Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-01
Eastern Fails to Recover Losses.

THE loss of enrolment in all these
chools in 1902 was undoubtedly due to the
Establishment of the Technical High School
Ind the development of the Business High
School. 1t Will be observed that through
he city's growth the other academic high
schools have recovered the loss then sus-
lained, while the Eastern High School has
not. Making due allowance for the various
reasons suggested as accounting for this
lessening of attendance, your committee is
of the opinion that portion of this loss is
due to dissatisfaction on the part of stud
ents and parents with Prof Swartzell as a
principal. more fully set forth below
20. Professor Swartzell Is in a marked
degree lacking in tact The evidence pre-
sented TO seems to establish beyond
question that he has not the faculty or the
haNt of governing without constant fric-
ton; that he is abuormally suspicious of
the truthfulness and good faith of his pu-
pills; that favor granted by him is granted
grudgingly and almost Invariably with
come modification apparently of no i'm
portance and seemingly imposed only for
the purpose of showing the exercise of au-
thority; that his attitude toward his pupils
Is that of antagonism rather than that of
helpfulness, of commander rather than
a guide, of rebuff rather than of good-fel-
lowship; that the result is absolute lack of
harmony and constant i'll feeling as he
tween principal and students.
Opposed to Military Discipline.
our COHiUllliet Is OF the OPINION mat
the healthful conduct OF school requires
discipline. but something far removed from
, military discipline; that the period between
the ages OF fourteen and nineteen is n form
alive period OF youths character, morally
as well as mentally; that the term reports
In scholarship do not measure the entire
product of a school: that the PRINCIPALS
character and habits OF mind will be re
fiected In no small degree on the pupils.
and that If the principal is lacking in a
marked degree in the kindly and hTotherly
attributes that create both affection and
respect among the pupils the effect may
be far-reaching.
I'VE believe too. that the chances favor
better moral advancement if the atmo-
sphere Of the school is comfortable than
II IL is irritating
10. Many complaints have been laid be-
fore your committee which We regard as
trivial and in respect TO which We think
Prof Swar,zell's decision was correct In
some Instances he made. as We believe.
grave errors In judgment, especially In the
matter of questioning students in the
ture of Illness.
1.-The so-caled round robin which is in
The hands of this committee is ridiculous.
II not worse. As 10 the INSTRUMENTATION on
the day following the cadets drill. the stu
dents participating were manifestly in the
wrong. and the offcnse is not palliated for
a moment by this committee. One feature
of this incident we think stu deserves CON-
ment 1t appears that the department of
some of the pupils participating In this in
subCrdination was marked unsatisfactory
for this offense alone. while that of others
equally guilty was marked satisfactory,
and that the marking of one was on applt
4 cation to one member of the board of edu-
cation changed from unsatisfactory to
satisfactory This seems unfair and the
markings of all should be made uniform
where conditions were the same.
Reasons for Desiring Change
III. Parents of pupils in the Eastern
High School. some of whom. conservative
and cons:derate people, have up to this
time sustained Prof. SwartzeIl throughout
In matters of discipline of their CHI n