,
nissioners' Office and the want Of time to
await meeting Of the board.
1t was proposed to prepare a resolution d.
reetlng an investigation to be made, when
upon the suggestion Of Mr.. Darlington il WAS
decided to defer action until the meeting. The
board then adjourned
FIRES IN THE WEST.