Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-29
STATEMENT BY Mr.. ]. v. WHELPLEY
Correspondence Respecting the Or
ders and Suggestions Made.
PERSONNEL OF NEW BOARD

trict Commissioners were IN ignorance put
three. at least. which the Commissioners
last February advised the school board to
put to the parents of the children rather
than to the pupils themselves. 1t would
further appear from this correspondence
that the sale of the Anti-Cigarette League
badges to the school children was not only
never authorized by the school board. but
that It was in violation of the boards rules.
MIR. WhelpIey's Communication.
Commissioner Mcfarland this morning
received the following letter, dated yester-
day, from Mr.. J. W. Whelpley. president Of
the board of trustees of the public schools:
II have your letter of the 26th instant,
addressed to the board of trustees of public
schools, District of Columbia, in regard to
questions prepared by the Medical Assocla.
ton of the District. and to the sale OF
badges by the Anti-Cisarette League.
II have this morning. by telephone, m M
structed the secretary Of the board to d1-
rect the supervising principals TO prevent
the sale of such badges in the schools. Such
sale has never been authorized by tne
board, and is in violation of its rules
shall call a meeting of the trustees Tor
some day this week to present your COM
muncation for regular action:
Permit me to incose herewith the print
ed minutes containing the action of the
board upon the two matters referred to IN
your letter
Mr. Powell informed me yesterday that,
after recent interview with you. he had
instructed the supervising principals anu
directors of high schools to discontinue all
action in connection with the questions pre-
pared by the Medical Association, whicn
action 1 have approved.
Permit me to inform you in this connec-
ton that Mr.. Powell and myself went over
these questions some months ago, and a
number which l considered Objectionable
were eliminated, and Mr.. Powell agreed that
be tea ShplI1I include them. |
have no doubt Mr.. Powell carried out these
suggestions Commissioner Ross also wrote
to me upon the same subject, and action
was had, of which he was duly Informed.
After the meeting of the board of trustees
L shall be glad to have an interview with
you. at your convenience.
Commissioner Macfarland's Reply.
In reply Mr.. Macfarland addressed Mr..
Whelpley follows:
Il have your favor of May s. 1900 and
thank you for it. 1 glad to learn thus
officially that the Interrogation of the pupils
with the questions prepared by the Medical
Society has been discontinued. I note what
you say about the suggestions made for the
elimination of questions considered Objec
tionable by yourself and Commissioner Ross
some months ago. These Objectionable
questions may have been eliminated at that
time, but the printed list of questions which
the teachers We're to ask between May y
and June 10. 1890. a copy of which l have,
contains the questions to which Commits
Sioner Ross objected and those which were
considered Objectionable by others and my
self. Apparently there was list of ques-
tons to be asked in the autumn, another
for midwinter and another for spring. The
corrections may have been made in the
autumn or midwinter list. but not made in
the spring list. l am also gratifed to learn
that the sale of badges to which 1 referred
has been stopped by your order"
1t will be observed that Mr.. Whelpley
omits to state in his letter to Mr.. Macfar-
land just what questions he considered OBJ
jectionable. but If he refers to those which
the Commissioners last February advised
the school authorities to ask the parents
and not the children they are three inter-
rogatories which the Medical Society de-
sired to be propounded to girls. and related
to the appearance Of certain physical phe-
nomena in their lives. and to the resultant
effect upon them.
Suggestion Made by Mr.. Ross.
The 23d of last January Commissioner
Ross. who, at that time, had immediate
supervision of the public schools, suggested
to his associates that the school board be
advised that in the opinion of the Com
missioners, these questions should be elm
mated from the list of those which the
school authorities had approved. While
they are. said Mr.. Ross, "of value from
scientific standpoint. yet the layman can
not appreciate the Importance of such
questions addressed to school children"
His associates agreed with Mr.. Ross In the
matter, as will appear from the following
letter addressed by the Commissioners to
the board Of trustees several days later:
while the Commissioners have no dispo-
Sition to interfere in any manner with the
duties of the board of school trustees they
are of the opinion that it is advisable to OBJ
tain the information sought by these inter-
rogations from the parents, and not from
the children
1t is presumed by the Commissioners that
the school board acted in conformity to
h.ir lion
mcfarland says in his letter to Mr..
Whepley, these Objectionable questions
may have been eliminated at that time, but
the printed list of questions which the
teachers were to ask between May u and
June 10, 1900, contains the questions to
which Commissioner Ross objected, and
those which were considered Objectionable
by others and myself.
The printed list mentioned by Mr.. Mac
farland is admitted to be official. and in
this list appear a number of interrogatorieS
nature which do not appear in the list
brought to the attention Of the Commits
sioners last January. and relate to the per-
sonal character and habits Of the parents
of the school children. How why they
were added to the list the Commissioners,
it is stated, have not been Informed. nor
do they know whether the last list Of
questions was ever presented to the school
board.
The Proposed New Board.
In view of the fact that these questions
have been dispensed with, and in view of
the further fact that the Commissioners
will. Immediately upon the approval by the
President of the pending District appropria-
ton bill, be authorized and empowered to
appoint a new school board. or board of
education" as it will thereafter be legally
known. 1t is not believed the Commission
ers will take any further action in ,he mat
ter. This board of education will c"hsist Of
seven persons. bona fide residents and tax
payers of the District. and who have been
such for five years Immediately preceding
their appointment. The Commissioners,
particularly Mr.. mcfarland, who has the
supervision of public school matters, have
received a very large number of applications
for appointment members of the board
of education. and they have received also
a very large number of suggestions and rec
concentrations as to the personnel of the
board. All Of these applications. suggestions
and recommendations will be given due con-
sideration, and 1t Is believed that very soon
after the approval of the bill by the Presi-
dent the Commissioners will announce the
membership OF the board, which will have
complete Jurisdiction in all school matters.
He Was Fined.
John T. Seffner. an insurance man en-
ployed by a company doing business in the