Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-16
NO ACTION TAKEN
A Long Discussions on the Adoption
Of Penmanship Text Books.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TABLED
Action Of the Board of School
Trustees Last Night.
FICER RS ECT D

special meeting of the board of school
trustees was held last evening for the pur-
pose of considering the report Of the joint
committee on text books and penmanship.
President J. w. Whelpley occupied the
chair, with Mr. J. G. Falck as secretary.
The call of the roll showed that all the
members were present except Mrs. Terrell
and Mr.. Cornish. Later, however, the lat
ter appeared.
Before taking up the business Of the day
President Whelpley called Mr.. Bruce to the
chair and requested Secretary Falck to
read the rule governing the election of OFF,
GERS. The secretary read the rule, which
was to the effect that the president and
secretary, respectively, Of the board should
be elected annually at the regular meeting
of the board in July or as soon thereafter
as practicable.
Mr.. Whelpley said he desired to apologize
to the board for not having sooner called
the attention of the members to the rule
quoted, and added that the omission to do
SO was an oversight on his part.
DR.. Wilmer moved that the secretary cast
the ballot of the board for Mr.. Whelpiey
for the presidency Of the board for the en-
suing year, and the motion was unani-
mously agreed to.
DR.. Wilmer then moved that the president
pro tenn, Mr.. Bruce, cast the ballot of the
board for Mr.. Falck for the secretaryship
for the ensuing year. This was likewise
unanimously agreed to.
The chair announced the result of the
balloting and the president-elect briefly re-
turned his thanks for the honor again con-
ferred upon him, adding facetiously that he
was glad he did not have to stump the
country to secure the office.
Mr.. Bruce at this point retired from the
chair. and President Whelpley again en-
tered upon his duties.
A Point Of Order.
DR.. Wilmer raised the point of order that
all business transacted by the board since
the regular meeting in July was illegal, as
the officers for the ensuing year should
have been elected then, and that all pro-
ceedings had by the board at their meeting
last week were out Of order.
Mr.. Barnard said he did not think that
DR.. Wilmer was serious in the position he
had taken In the matter Of the legality OF
any proceedings Of the board: that as
matter Of fact the election which was made
at the present meeting was as soon as it
could practically have teen done since the
July meeting.
Mr.. Harries said he thought the election
would have been just as practicable at a
previous meeting.
DR.. Wilmer insisted on the point he had
raised, that all the proceedings of the board
since the July meeting have been irregular
and out of order, and he assured the men,
bers that he had no desire to do anything
puerie in the matter. as had been inti-
mated.
Mr. Bruce said: THE organization of the
board has been intact right straight along.
If any one had at previous meeting made
| a motion TO have an election, and the chair
had refused to entertain that motion, in
that case. think. DIR. Winners point of
order would be well taken. To my mind.
however. there has been no time when the
board has been disoEganized or without Of
| ficers."
DR.. Witmer-'I asm no constitutional law
yer and would not undertake to argue the
| matter, as do not, care enough about1 she
| point to do so; but am still Of the opinion
| that all the proceedings We have had as a
| board since the regular meeting in July
| have been irregular and out of order"
Mr.. Barnard-'I call for the regular or
der"
| DR.. Witmer-"I do not care whether or
not my, point is sustained, but 1 think
| am right"
DR.. Hazen to Or. Witmer-"You are max
| ing me nervous"
| Regular Order Taken Up.
| By this time the discussion had become
somewhat desultory, and President Whelp-
| ley said the subject for consideration at the
meeting was the report of the joint com.
mittee on text books and penmanship. OF
which committee DR.. Hazen is chairman.
DR.. Hazen stated that the committee
after having been in session for fully two
| subject from every standpoint, had, ty
| unanimous vote, agreed 10 recommend tina
| Ginn's system of penmanship be used II
the fourth, fifth and sixth grades, and he
| hoped the report Of the committee would
be adopted by the board.
| Mr.. Harries-"1 desire to state that an
willing to give the committee On text book.
and penmanship all the credit to whic.
they are entitled for the time and pat!enc,
| which they have devoted to the considera
ton of this important subject, but thinl
it my duty to say l cannot consent no
agree to buy and distribute among tn,
pupils Of the public schools in the Distric
of Columbia any books but the best L be
heve that a majority of the committee ant
elso a majority of the board were shor
time ago in favor Of another book. I can
not understand why a compromise, as tn
report of the committee shows was made
should have been made under any circum
stances. l have no policy in the matter
but I am sure the majority of the boar
should recommend book that even tn
| people who publish it say is inferior t
| another that they print, passes my power
of comprehension:
| another book was better than Ginn's, ant
now am asked to lay down my principles
and for the sake of compromise and t,
promote harmony, vote for book tina
said we do not want. I cannot colncid
with the report of the committee, and viii
not vote for its adoption"
The Two-Thirds Rule.
DR.. Witmer-"At the last session of tn
board the chair decided that it took tn
: votes of two-thirds of all the members o
!; the board to change a rule. This woul
: be Z Ia, or in actual practice, eight vote
, would have to be secured for Ginn's book
to adopt them as text books I am certai
that the requisite number to do this can
not be obtained tonight, and 1 do not Sc
any use of discussinggthe subject further.
DR.. Hazen urged that the report be ADOPT
, ed.
Mr.. Harries, addressing DIR. shadd, as
member of the joint committee whic
: made the compromise report, asked If
was not a fact, as he eMr. Harries) had he
| fore stated, that some Of the members {
the committee favored another book.
, Dr. Shadd-'I am a firm believer in til
Merrill book, yet l. agreed to the :cpo,
t | made by the committee because I wante
the discussion of the question by the con
| mtttee brought to am end"
> Mr.. Harries-"I am satisfied. I hav
proven that part OF the committee are !
,