The times., 1901-04-04
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Much Routine Business Transacted
at the Weekly Meeting.
Revision of Histories Not Discussed
Plans for the Vacation school
A Change in the Readers for the
Higher Grndes-Ney school Named

II
Change in the Readers for the
Higher Grndes-Nev school Named
The regular weekly meeting OF lhe
Board of Education took place last night
at the Franklin School building, and con
siderable routine business was trans
acted The question of the revision Of
the civil war chapters of the histories
now in use in the public schools of the
District was not discussed. Neither was
the poor quality of the coal provided the
schools touched upon. This matter came
up at the last meeting of the Board, ana
report was submitted to the Commits
sioners OF the District. Since that time
there have been no consignmentS of coal
delivered at the schools.
In connection with text books. the
committee on that subject. of which Mr..
]. Holdsworth Gordon is the Chairman.
recommended the introduction of the Mer-
rill Readers into all the grades of the
public schools. This work is published by
Maynard. Merrill & Co, of New York.
They are now used in the first four
grades of the schools, and inasmuch as
the recommendation was endorsed will
hereafter be used in the higher grades.
There they will be studied in connection
with Stepping Stones to Literature" the
introduction of which was recently au-
thorized. The latter Is a publication OF
Silver, Burdette K Co, of New York. The
Merrill Readers will supersede the Frank
lin and Normal Readers in the higher
grades.
Preparations are now being made for
the vacation school which will be con-
Quoted during the summer at the Green
leaf School under the direction of Mr.
Raymond Riordan. Mr.. Riordan has con-
Quoted the vacation school for the past
two years and it has met with great sue
cess Pupils of all grades are taught and
many are enabled to advance themselves
a grade during the summer months, while
backward students can make up lost
ground. In former years Mr.. Riordan
has conducted the school practically upon
his own responsibility and has betrayed
all the contingent expenses himself. The
Board recognized the value of the work
gress asked for an appropriation of 81 600
for the maintenance Of the vacation
school. The appropriation was granted.
Mr.. Riordan is a gEaduate of the Wash
ington high and norma EschooIs and ls one
of the best teachers I'm the public schools
His position at present is that of teacher
in the eighth grade and he is assigned to
Greenleaf School.
The Board was in receipt of q communi-
cation from the Lincoln Emancipation
League, of this city, which made the re-
quest that the battalion from the Colored
High School be permitted 10 parade with
the League and other colored organiza-
tions on Emancipation Day ii they so de
sired. The Board decided to refuse the re-
quest. S5-J J4
Mr. Franklin ". Smith curator Of the
Halls OF the Ancieilts, addressed a COM
munication to the Board, inviting them to
view the Halls OF the Ancients at de te
deemed convenient. The Board decided to
visit the Halls next Wednesday evening
after the adjournment of the regular meet
ing Of the Board. The invitation was is
sued with view TO familfarizing the
members of the Board with the features of
the Halls of the AncientS.. There has re-
Gently been considerable discussion re-
garding the acquisition of the Halls OF the
Ancients by the United States Government
for use as an educational and historical IN
stitution.
OF late the employees of the public
schools have fallen into the habit OF rem
dering bills for extra work to the Secre-
tary OF the Board and other offici1ls. In
consequence the bills were sometimes paid
and sometimes they were not. and there
was cOnsiderab bic confusion resulting from
their often being presented 10 officials VINO
had no right to order payment. In order
10 prevent this practice a resolution, which
takes the form of an order, was last nISht
adopted by the Board providing lhat no
employe shall be paid for extra services
without the consent of the Board
Permission was extended to the Teach
ers Aid and Annuity Association to give
an eXhnntion Of the school work which
viii be displayed at the Pan-Americau
Exposition This exhibit viii be OF eSpe-
cial interest and will form one of the at
tractive features of the educational por-
tion of the exposition. The exhibit viii
be made by means of the biograph, il
Illustrating the work in the manual train
ing and other departments Of school work,
and by means of the photograph
through which recitations will be repro
duced Experts have been at work with
the photograph and bloefaph IN the
schools for n week or 50 past and the
exhibit is now complete. The exhibition
OF this work by the Teachers Aid and An
nuity Association vii probably take place
at one of the downtown theatres on an
afternoon before the 18th instant,
1t was decided that the school now be
ing erected at Washington Heights should
be given the name Of Morgan in honor
of ex-Commissioner Thomas +. Morgan.
It was also decided that the next cOlored
school should be named in honor of the
late John +. Langston.
Mrs. Mary Hope West made a motion
authorizing the President of the Board to
prepare biographical sketches Of the per
sons in honor Of whom the schools Of the
District were named. 4Rhese sketches will,
according to her plan. be printed and post
ed in the schools bearing the name of
the respective men. Mrs. Vests motion
was carried. DO
DR.. Kingsman, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Buildings. Repairs, and Santa
tion, recommended thai appropriate cere-
monies he carried out in connection with
the opening OF the various school build
ings when completed. The recommenda-
tiOn was adopted.
The resignation of Miss Julia Ball. a
teacher in the second grade at Brent
School. was accepted. Miss Agnes b.
Hessler was appointed teacher OF the first
grade at that school, and the present
teacher of the first grade was advanced
to iii the vacancy in the second grade.
James Hanrahan was appointed janitOr
Of the Blair School, to fiji the vacancy
caused by the transfer of the present
tanitOr to the Harrison School. jeremiah
Brown was appointed janitor of the
Bunker Hill Road Coored School. near
Brookland. to fill The vacancy caused by
the resignation of the former janitor
W right Hinton.