Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-06-11

Business of the Board.
The visiting committee OF School "a
Wednesday night resumed investigation
OF charges made by Judge }. Frank
Ball against Misses Miller, Speakman
and Steele, teachers at the school, the
entire time from s O'Clock until IL
being taken up in hearing the testl-
mony of the accused teachers and wit
nesses for the defence. The eXamina-
tion took place IN the Board of Edu-
cation room, and besides Messrs. Nor
row, Leitch and Coyie, the members of
the committee, there were present SOW
eral other members of the Board OF Edu-
cation, Attorneys Cooper and Smith,
who represented tho teachers. and a
few SPECTATORS The witnesses were
excluded from tho room until they
wero called to give their testimony.
Mr.. Cooper made tho first move. He
said that no would ask that the touch
era be exonerated, aud SAID ho felt juati-
fed in making such request on the
ground that there had been conflicting
testimony. Further, he said no would
show that Ethel Ball. who, it is alleged,
the teachers maltreated. had miabe-
haved in tho class room and that she
had positively refuged to 90 TO the as
semhly room when requested TO do 30
that she was not struck by any of the
teachers; that it would have beon i'm
possible for her to be slapped in the
presence of any of the scholars on &C.
count of tho position sho occupied; /;
that she was not carried out of the
class room 10y the head and heels; that
she broke away from the teachers in
tho ball and ran to the railing; that
she was in good humor after the
school had been dismissed and that
there were no marks on her face.
Miss Mary q. Steele, Ethel's teacher,
after being sworn by Magistrate Sasse,
stated that shortly before O'Clock last
Friday afternoon two weeks Ethel was
bounding ball on hor desk, and ut
her request Ethel gave her the ball.
Later, when she started to walk to the
assembly room with Isabelle Tuchton
she talked and showed expression of
joy. She (the witpesa) thodght it best
not TO allow them 10 walk together and
told Ethel to sit 'lown, which she did.
Afterward she and Ethel walked to the
assembly room together, and in the
assembly room Ethel WAS seated beside
Sarah Brown, that being considered
the best thing 10 do. Ethel laughed
around her in state OF excitement.
The teachers spoke to her and finally
changed her scat to position nearer
tho platform, and when she continued
to laugh and talk sh6 was sent to Miss
HarrlH' class room, whore the witness
said she desired to talk with her alone.
At the door, as Ethel was entering the
class room behind Miss Steele, witness
thought she waved her hands. They
passed on into the room and the wit
moss there tried to induce Ethel to
refrain from her alleged misconduct.
Ethel was then requested to return to
the assembly room. but she refused
to go. Miss Speakman, who had
charge of the assembly room, had come
into the class room in the meantime
Miss Speakman told her she must go
into tho assembly room.
Tho witness stated further that she
did not touch Ethel except to put her
arms around her to coax her She
also said that after the other scholars
had been dismissed Ethol was guilty
OF misconduct and wrote note, which
ene threw to boy, vino was in tho
room. She noticed no marks on Ethel 4
face
Miss Steele also stated that she saw
nobody strike the little girl. Judge
Ball cross. examined her, but her mem
ory was poor and she could give but
little information in reply to guos-
tiona She said that on that afternoon
while she was having trouble with
Ethel and after tho occurrence sho was
nervous and worried over Ethel's con
duet.
Miss Sallie A. Miller. principal of
the school, related what she knew OF
the affair. She told very much the
same story rs Miss Steele. She said
that when Ethel refused TO 90 from the
class room to the assembly room aht
told her she must go. Ethel again re-
fused and she said, "ThOn We'll have
to take you," and with these words
she put ono arm under one of Ethe't
and the other under tho knee, ant
Miss Speakman caught hold of her il
the same manner on the other side.
They lifted her from the seat and car
ried her to tho door leading into tht
hall. Thore Ethel said she would wall
to a chair which she was to occupy il
tho doorway of the assembly room
The teachers relaxed their hold ant
Ethel ran to the railing, of which ahi
caught hold. Tho teachers relcasot
her grasp by force and shu walked {,
the assembly room door and occupied
a scat.
Witness said Ethel was angry, hu
she was not Sho used no more fore,
than was necessary. Ethel had beol
crying. On cruss- examination b.
Jhogo Ball, Miss Muller said tho hoy
on the front roy could SEQ the teachers
carrying Ethel tu tho door She wa
asked why sue did not send Ethe
home, and her reply was that sho TN
derstood her father could not punisi
her, she alleging that such siatemon
had beoni made on one occasion whul
che was talking To the Judge.
Concerning tho conversation roferre
to, Judge Ball asked Miss Miller il Ii
did not tell her the reason, and ii sh
did not tell him at tho same timo tina
she could not control girls. She re
pliod that she did not, and cxplaine
that she had said boys were easier [
manage than girls
After the judge had asked Mis-
Miller several times whethor or no
abe know whother Efhol was cryin
whom she entered the room, and rC
ceiving tho reply that she did nc
Hrow, Mr.. Cooper said no thought th
Judge was not treating the witnes
fair, whereupon tho judge abandono
the idea of receiving positive ropl
to his query.
AT the conclusion of tho cross
examination Mr.. Morrow asked Mis-