Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-10-07
School Board.

the absence of the chairman, Mr.. Carne
presided.
air. Slab,cr exported that the repairs au-
thOrized by the board had been almost
completed; he called attention to the
condition Of the fences at Washington
and Seaton buildings and also stated
that Washington building needed re-
painting. He suggested that Council be
asked for another appropriation for re-
pairs The Superintendent reported that
some of the desks ia Hollowell and
Seaton buildings were much out OF re-
pair. Mr.. Yates stated that many
archit cts held that paint was not
preventative Of wood and suggested that
the painting of Washington building be
postponed for the present.
MIR. Stabler asked for instructions as
to The continuance of needed repair
work; be said that the $6l appropriated
at the last meeting had been expended
An appropriation of $50 on as much
thereof as necessary for needed repairs
was made for the committee or school
houses and furniture. The bids having
been previously opened the clerk re-
ported that the lowest bidders for fuel
were: w. A. SmoOt for Cumberland
coal; ]. r. Zimmerman for stove and
nut coal. aud Dew. kitcheson tor wood;
The report was received and the con-
tracts we're let accordingly. Sundry bills
for repairs and supplies were approved
and ordered to be paid.
The Superintendent stated that ne had
been directed by the board that If the
pupils in Snowden school did not num-
Der 800 to close one of the divisions and
assign the pupils to the other schools.
As but 26l of the 3l7 cOlOred boys who
secured permits had entered school, he
had ordered school No. 5, taught by W.
w Jackson, to be closed on Monday
last. but that at the request OF the teacher
he had allowed the school to be kept
open, without cost to the board, till the
board met, when communication from
the teacher would be presented. lie
stated tina. it was hardly probable that a
sufficient number of cOlored boys would
be enrolled in the near future to justify
the continuance of the school and said
that he had heard of one cOlOred man
saving that he had secured permits TO
"hely ont bat had no intention Ct
sending his children to school, ana that
there were probably others who had done
the same. The Superintendent also
stated that he had visited all the schools
and found the II to be in successful OPP
Grafton.
A communication from w. w. jack
son, teacher of Snowden school, No. D,
asking that he be allowed to continue
teaching the school until the end OF the
year. was received aud read.
DIR. Jones moved that the action OF
the Superintendent in consolidating
Snowden school, No. 5, with the other
schools be sustained, and the motion was
adopted.
Mr.. A. III. Thomson presented petit
ton numerously signed by parents of
pupils of Washington aud Lee schools
asking that the noon recess be shortened
so that the evening session be from to
g. instead of from , to o'clock.
Mr. l. II. Thompson said that at the
last meeting the board had voted against
such a proposal, but that he had been
informed that some Of the pupils had
been ordered to report on next Monday
at O'Clock for the evening session. He
asked if any such order had been issued
and thought that if any Of the teachers
were undertaking to set at naught the ac-
ton of the board the members should
know it.
The Superintendent said there was
no authority for such an order and
would inquire into the matter; he had
been asked by someo of the teachers about
the change and had told them that a
petition for the change would be pre-
scented at this meeting of the board and
that nothing would be done until the
board took action in the matter.
The petition was referred to the COM
mittee on studies and discipline.
A petition from eight patrons Of Lee
school, for girls was read, asking for
further advancement for their daughters
than that offered in the curriculum Of
that school and that they be permitted
to enter as students in Washington High
School for boys.
Messrs. Yates, Ramsay and Jones were
in favor of allowing the girls to enter
the boys high school if they passed the
necessary examinations, and said that
the girls should be given all the ad'
yantages given the boys.
DR.. Jones said girls attended boys
schools in other cities.
Mr. A. II. Thomson and DIR. Smith
opposed the mixing of the sexes, and
Mr. Stabler said that before girls could
enter Washington school considerable
changes would have to be made at that
building.
The Superintendent opposed the
measure and said that the Alexandra
schools we're not prepared at present FOL
education. -,
The clerk read the minutes OF thu
meetings early in 1902 when the suolec
was first mentioned, showing that at tina
time a committee was appointed to 1901
into the expediency of the matter; ina
notice was given at that time icr sucl
girls who could pass the examinations !.
send their names to the Superintendent
that no applications were made and tina
the committee having the matter II
charge had been discharged.
1t appeared that some of the slgners Q
the petition had not sent their daughter
10 the highest grade in Lee school.