The Washington times., 1905-08-04
CASE RESTS WITH
EDUCATION BOARD
Swartzell Muddle Not for
Commissioners.
RESULT OF INVESTIGATION
East Washington Citizens Association
Adopts Resolution Advising High
School Principals Removal.

The result of the Investigation which
the executive committee of the East
Washington Citizens Association has
been conducting for several weeks past
was made public last night. Al a meet
ing of the committee resolution was
passed that the report be submitted to
the Board of Education and TO the Dis
trlct Commissioners.
The sense of the statement is that the
welfare OF Eastern High School is of
the greatest Importance to the assocla-
ton, the citizens, and property owners
Of East Washington. and that, although
Mr.. Swartzeli is esteemed as an able
teacher and conscientious man, the long
and careful investigation has brought to
light that his pecuIiarities OF disposition
are such that If ne is retained in that
position. the ruin of Eastern High
School must in all probability follow.
Macfarland's Decision.
Commissioners Macfarland, in COM
menting on the action of the Citizens
Association. said to The Times, reporter
this morning:
'As the law creating the Board of
Education, the District of Columbia ap-
preparation act OF June 6, 1900, places
in that board the power to employ
and remove all teachers, officers, and
other employees connected with the pub
lie Schools neither the Commissioners
nor anyone else except the Board OF
Education can decide this question.
AS l have stated before, 1 do not
volunteer advice to the Board OF Edu-
cation about such matters, but the
board Is aware that / am ready to
give advice whenever / am asked for
~ h. ri aya -y,z~ 1g4TT7E 7E1zy- Ff
J. HoldswOrth Gordon, president Of
the Board of Education, wnen asked II
Il special session CT the board would be
called TO consider the matter said no
communica ZION had been received by
him as Yet from the East Washington
Citizens Association and that he knew
nothing about their action except what
had appeared in the press
Mr.. Gordon said that any statement
cJ-dgIHg from body OF men OF such
known standing as the Last Washing
rious consideration by the board.
Text of Statement
The following is the text OF the state
ment and the resolution:
Washington, D. c. Aug g. 1905.
The executive committee of the East
Washington Citizens Association, acting
for the association n recess, feel called
upon 10 make 10 the Board Of Educa-
tlon and TO the people OF the District
OF Columbia the following statement:
The very great decrease IN attend
ance st the Eastern High School has
been for u considerable time subject
< of consideration by this committee, and
several months ago we appointed spe-
cial subcommittee TO make q quiet in
VeSttgatiOn. After this investigation had
been in progress for some weeks, acts
OF inSubCrdination on the part of some
pupils of the school occurred, and were
published and discussed in the city pa
pers, and action thereupon was taken by
the Board of Esduca ton
Some days after that action of the
board cur subcommittee submitted two
TeportS-one dealing generally with the
Eastern High School, and the other aD-
proving the action of the Board of Ed
ucation IN deciding to transfer Mr..
SwartzeN from the prinCtnalship of that
school to some other position. We laid
the aforementioned report over for fu-
ture consideration, and adopted the
other one and sent copy TO the Board
OF Educatiou
Great Public Controversy.
a great public controversy then arose
out of the determination of people IN the
northwest quarter of the city that MI
Swartzeu should not be assigned to the
principaiship of the Central High School,
as it was reported that he would be.
The result of this controversy. as pub
licly stated. was that the Board OF Ed
ucauon reconsidered its action In ref
GIEuce 10 IEe transfer or MI. SHarLZGI,
and that ne was to be retained as prin-
cipal OF the Eastern High School.
Ihcreupon Ne held another meeting,
with full attendance, and calmly ana
carefully reconsidered the whole sub
1ect and as Il result reiterated plainly
our former resolution in favor Of the
transfer Of Mr.. SwartZsll from the East
ern High School, while at the same
time we studiously reIrained from say
ing anything against him; and this ac-
ZION was communicated promptly 10 the
Board Of Education.
since Inen the controversy has so IN
creased and been made so public in the
city papers that justice seems TO de-
mand this further statement.
Welfare CT School.
The welfare Of the Eastern High
School is Of very great Importance 10
members Of our association as parents
and as citizens and property owners in
East Washington. The trouble is not,
as has been represented mainly with
reference To athletics, We differ
among ourselves In opinion as 10 the
relative Importance OF athletic and mill
taIy exercises in the public schools. We
esteem Mr.. sWartzeH as an able teacher
and conscientious man. but long and
careful inves tigation has shown US that
his peculiaTities of disposition are such
that II he is retained In that position
the ruin Of the Eastern High School
must ia all probability follow The
acts Of characterization on the part Of
pupils We emphatically condemn, but we
realize that there has been much and
IoAB-coutlnueo provocauon. NC dis
claim any purpose or Wish 10 dictate"
III any manner TO the Boa ri Of EduCa-
uon, or 10 infringe la any degree upon
the rights or duties Of that board, but
we also have rights and duties. IN pur-
suancc of which We now cmphstically
request that Mr.. Swartzell be no longer
retained as principal Of the Eastern
High School
Resolved. That the foregoing be trans
mitted without delay To the District Com
Inlssloners, the Board OF Education, and
the public press.
THOMAS W. SMITH.
Chairman; t;
NJ l. WELLER
A J SPERRY.
b vs.. CLARK,