Evening star., 1899-03-15
Charges Affecting Construction of
Western High School Building.
REPORT MADE TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Petition of Teachers for Read
justment of Salaries.
OTHER MATTERS DISPOSED OF

! The board of trustees of public schools
| held a regular meeting at the Franklin
A. Sehpol building last evening and transacted
considerable business of more than ordinary
| Importance. In the absence of President
Whelpley, Mr. Barnard acted as chairman.
| The other trustees present were Messrs.
| Harries, Hazen, Wilson, Spear, Brown,
| Wright and Richardson and Mrs. Terrell
Secretary Falck read a communication
| from fifty-nine eighth-grade teachers, act
| ing principals of buildings, in regard to
the proposed readjustment and equalization
| of their salaries. 1t was represented that
| eighteen of these teachers have salaries
ranging from 81 900 to 81 800, thirty-eight
have salaries of 81 O0O and five receive
| salaries of less than $1,000. In their COM
munication they say that the onerous du-
| ties performed by these principals the i'm
portance of the grade under their charge
and the discrepancy between their salaries
and the salaries paid principals of like
standing in other cities for less work lead
| them to hope that so just claim as theirs
supported by the board S approval, will win
/ the recognition of the Commissioners and
of Congress. They requested that the
board incorporate in its next estimate for
school eXps lses an item for forty-three ad-
ditionai principals at $1,000 per annum, for
the benefit of teachers of the eighth grade
now serving in that capacity for less
money.
ton was referred to the committee on
ways and means for consideration and re-
port.
Honorary SchoIarship.
Mr. Wilson submitted a letter received
| by DR.. +. r. Lane. director of the 1.Igh
Schools from Prof. T. NJ. Drown. president
| of Iehigh University, saying that it gives
him pleasure to announce that Lehigh Uni
| versity offers six honorary scholarships for
| free tuition to the graduates of the Wash
| ington High Schools entering the Universi-
ty IN September, 1S39-three in the classical
| or Latln-Scentlflc course, and three in the
| school of technology. Prof Drown saws
these scholarships will be awarded on the
recommendation of Director Lane.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson the offer of Le-
| high University was accepted with thanks
and 1t was decided that as far as practica-
Die the SIX scholarships should be allotted
equally between the Central, Eastern and
Western High Schools
The resignation of Miss Margaret Barnes
teacher of drawing in the Central High
school on account of sickness. was ac-
cepted. and Miss Ina Chase Steele was ap-
pointed TO the vacancy at salary of $40
Promotions were announced as follows:
Miss c. c. Robinette, from $500 10 s7Oo;
Miss c. b. Mayse. from $3.50 20 $500 and
the High Schools.
3. j. Hudson was appointed janitor In
charse OF The cooking school i'll the Taylor
building. vice Clara Dalson
Miss Victoria e. Watts was transferred
from the second division 90 the fifth diyis-
ion and appointed teacher at s4OO vice
+. II. King, resigned. Miss Annie NJ. La
Porte was appointed Il teacher at $500 in
the NTH division, vice G. F. Palmer de-
ceased.
Poor Quality of Coal.
Mr. Harries called attention to the COM
plants of janitors of school buildings about
| the poor quality of coal served to the pub
lie schools. He said that one of the iani-
tors reported there We're about ten tons of
clinkers and other worthless material in
care
Mr.. Brown also referred to the delay of
the contractors in putting away the coal
alter It's delivery at the building saying
thdt IN one instance the coal had been AL
lowed TO lie outside about week before the
contractors had it put away in its proper
place.
Mr., Spear remarked that the whole busi
ness ought to be overhauled and at his sug-
geStfon the matter was referred TO the Dis
trict Commissioners
Mr.. Wright offered resolution which re-
cited that whereas, in the celebra tion of
the anniversary of the emancipation of the
slaves of the District, occurring in April of
each year, 1t has been customary to close
the coiored schools on the day set apart and
whereas II is believed that this event could
| be much more profitably observed by these
schools not being closed, therefore the Com
missiOnerS of the District be respectfrIllv
requested not to order said schools closed
as heretofore, but that in lieu of the usual
studies there shall be held in each school
under the direction of the Superintendent
supervising principals and teachers such
literary exercises as shall appropriately
commemorate this important historic event.
provided, however that such pupils whose
parents, either in person or in writing re-
quest 1t, may be excused from attendance
MIR. Richardson's Argument.
Mr. flchardson read "a prepared paper on
this subject. which, he said. represented
the views of many of the more intelligent
citizens of the colored race In this city.
He spoke, in part, as follows:
The matter of the propriety of celebrat-
ing in the usual manner the emancipation
Of the slaves of the District of Columbia
mas been much discussed here of late by
our more intelligent colored citizens and
| the prevailing opinion seems TO be that
the observance of that event by street
parades might be very consistently and
profitabiy dispensed with, And when we
come to consider the petty jealousies the
SquabDles, the bitter antagonisms the ig-
nofance and general miSmanagement which
characterize the prelimiuaries to the cele-
bration, and the unsatisfacto and, / may
say, bad results which generally follow
there is every reason TO discountenance
and stamp the seal of popular disapproval
upon it
ITO begin with. the fact of emancipation
IN The District does not appeal to our graft
tuue III ltS more enlarged sense, on account
OF the manner in which 1t was brought
about and the conditions which governed
IT. Ihe act was passed at the instigation
or and in Difference to a congressional SEN
tlment representing the north, and with
the view to emphasizing the doctrine that
Congress could limit the extension of slav-
cry or Hberate slaves only in those parts
of the country where it had exclusive juris-
diction; but the conditions of the act i'm
piled confession that Congress had not
the right to emancipate slaves in the
states, slaves being as chattels and subject
entirely to state legislation. 1t accepted
the slave as personal property and entered
into systematic bargain and sale with the
master or owner to pay many ounces
of silver for so many pounds of flesh IL
was, in fact, but a mere transfer of prop
erty whereby the government became the
owner and master instead of the original
slave dealer or owner This is apparent
from the fact that the so-called emanci-
pated person did not, by the terms of the
act or by operation of law, become bona
tide citizens. They remained as wards,
subject entirely to the direction of Con-
gress, and remained until the last three
amendments to the Constitution were
adopted. The act did not therefore pro-
ceed from unequivocal declaration Of
the doctrine of human rights and universal