Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-13
PUBLIC SCHOOL,
Meeting Of the District Board Of
Trustees.
ACTION RESPECfINGN .E.A.C CONVENTION
Trustee Spears Resolution Respect
ing Teachers in National Guard.
CHANGES IN THE SCHOOLS

"A regular meeting OF the board of trus-
tees of public schools was held at the Frank
lin building last evening. There were pres
ont- Messrs. Whelpley, Barnard, Harries,
Spear, Brown; Wright and Richardson
Mrs. Tullock and Superintendent Powell
and Cook. Mr.. Joseph Falck acted as Sec
rotary.
The application of Mrs. Laura u. Smith
as substitute teacher of sewing was
placed on file.
A communication was read from the ex-
ecutive committee of the Masonic fair in
wiling the trustees to attend the fair this
afternoon. The invitation was accepted
with thanks.
A petition was read from the principals
of all the eighth-grade schools, white and
colored, asking that the principals whether
male or female, receive minimum salary
OF 81 200 per annum. Some of them now
receive but $1,000, while others get the
higher rate. The petition was referred to
the appropriate committee.
The secretary read a communication from
Prof Whitman of the local executive COM
m1ttee OF the National Educational Asso-
citation, calling attention to the necessity
OF an increased membership of the associa-
ton, and intimating that the action Of the
board in deciding that no compulsIon
should be. brought to bear on the teachers
OF the pubic schools, while in Difference
10 public sentiment was taken under an
apparent misrepresentation of the facts in
the case. In view of this condition. Mr.
whitman said that the local executive
colhinlttee desired to urge upon the board
the Importance of the fullest cooperation
OF the schoo! officials and teachers in maxi
ing the coming convention a complete sue
cess. and to that end he asked that the
BOARD rescind the resolution under which
the school officials, he said, were practi
caiiy prohibited from serving in the mafter
MIR. Harries Excerpts.
Mr.. Harries denied that there had been
any misunderstanding or instrumentation in
tfis matter on the part of the board. and
said he must object to the insinuation
that the board didn't know what IT was
doing. To his mind the free will offerings
of the teachers would prove to he nucb
more liberal than would nave been secured
by me original plan suggested by the com
Hlttee. He wanted it understood that he
proposed to do all he could to make the
convention success, but at the same time
he was satisfied that the board had done
the right thing in deciding against ali
forms of compulson. To show his good
rain In the matter, ne made motion that
the teachers be authorized to receive vol
untary contributions for the benefit of the
convention, and that the membership be
increased to it's full limit in that way
The motion was adopted.
Superintendent. Powell called attention to
the fact that some of the school buildings
notably the Franklin ard the High School,
would be needed for the purpose of the
convention He regarded these meetings
IN the interests of education coming
clearly within the rules restricting the use
of the buildings to school purposes and
said that their proposed use would in no
wise interfere with the regular studies Of
~ thAx, Wv
be needed in the evenings.
Mr.. Barnard moved that the board sane
ton the use of such school buildings as
may he needed for the purposes of the con-
ventfon, in accordance with the suggestion
OF the superintendent. The motion was
adopted.
Mr.. Barnard, from the special committee
appointed to consider the ACCESSIBILITY of a
course of lectures in the public schools re-.
ported in favor of the project, as tending
to the better, deveio pnlent of the present
system of educa ton. but asked for more
time in which to continue investigation of
the subject before making a final report
for the action of the board. He said there
were many eminent men in this city who
were willing to donate their services to the
cause CT education in the manner indi-
Gated, and expressed the belief that there
would be no fficulty in providing suitable
lectures In case that course should be de-
cided upon. His request for further time
TO consider the matter was granted.
War Measure.
Mr.. Spear interjected war measure into
the proceedings by making motion that
in case the National Guard of the District
should be called into service to aid in the
national deferse all teachers belonging to
that organization be granted leave of alb
sence until further orders and also that
the rule regulating the pay of substitute
teachers be suspended in the case of teach
ers thus called out, who may hold the rank
or private or non commissioned officer in
the National Guard. The rule referred to
gives the substitute teacher the full pay Of
the teacher whose place she fills after the
expiration of one month
Mr. Spear explained that his purpose
was to protect the teachers who might ne
called into military service where thei:
sa!arie5 would be much less than their sal
aries in the schools The commissioned
ofncers would suffer no reduction of sal
ary That was the reason he had advo-
Gated suspension of the rule only in the
case OF non-coTmissioned officers and pri-
Yates.
commander of the National Guard Of the
District, said he fully Endorsed the promo
sition made by Mr.. Spear, and the latter
motion was thereupon adon4ed nv ar
board ''
Mr.. Spear gave notice of his intention to
Move an amendment to the rules SO as to
reduce the limit of age for admission to
the Normal School from eighteen years, as
3.
He said that when the limit was fixed at
eighteen years the course at the Normal
School was but one year, whereas now ii
Is two years, so that the proposed change
would make no real difference in the age
OF the graduates eligible for appointment
as teachers from what 1t had been be-
fore the course of instruction had been
increased. The proposed amendment will
be considered at the next meeting of the
beard in May.
On motion of Mr.. Wright a committee.
consisting of Messrs. Wright, Brown and
Spear. was appointed to prepare suitable
resolutions of respect to the memory OF
Mr.. Blanche K. Bruce, recently deceased.
who was a member of the board for many
years, with instructions to report at the
next meeting
An extension OF leave of absence was
granted in the cases of Teachers j. p
Gerry and Helen NJ. Hayes.
Changes Approved.
Changes in the schools were reported and
approved as follows:
First division-Reduce, at her own re-
quest. Mary Macauley from I'd to I'd grade
and from $3.50 to $475: promote Alice Pol
lok from ID to Sd grade. and from $475 TO
$3.50.
Seventh division-Appoint D. L. Jackson
teacher. LIST grade. at 1900. promote Mas
7 "a. A~nx