Evening star., 1901-03-28
DUST AND SCRAPlNGS
COAL SUPPLIED TO SCHOOLS RE-
PORTED TO BE INFERIOR.
Alleged Shortage In Weight-Action
of Board of Educatfon-The
Text Books.

One of the features of last nights meet
ing of the board of education was report
made by Gen. Boynton, chairman of the
committee on ways and means, in regard
to the inferior character of the coal sup
piled to the public schools. Statements
made to the committee by the superin-
tendents and janitors of the various schools
showed dust and scrapings were contained
in the coal, and also that some of the
early deliveries were short in weight. Ac-
cording to the report, one-eighth Of the
coal furnished the schools was bad and a
larger quantity was inferior in quality.
The report said that previous complaints
of the inferior quality of the coal had been
so persistently ignored that janitors ceased
to take interest in the matter especially.
As put by the report lin the case of
janitors against coal contractors it had ap-
peared that the material interests of the
janitOr would not be advanced by such
complaints"
The report was adopted and referred to
the District Commissioners for such fur
ther action as may be deemed necessary.
Errors In Text Books.
Gen. Boynton again brought up the sub
ject Of alleged errors in text books and
said in part:
In a communication presented to the
board at it's meeting on February 20 last,
John Fiskes History of the United States
for Schools was, as the result of a casual
examination, excepted from the criticisms
passed upon Barnes. Montgomery john
ston's and McMasters school histories. A
more critical examination of some of the
chapters in the Fisk history on the civil
war constrains me to bring this volume
also to the attention of this board, with
the recommendation that 1t be included
with those named above in the resolution
of the board, declaring that their chapters
shall in
schools of the District until properly cor
rected."
Gen. Boynton then proceeded to point out
to the board a few of the many errors that
he claimed he had discovered during his
examination, all relating to the civil war.
Upon page 3SS, speaking of Shiloh, New
Orleans, Island No. 10, and Memphis in the
spring of 1862, Mr.. Fiske says: This series
of ma gniffcent federal victories reduced the
confederates in the west to the two i'm
portant positions of Vicksburg on the Mis-
sissfppi river and Chattanooga in the
southeastern part of Tennessee Yet more
than year and a half after the period
thus fixed by Fiske, and four months after
the capture of Vicksburg. the enemy was
so active as to require $4,000 men under
Mcpherson In western Tennessee and SO 900
under Banks In Louisiana"
The report was referred to the commit ee
on text books.
Leaves of Absence.
Miss Theresa Schocnborn was granted n
three months extension of leave of alb
sence. Janitor G. a. Anderson of the Mad
ison school was granted thirty days leave
of absence. .Janitor William ncQueeny of
the Barrett school was transferred to the
Business High School, vice James Culley.
deceased. Highland Maddux was appoint
ed janitor of the Barrett scnool w. d.
Dion, temporary janitor of the Business
High School. was transferred to perma-
nent janitor of the Cranch school. Ed
ward t. Offutt was appointed janitor of
the harrison school. vice w. L. Berlin, re-
signed. George T. Bateman was appointed
janitor of the new Dent school,
Edward Stacey was appointed teacher of
the first grade, vice Miss Fannie Wolver-
ton, appointed teacher Of physical culture
A report made to the board by Assistant
Superintendent Montgomery In regard to
the recent fire at the Randall building ex-
onerated the janitor, A. H. Wayne. from
all blame in the matter