Evening star., 1898-06-21
BOARD FILES "A PROTEST
Alleged Encroachment bv Howard Uni
versity Upon freedmens Hospital.
Objections Made to Granting Students
Free Access to the Buildings
and Grounds.

The Secretary of the Interior recently re-
quested the District Commissioners, as
stated in The Star at the time, to withhold
the renewal of the lease of the Freedmen's s
Hospital buildings and grounds until he
could lay before them the report of the
board of visitors to the hospital. That re-
port has been transmitted 10 the Com
missioners, Messrs. George w. Evans and
VIM. 7. Pierson and DR.. John j. Darby
composing the board of visitors.
The board complains of a constant en-
croachrnent by Howard University upon
the hospital space and rooms, which by
virtue of the lease the board thinks should
be for the entire use of the hospital, espe-
cially In view of that institution's reed
of greater accommodate tons.
Tho hospital buildings, the board says,
were erected mainly, if not entirely, with
funos belonging to the freedmen's bu-
reau, and suggest that, unless it is the
intention to annex the hospital to the
Howard University bodily as u part Of its
school of instruction for the colored race,
the next lease from Howard University
should either be materially modified or
else wholly denuded of that clause which
enables the university to absorb by an
nual expansion that which Congress has
not seen fit to bestow upon it by direct
grant.
Grounds of Complaint.
Inc board of visitors further complains
that the free access Of students and visitors
to the hospital buildings and grounds makes
it exceedingly difficult for the surgeon-in-
chief to exercise that administrative con-
troll which is indispensable to successful
and safe hospital management, and the
unlimited access to the dental parlors, now
situated on the main floor, naturally leads
to inconvenience and even difficulty in ad-
ministering the affairs of the hospital.
The board says it appears that by Gus
tom and tradition the students of the uni
versity have felt at liberty to come and go
at VIII throughout the grounds, even en-
terlnB the wards unattended, and that they
are under no adequate restraints to sing
ing and otherwise indulgng in noises
which, however innocent in design, are not
compatible with that order and quiet essen
tial to the welfare AMI perhaps safety of
hospital patients
Board Makes Suggestions.
1t is recommended by the board of visit
ors that the Howard University be wholly
excluded from participation in the use of
any part of the demised premises. But If
under existing conditions it would be deem
ed hardship to insist upon the imme-.
d1ate surrender by the university of all
room space now used by 1t In the rented
buildings. then the board recommends as
an alternative and partial remedy that
the lease be arranged upon the basis of
immediate surrender of the two rooms On
the flrst floor now used AS dental rarlors
and further that the lease contain a clause
tnat on or before January |. 1899, the How
ard University shall vacate all rooms Row
used by 1t in all of the buildings controlled
by the hospital, by virtue of their posses
slons under lease Of Howard University.
me Commissioners nave wriJten the Sec
retary of the Interior ;hat they will bear
IN mind the recommendations of the boa rd
ana VIII take pleasure in observing them.