The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-03
IN STAR CHAMBER.
School Board Locks Itself in at
Regular Session.
Then Opposes Part Of Married
Women Teachers.
RULE Is NOT GENERAL
Adopt No Married Woman Reg
ulation and Break It.
Win Be Four New Teachers in
the High School.
RULE is NOT GENERAL

The board of education held a star
chamber meeting last night and chose
teachers for the coming term on what
seems to be basis of favoritism The
list OF teachers was slashed by the
members of the teachers committee and
presented to the board for adoption.
Seven changes had been made in the
teaching force as It stands for the pres
ent term. DR.. A. S. Embree, the chair
man of the committee on teachers, was
asked by G. H. Matthews to explain
why the committee had used so much
discrimination in making the changes
and then DR. Embree Immediately call
ed for an executive session and as the
minutes kept of the meetings are very
indefinite there is nothing to show why
the board took the action it did nor who
was for Or against the report
The report Of the teachers committee
giving the list of those to be employed
for the coming year, was read by DR..
Embree with the following changes:
Mrs Mary ". DOran, teacher of Ger
man in the high school was not re-
elected and Miss Erdmuthe von IN
Werth was named for the place. Mrs
S. G. Watkins, of Lane school, was
dropped and Miss Minta Beck recon-
mended for the position. At Madison
school Nora Sexton was displaced and
Jennie Lee chosen for the vacancy and
Mrs L. H. Guy, of the same school.
was dropped and Belle Forte named for
the place. At Washington school, Mrs.
Lulu NJ Jamison was deposed for Miss
Sadie McLain. At Buchanan school
James A. Page resigned for Emma
f. Patterson and Miss Mary Lakin of
Sumner school. was transferred to the
high school and Miss Russell appointed
at Sumner. All the deposed teachers
with the exception OF Mrs Doran are
colored.
When the report was read Nick ChiIes,
who headed a delegation Of colored men.
asked to be allowed to speak The re-
quest was granted. Mr.. Chiles said: II
wish to speak for the cOlored people of
Topeka We have no criticism to make
of the action of this board on the selec-
ton Of teacher but wish to call your
attention to a few facts. Miss Jennie
Lee, whom you have named for a posi-
ton at Madison school. is a young col
ored lady who lives in Ohio She is not
q resident nor tax payer of Topeka
nor OF Kansas. The cOlored people of
Topeka do not want you to go outside
the city and the state for your teachers.
It seems that with all our colored young
men and women who graduate from the
high school you might find some who
could fill the position. We have coIored
people here working hard to give their
children an education. The old colored
people who are working hard for this
purpose would like to see their sons and
daughters favored
1.-THE money We have for the conduct
ing of the school," said DR.. J. F. Buck,
sis to be expended in the manner which
we think viii give the best results. We
want good teachers and we try to get
the best"
DR.. Embree, chairman of the teachers
committee, said: THE board sets itself
to the task OF getting the best teachers.
We want efficiency. This Miss Lee is
graduate of the University Of Ohio.
She is the peer of any teacher in the
Topeka schools, white or colored. She
IS better fitted than the graduates Of
the high school, The teachers com NIT
tee has spent more time in trying to
give the colored people the best teach
ing force than in making up the re-
mainder of the list of teachers. We in
tend to give the colored people the best
that Is to be had. That is why we
make these recommendations"
It was known to all present at the
meeting that the teachers committee
would be asked to make a fuller ex~
PLANTATION. It was evident from the re-
port that the committee had started in
to eliminate the married women en-
ployed as teachers. 1t was also evident
that the committee had removed some
and allowed others to remain on the
list for the coming year.
I would ike to have an explanation
of why some married women were
dropped from the list and others re-
tanied," said Mr.. Matthews.
This brought the motion from DR..
Enbree for an executive session
I am not in favor Of an executive
session, said A A Rodgers. I'VE
should not do anything here that we
are not willing the public to know.
There is no reason why we should make
this secret. [ am opposed to any secret
session. What I do I am willing to do
openly"
There are certain matters to be
spoken of in answer to the question
that should be of a private nature"
said DR.. Embree. When the vote was
taekn only Rodgers and Matthews op-
posed the star chamber session.
AS soon as the board was in executive
session the teachers committee began
to explain Rodgers and Matthews OPP
posed the report and Edward Wilder
offered some opposition in the way Of
questions. The election of the teachers
was taken up one by one and disposed
Of There was no controversy except as
to the changes recommended by the
committee. a ballot was taken to de-
eide who should ill each place where
a change was to be made. AS a rule
in the voting the six members of the
teachers committee voted for the per-
son named in the list while the other
five members were for the old teacher.
In answer to Mr.. Wilders questions
DR.. Embree explained that the changes
were made because the persons deposed
were married and that the teachers
committee had decided to depose the
married women of the teaching force.
The first person to be depOsed was Mrs
MARY w GOfa0, VIE OF 1uOfndS r.
Doran, the attorney She was the only
married white woman depOsed. Mrs. s.
G. Watkins, Mrs. L F Guy and Mrs.
Lulu NJ. Jamison, all cOlored, were de-
posed.
The committee tried to explain the ac-
ton by saying they were deposed be-
cause they We're married women whose
husbands are able to support them
However, the following married women
We're named for reelection: Mrs. Mary
w. Miller OF Quincy school. Mrs. MAJ
tie Page of Monroe school, Mrs. Anna
X Palmer of Garfield school. Mrs c.
&. Laubach of Polk school. Mrs. Helen
T. ButterfleId Of Clay school, Mrs NJ. l.
Tuckerman of Sumner school and Mrs
Irene Y. Russell Of Sumner school
DR. Embree made the following ex-
PLANTATION OF the action of the com
mittee.
.Ihara 1zara other raasans from the