The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-09-30
A Card.

: ator W. B. Clagett, in which he assigns
some reasons for not approving the APP
: pointment of Webb Griffith to the Western
Maryland scholarship 1t is fortunate
, that Mr.. Clagett has published such A
statement, for it gives us the opportunity
to correct some false impressions aad show
Mr. Clagett his error.
As stated by Mr.. Clagett, Messrs. Bur
roughs and Tippett were appointed to
conduct Il competitive examination, whose
duty it was to prepare the questions, see
that n fair and impartial examination was
held and report to the Board the result.
1t remained with the Board to put Il value
or rank on each of the studies and award
the scholarships. 1t was found that in all
Of the highest and important branches
that Webb Gritlith's average was far
ahead of Nevous Reed. Take spelling,
reading, English grammar, higher arith-
metic, algebra, geometry and book keep
ing, and Webb Griffith's average was SO,
and Nevous Reeds TO- 1t was further
found that not only was he ahead in all
the more important branches, which were
necessary to enter the college but if a dis
puted question in geography was left out,
his average would be greater than Nevous
Reeds in all branches.
The unimportant question being, think,
which is the higher, Mt. St. Elias, or Mt
Logan? The geography now used at the
school of which Webb is scholar gives
the former, while the geography taught by
Messrs. Burroughs and Tippett gives the
latter. BY all reasonable calculations,
| giving to these higher branches the con
sideration they are entitled to, and the
consideration they have had in all pre-
vious examinations, Webb was entitled to
at least 10 points more than Nevous Reed,
and, in the opinion of many prominent
school men. should have been awarded the
scholarship then, for the School Board
had a perfect right to do so.
These gentlemen, however, desired to
be fair and impartial and, without Il dis
| senting vote, the Board agreed to consider
it a tie. Mr.. Selwyn Sasscer did not vote
against this proposition, as stated by Sen
| ator Clagett. The matter was left to the
parents of the two boys, but rs they could
not agree, it was decided that there should |
be another examination, against this Mr. |
Selwyn Sasscer voted, and not against de-
claring it tie The examination was
ordered, and Mr.. Reed the father of |
Neyous Reed, did not object, but suggested
''that it be held at an early date, as the |
schools were about to OPEN" While the |
time of holding this examination was being |
discussed Mr.. Reed Informed the Board |
that his son should not appear for another |
examination, and Immediately went to see |
Senator Clagett. The examination was |
held, Mr.. Graves, the School Examiner,
Messrs. Burroughs and Tippett being the |
gentlemen named by the Board to hold the |
same.
Webb Griffith took the examination and |
passed. Nevous Reed refused to appear.
Webb Griffith was awarded the scholarship |
at the Western Maryland College, and |
Nevous Reed is entitled to the free schol-
Clagetts letter leaves the impression that,
by the action of the Board, Nevous Reed |
is thrown out entirely, but such is not the |
case, for he can 90 to Charlotte Hall |
School as soon as this controversy is set
tied, where he will have free board, tuition,
lights, washing, etc. and it remains with |
Senator Clagett to say how long Nevous
Reed is to be deprived of these benefits to
which he is as much entitled to as Webb |
Griffith is to the scholarship at Western |
Maryland College.
| have not the slightest objection to
Charlotte HALL School, for l consider it Il
most excellent one, and numbers among |
its graduates some of our best and most
prominent professional and business men,
but | find my sons health makes it neces-
sary to keep him nearer the mountains.
While Senator Clagett may be doing |
what to him seems proper, he is undoubt
edly by this course keeping both Of these |
boys from attending the schools and |
getting the benefits of the free scholarships |
to which the county is entitled. All of
the other scholarships of the State have
been filed and the boys are pursuing their
studies. I am satisfied that the School
Board and the Examining Board have
acted honestly and squarely in every re-
spect, and awarded the scholarship justly, |
Webb Griffith receiving the Western
Maryland College scholarship and Nevous
Reed the Charlotte Hall scholarship.
Finally to sum up the whole matter.
FIRST. In the first examinations Webb
! Griilith's average in all the more impor-
tant and difficult branches by giving to all
| questions the same ranking was 10 to 90
points ahead of Nevous Reed, but by es
tablished methods of grading the ques-
lions, in this county and other places, it
| was greater than that
SEcoNr. By taking all questions and
grading all alike, except the one men,
toned in geography, he is still ahead, or
| giving to Webb the credit of answering
the question in geography and his mark
will be ,Gl and Reeds 1913, for each ques-
ton of geography counted TO-
THIRD. By giving Nevous Reed all he
claims he has only two enths more than
H.
ably small to be regarded in the face of
other facts, and was not in this or any
previous examination considered.
Fourth. The examining board, McSsrs.
burroughs and Tippett, stated to the
School Board publicly that they could not
decide which of these two boys was en-
titled to the first prize, as it was in their
opinion practically tie
FIFTH, That the School Board, being
unable to decide the matter and unwilling
TO even appear partial, ordered another
examination at which Webb Griffith was
present and passed and NevouS Reed re
fused to appear It's unnecessary to state
| but it only shows the merit in the case
that Nevous Reed is nearly three wears
older than Webb Griffith.
| In conclusion desire TO state th,t I 10