Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-24

pretend to do 1t, bug ne would not actually
do it.
Promotion. by quill"
II desire to speak in regard to the pro-
motion of teachers. and 10 say to the COM
mittee that there exists a pull that did not
exist under the old system. when taught
under the previous superintendent. The
present superintendent does not promote
according to the award of merit. 1t is an
open secret that I'D gives the men higher
salaries than the women. That may be all
right. but it is manifestly unjust to women
who have been working for the promotion
year after year. Only last year the women
teachers of the first division petitioned that
some one of them might be promoted, but
instead man, who had taught not nearly
so long, was promoted over their heads be-
cause he did something for Mr.. POWELL. OF
course, that Is only surmise but he is the
man who at the meeting supported Mr..
Kramer. When these people who have not
the respect of the teachers at large are pro-
NOTED over them it leads the teachers to
think that t,--z
The Chairman Something is at fault"
Miss Daly-'"The books will simply show
the salaries of the teachers. This matter
was investigated tive or three years ago.
Senator Gallinger sent a communication to
Mr.. Powell about it, and the practice was
suspended; but it exists again now, or did
up to month ago. j have the name of
Mr. Hay. who taught at the Howard Uni
versity. This existed in regard to his SAL
airy up to one month ago. Also with regard
to the relations between the teacher and
the superintendent. I want to say that ne is
perfectly czar-like; neither the teachers nor
the supervising principals have any good
opinion of him; but it makes not the slight
est difference to him that 80 per cent of the
teachers are opposed to him upon any mat
ter, he does not change his ruling
Il can prove that the teachers hold him
IN absolute fear. When a teacher wants to
teach something with regard to which he
thinks Mr.. Powell does not sympa thize with
him. he has to teach it. and he does il
again and again. standing with his face look
ing out of the window with his eyes on the
street, watching the possible coming of Mr..
PoWell. Then. again. there Is sign that will
be sent around from room to room-an open
book, or something of that kind-to indi-
cate that Mr. Powell is in the building If
does: 1t certainly has that effect on the
teacher There Is a decided difference be-
tween the ideals of honesty at the present
day and those that were in vogue when 1
went to school in the District of Columbia.
1t Is perfectly true that the SUPERVISORS
cannot change Mr.. Powell with regard to
any method whatever.
Work Kills Teachers.
The Chairman-"The teachers have no
time to supervise them"
Miss Daly-"No; and ii gets the children
into careless methods. The teachers can
not watch them and The other side of the
school at the same time. There is another
Pous. or course the teacher herself is but
a minor consideration. 1 understand that
twelve or thirteen tea chers died in one wear
i think year before Jast.''
The Chairman->'What was supposed to
be the cause of their deaths?'
Miss Daly-.Nervous prostratlon was
thought to be the cause"
The Chairman-"Was that what the pby-
sicians called it?'
Miss Daly-"Yes, sir: in many instances.
dc not know that could make that state
ment with absolute poStveness, because 1
am not familiar with the facts, but it was
generally thought that their illness was
superinduced by hard work 1t might not
nave been SO in every case, but it is GER
tain that there Is no relaxation. The work
SapS the teachers vitality as she has no
time whatever for relaxation
The Chairman-'If a teacher does not
have rest and relaxation she cannot teach
properly
Miss Daly-"No. I have made the point
with regard to salary Irregularities and
have cited the case of Mr. Hay, an in
stance which occurred UP to within a month
ago II he is called he can testify to it,
The Chairman-"fWe have so MANY who
come voluntarily that ], do not think it will
be necessary to call any others. They
said. ",.,,,7,. 80 m
Miss Daiy-.I suppose SO. There are for
ty-two persons who have subscribed gener-
ally that Mr.. Powell is uniformly courteous
and that the system Is, in the main, all
right. and all that sort of thing; but that,
of course, is simply for policy"
Miss M. G. Ravenburg said she did not
want to say thing against Mr.. Powell, and
said:
No Confidence In Him.
"But think a great many criticisms can
be made. In the first place, Mr.. Powell is
a reformer. and as a reformer he goes to
extremes, and is willing to sacrifice any
thing. both teachers and children, to ac-
compish his purpose; SO that there has
been really moral degradation throughout
the school, the teachers having no conf
dence in him. For instance, he has said
this year that there will be no arithmetic
in the schools He said that in the meet
ing, but denied 1t afterward. When gram
mars were given out, they were given out
with the understanding that they were not
to be used: that said in one Of the
divisions. In our division the supervisor
expressed very suddenly the idea that we
should teach grammar. but that though
the grammars were given us, they were not
to be consulted. Then Mr.. Powell has
failed to support us. as a rule, on the i'm
portant questions Of discipline and promo
ton.
In discipline. again and again we have
constant trouble with the children in re-
gard to truancy and the reading of bad
literature, and il We make appeals to the
higher authorities to support us in the
punishment We are not supported, and con-
sequently We are In trouble all the time.
THE teacher feels that there ought to be
some system on which promotion is made.
1t ought to be on length of service or ex-
cellence in work one or the other. The
promotion of the teachers is due to the ar
bitrary judgment of the superintendent or
the trustee. or to some pull that she can
get. Up to this time / have never used any
influence at all In the schools. but now I
feel that I would be perfectly justified in
using influence to secure promotion as
other people do. although do not believe
in it. Last year a vacancy occurred in the
first division. A principal Of the eighth
grade was promoted to be assistant SUPER
intendent,
Filling a Vacancy.
Although there were other candidates,
Mr.. Powell particularly wanted man that
he could depend upon, and he got him.
That was $500 principalship that was left
over. Naturally that prfncipaiship should
be filled by some one In that division If
there was any teacher In the division COM
petent to fill 1t. The first division teachers
have all had good records as teachers, We
have been praised f5rIour work, and our
scholars have a good standing in the High
School. The teachers bearing that this pro-
motion was going to be made by bringing in
a new teacher. and that teacher a man, all