Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-10
WON len TRUSTEES
They Make Their First Appearance
With the School Board.
4 LARGELY ATTENDED MEETING
Tho High School Course Definitely
Determined.
oTHERBUsINEss TRANSACTED

Yesterdays meeting Of the board Of trus-
tees of public schools marks an epoch in
the history of the public school system Of
the District. It was the first time that
women have ever participated in the de-
liberations Of the body charged with the
and supervision Of the at
fairs Of the public schools. The occasion
was marked by an unusually large attend
ance of members. Trustees Wilmer and
Bruce were the only absentees. The two
new members of the board. Mrs. Louis r.
Stowell and Mrs. Mary E. c. Terrell. were
the earliest comers. The meeting was set
for 4:3O o'clock, at the Franklin building,
and at that hour the two ladies named
were the only members in attendance.
They struck up an immediate acquaint-
al ce, and engaged in pleasant converse
ticn pending the arrival of their colleagues
Mr.. Whelpley, president Of the board, was
the first of the male members to put In
an appearance. He was introduced to the
new members by Secretary Falk. Trustee
Wilson came soon after. and he was fol-
lowed in quick succession by Trustees
Hazen. Shadd. Harries. Cornish and OAR
liz ston, each of whom was in turn pre-
as now constituted consists Of eleven
members, seven white and four colored.
including one white woman and one colored
woman. They are provided with desks ar
ranged in a semi-circle, facing the presi-
Dent. In the Encouragement of seats, ne
cessitated by the increased membership.
Mrs. Stowell and Mrs. Terrell were given
seats together at the head of the semi
circle, facing the president, with the latter
on the right and the former on the left.
Un6er this arrangement, Mrs. Terrelrs
seat Is next to that of Mr.. Wilson. who
sits at the extreme left of the white trus-
tees, and Mrs. Stowell's seat is next to that
of Mr.. Bruce, who occupies the extreme
right of the colored trustees.
Business Begun.
The introduction of the ladies was en-
tirely devoid of all formality beyond that
usual in the meeting of a lady and a gen.
tleman, and the proceedings of the meeting
were conducted in strict accordance with
the usual formula. After Mr.. Whelpley had
called the meeting to order, the secretary
read a communication from the Commits
sioners announcing the appointment of
of the board.
The following changes in the seventh
division were announced and approved:
Seventh division-Accept resignation of c.
s. Syphax, teacher, to take effect March 10.
Promote A. E. Cole, teacher of tenth grade
from salary of 500 to $775; A. L. Costin,
teacher. from fifth to sixth grade, at 500;
NJ. NJ. Orme, from fourth to fifth grade,
grade, at $3.50; A. E. johnson, from second
to third grade. at $3.50.
Appoint Arena E. Brooks, teacher, at
salary of $500. Appoint Lawrence Terry,
janitor, at $500, vice P. ]. Mitchell, resign
ed.
The following applications for positions
as teachers were read and placed on file:
High school-B. NJ: Duggar. F. B. Noa.
Mulholland, Marion w. Strong, Ora w. L.
Slater, H. W. Diedrich, Edna c. Smith,
Chas. e. Smith, H. o. Bernhard, Josephine
D. Wilkin.
Graded schools-Marietta Little, Mary
O'Hearn, Justine E. Stems, Cornelia Hart
well.
Physical culture-Cora L. Glidden.
Music-Jessica e. Tabler.
Drawing-Helen G. Richardson.
Cooking-Kate F. Butler.
Sewing-B. r. Winter. Anna p. Shields.
Applications for appointment as janitor
were received from Frank r. Conpor. Geo.
don.
The Health Omccr's Suggestion.
communication was read from Health
Officer Woodward to the District Commits
sioners, stating that his department is pre-
pared to make analysis of the air in the
various public schools in the District, with
special reference to such as may be heated
and ventilated by the Smead system. He
suggests the advisability of the health Off
Ger having some definite position with rela-
ton to the management Of the public
schools. There must be numerous in
stances" he says, 'in which the advice and
opinion of a physician would be of consid-
cradle Importance, as the admission of
scholars in whose families there are minor
whooping cough. ETC.; the admission of
scholars victims of epilepsy. or whose
mental powers are possibly defective, and
other cases of this kind. It occurs to me
that If the health officer occupied a definite
position in the school system, such matters
would be more frequently referred to him."
The communication was referred to the
beard, with the request that it arrange an
early conference with the health officer on
the subject.
Mr.. Whelpley said that the matter had
been brought to his attention and that he
had taken the liberty of suggesting that
there be no delay in the proposed investi-
cation of the sanitary condition of the
schools. He assumed that steps had been
already taken in that direction.
On motion of Mr.. Darlington, the COM
mittse on schools was instructed to con-
fer with the health officer with a view to
having thorough investigation Of the SAN
itary condition of all the schools. In max
ing his motion Mr.. Darlington remarked
the health officer into the school system in
the manner suggested in his letter to the
Commissioners. That question was not
passed on by the board.
Military Training Report.
Mr.. Harries, as chairman of the commit
tee appointed to consider the proposition
for the introduction of military training in
the public schools, then submitted the fol-
lowing report:
After careful consideration of the propo-
sitior to provide military instruction for
boys in the graded schools, your special
committee, charged with the duty of in
vestigation, reports favorably on qualified
scheme which should be sufficient to rea-
sonably satisfy those who advocate mill
tary training for school boys.
Favorably inclined toward the whole
proposition as contained in the documents
forwarded to the board by representatives
of the Grand Army of the Republic, your
committee has nevertheless concluded that
sweeping adoption of the broad plan is at
present impracticable, and to some extent
locally unnecessary. Our High School Ca
Diet organizations already provide a con-
siderable proportion of the older boys with
soldierly Instruction, so comprehensive that
1t includes regimental maneuvers and cere-
monies, and in this Washington Is con-
siderably in advance of most cities. The
local necessity therefore Is at a minimum
and our committee feels as though the de-
mands would be met by arranging:
1. Fer the substitution, so far as pos
sible, of the setting-up exercises of the
army for the calisthenic movements now
In use in our schools;
9 For the assembly, In convenient num-