Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-10
THE MMiTTEE FIRM
A Hearing in Behalf Of Principal Sites
Fails to Change Their Decision.
VIII BE Offered a Subordinate Teach
ershfp - II He Declines He
Will Be Dismissed.

An important meeting Of the committee
on normal and high schools of the board
of school trustees was held at the Frank
lin building yesterday afternoon, at which
all the members were present except Mrs.
StoweI who was kept away by illness.
Those in attendance were Trustees Wilson.
in the chair: Harries, Whelpley, Barnard
and Bruce. The sole question under con-
sderation related to the case of Prof. G.
NJ. Lacey Sites, principal of the Eastern
High School. AS result of general dis
satisfaction against the administration of
Mr.. Sites the committee some time ago
requested his resignation, to take effect
June 80.
Mr.. Sites Friends Heard.
Yesterdays meeting was for the purpose
of hearing teachers and friends interested
in the retention of Mr.. Sites. Bishop John
F. Hurst and Rev. DR.. Luther Wilson
made arguments in support of Mr.. Sites
administration. and asked particularly that
he be kept in office for at least six months
longer, in order to convince the authorities
of the entire merit of his method Of in
struction and discipline.
Subsequently the committee gave hear
ing to MIR. F. F. Swartzell, Mr.. ]. P. Ger
~ and Miss Ida DAILY, teachers in the
Eastern High School who claimed to rep
resent the entire faculty of that school, in
an earnest desire for the retention of Mr..
Sites. These teachers presented petition.
signed by 249 pupils In the school. testify
ing that they had nothing to condemn and
all to commend in the administration of Mr..
Sites. They also presented petition,
signed by nearly all the teachers In the
High School This petition recites that
the contemplated retirement of the prin-
clpal affects not only Mr.. Sites personally,
but also the school interests of the entire
eastern section of the city. Therefore. they
petition the board Ito postpone action in
the premises until there has been thor
cugh ami impartial investigation into the
facts relating to the management and
policies of the said school under Mr.. Sites
supervision
The Committee Firm.
The meeting of the committee lasted from
5 until after o'clock and was devoted to
a thorough consideration Of the case of
Mr.. Sites. The members of the committee
say that they resent uncalled for the in
sinuation in the petition of the teachers
that they had acted hastily and without
due consideration in demanding the fesig-
nation of Mr.. Sites, and assert that they
desire 1t distinctly understood that their
action was taken only after the fullest con-
sheraton of all the facts and circum-
stances connected with the management Of
the Eastern High School At the close of
the meeting 1t was announced that the
committee had decided that the retirement
of Mr.. Sites, originally decided upon by
the committee, was for the best interests
of the school, and that 1t had therefore
been decided to stand by the action in de-
handing his resignation. to take effect on
the Both instant. The vote by which this
action was determined upon was unani-
nous, every member of the committee hold
ing that Mr.. Sites usefulness was at an
end so far as the Eastern High School was
concerned, and that the success and eff
cheney of that school depended upon an
immediate change in the Office of principal
of the school.
Another Place Offered Him.
In View, however, of Mr.. Sites acknowl-
edged ability as an instructor, Trustee
Whelpley was authorized by the full COM
mittee to offer him an appointment as an
assistant teacher in the Business High
School Although it was not SO stated at
the meeting, it is practically settled that
unless Mr. Sites resigns his present office
ard accepts the subordinate leadership
he will be summarily dismissed.
Owing to the unexpected length of the
committee meeting, it was found imDos-
sible to report its action in time for a reg
ular meeting of the board Of school trls-
tees yesterday, and a special meeting of
the board VIII be held on the I'D instant
for the purpose of considering the report
OF the committee in the case of Mr.. Sites
In addition to the committee members
there We're present yesterday, in anticipa-
ton of meeting of the board, Trustees
Shadd, Cornish and Mrs Terrell.
The action of the board with respect to
Mr.. Sites is practically a foregone conclu-
sion, inasmuch the committee which
has decided upon his retirement consti-
tutes a majority of the board itself The
board consists of eleven members and the
committee six. and each of these six is
pledged to support the action of yestsr-
days meeting. including Mrs Stoweil, who
was unavoidably absent