Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24
THE TEACHERS TALK
Testimony Given Before the Senate
School Inquiry.
SUPERINTENDENT lDIosEAcRAslEs
Some Fear MI: Powell and Some
Distrust Him..
MIR. FREEMANINDORSED

The report of the Senate committee on
the District of Columbia on the public
schools, which was made to the Senate
yesterday afternoon and published in The
Star, was accompanied by the testimony
taken and letters received by the SUBJ
committee which had the investigation in
charge Much of this testimony was re-
ported in The Star at the time it was given,
but much more was taken behind closed
doors and In the secrecy of Senator Stew
arts committee room in the Maltby build
ing. 1t was reported geographically, how
ever, and it all appears in the volume which
contains the committees recommendations.
Senator Stewart presided at all of these
hearings conducted by the subcommittee.
The hitherto unpublished testimony was
taken during the present month.
The school system was sometimes COM
mended, but more frequently condemned in
TO uncertain words and with marked free
dom. The testimony of Mr.. John T. Free
man, supervising principal of the eighth di-
vision, which was marked for its candor
and positive terms, was fully equaled by
that of many who were questioned by Sem
ator Stewart.
No Uncertain Words.
Some Of the most forceful of the testi-
mony was that by Mr.. N. P Gage a super
were put to Mr.. Gage by Senator Stewart
the testimony shows that the former re-
minded his questioner that he was being
asked for criticisms on his superior Off
GERS. Senator Stewart replied that he need
not be afraid to criticise, as all those who
testified would be fully protected.
On the occasion of some of these hearings
1t is shown that ten or a dozen teachers
were gathered in Senator Stewards COM
mittee room and the testimony ran along
in the most informal manner, being in the
nature of a general conversation, in which
everybody Joined when they had anything
to say. This testimony reads like a report
of the remarks of a sewing circle when the
various phases of character of some one
We're under consideration. Incidents were
related concerning Superintendent Powell
and many teachers told why they were
afraid of him or how he made their lives
miserable. Among other confessions teach
ers made was that many of them have
system Of sounding an alarm when Su-
perintendent Powell visits their schools, SO
that all may be prepared for him.
The testimony Of Mr.. Gage, taken after he
had once appeared before the committee,
is marked by its plain statements. He was
questioned by Senator Stewart, the chair
man, regarding the board of school trustees
and said it had only the power the Com
misSioners choose to give it, and that it
has very little to do.
Il am criticising my superiors; you I'M
derstand that?" said Mr.. Gage.
Need Not Fear to Crfticise.
The Chairman-"You need not be afraid
to criticise. If there should be an at
tempt to prosecute anybody because of his
having appeared here under the circum-
stances. 1t will not be tOlera ted"
Mr.. Gage-"Really the trustees have not
had much to say about running the
Schools
The Chairman-"So far as your observa-
of the District of Columbia given personal
attention to the work of running the
schools-such attention as has come under
your observation"
Mr.. Gage-"I think very little OF course,
they in touch with the superintendent
and with the trustees more or less.
do not know that they have visited the
schools and examined them. l do not sup
pose they have
The Chairman-''Thev have left that work
to the superintendent
Mr.. Gage-"Yes. The result has been that
the administration of the schools has been
practically in the hands of the suDern-
tendent and, Of course. that Is one-man
power
The Chairman-"There has been a good
deal of complaint here that there was
fear of the superintendent. that he would
punish those who are his subordinates II
they should go contrary to his wishes: that
they have to keep in with him to stay in
the schools.
GOOD Many ldlOsyncraStea.
Mr.. Gage-"Of course, in a case like that
a good deal depends on the personality of
the superintendent. Superintendent Powell
has a good many idiosyncrasies, I think
He has moods; some days he is radiant
others decidedly bilious, I should say
The Chairman-'Is he even-tempered in
dealing with the subordnates?'
Mr.. Gage-"I think not, in many in
stances"
The Chairman-"You attend these teach
ers' lectures, do you?"
The Chairman-'Is there a freedom
among the teachers at those lectures to
make remarks etc?"
Mr.. Theoretically. there is"
The Chairman-"Pract ically?"
Mr.. Gage-"I think there are very few
who feel at liberty to make suggestions
The Chairman-"What happens when
they do it?'
answer. OF course, a few such cases as
that would serve as an example to deter
others
The Chairman-"Is there a freedom of
those meetings, where freedom should pre-
vail?"
Mr.. Gage-"I think the consensus of opin-
ion among the teachers is that there Is
not There are exceptions to that. You
will find teachers who will say that they
think there is; but we have many teachers
who do not feel that there Is freedom
The Chairman-''The other morning we
had some eight or ten teachers in the
first grade. All of them but two stated
that they were in fear of Mr.. Powell. One
Of Them after we had gone through with
criticising the system, said they had too
many things to teach and could not get
through in time to drill. One of the young
ladies said that she was not afraid of Mr.
Powell. She went to see him and he treated
her first rate" i. go
Some Fear. Others Distruct.
Mr.. Gage-"I think that some of them fear
him. and others distrust him, because he is,
as they think. so changeable. Some of the
best teachers feel that they cannot talk to
him. If they fail to do. in any manner to
suit him. they say he says That is be-
| cause You cannot teach; you do not know
how to teach That Is not very pleasant
to the teacher. A greatmany of them have
told me that when they have asked him a
question, in consulting him about some
branch of teaching; hel would say, you
ought to know that: Hryou do not know
that. you do not know how to teach'-some-
thing to that effect. SO that they were
afraid to approach him.s'I think the super-
.intendent is peculiar in some things.
think his early training and experience are
partly the cause of that! He was educated
in the west-it appears from "reminiscences