Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-18
Alumni Takes Up Mr..
Swartzell's Defense.
PETITION PREPARED
WILL BE PRESENTED AT BOARD
MEETING TONIGHT.
What the Principal Said in an Inter
view Today-A School Board
Caucus.

residence OF Dr. Richard kingSman last
night In the interest of the Swartzell- Will
son controversy. The meeting was OBJ
served by Mr.. George VERBAL and Col.
H. E. Barnes. alumni Of the Eastern High
School. who were calling on DIR. Kingsman
in defense of Mr.. Swartzell.
Mr. Barnes. who was colonel OF the High
School Regiment and president of his class
in 1862. is now senior at the University
of Pennsylvania. He maintains that all
the better element of Capitol Hill Is flock
ing to support the principal. Asked by DIR.
KIngsman last night: why have you done
nothing before?'' Col. Barnes replied:
We have just returned to the city from
college. Within twenty-four hours we will
have hundred signatures of the calm.
return Mr.. Swartzell." Asked by Mr.. Cor
don, the president of the board. who was
present with Superintendent Stuart and two
ladies', presumably also members of the
school board. Who do you represent"
''The alumni of the Eastern" replied
Barnes.
A Contrary Opinion.
Curious" replied the president here is
letter which purDorts to come from the
president Of the Alumni Association
The letter in question Mr.. Barnes says
was from Mr.. John Fitzpatrick. who is at
II. L
mands that the board of education dismiss
Mr.. SwartZell. that no teacher at present
in Eastern High School faculty be appointed.
that no teacher now in the school system
man from outside with a reputation for in
terest in athletics and less pedagogical pref
erence be given the position.
Who Are With Mr.. Barnes.
Staggered by the letter Mr.. Barnes told
A1r ha wi in ba
interest of Mr.. SwartzeIl are Mr.. R. Young
Sullivan. president of the class OF 1901: Mr..
Roy Helton. president class of 1901; W. S.
Nicholson of the class of 1903, George Vinal
and many others representing not merely
the sentiment of the better element dur
ing the five years of Mr.. Swartzell's prin-
cipality. but the pupils who have stood high
in scholarship because of his training when
a teacher.
Mr.. Gordon said to a Star reporter today
that the letter in question was an ar
latgnmeHt OF the entire teaching force of
the District, and was indication of the
attitude of one element. There have been."
said MIR. Gordon, ANY number of letters to
DR.. kfngsman. who represents the Capitol
Hill interests on the board, strongly COM
we'll known and 1 assured the young men
representing the alumni of the school that
Mr.. Swartzell would be we'll taken care Of
The Alumni Petition.
The alumni petition is as follows:
To the Board Of Education Of the District
of Columbia:
We the undersigned, alumni of the East
ern High School, who were students at the
institution during the years of Mr.. Swart-
zelfs incumbency of the position of prIn-
cipal. respectfully beg to present briefly
to your consideration our views regarding
the present controversy
l. We believe in the integrity and con-
scientiousness of Mr.. Swartzell and desire
to state that we have always received fair
treatment at his hands and furthermore
We feel that he has always had the best in
terests of our school at heart.
= We believe that he has been the victim
of the dissatisfaction of a minority which,
IN our opinion is not representative ele-
ment of our school, and that public opinion
has been unduly prejudlced against Mr..
Swartzell by the attitude of the newspapers
in furthering the controversy.
). We believe that it would be unwise to
terminate his connection with the school at
the present time for the following reasons:
(a)--A serious cloud would rest upon the
mar which would handicap his future USE
fulress in the field of education.
(b)-The discipline of the school would be
sacrificed If he were not sustained by being
retained as principal.
(c)-We fear that his removal at this
JuEcture of affairs might work a partial
efficiency is beyond question.
Therefore. for these reasons we ask as
students and alumni of the school, whose
welfare and best interests we have close at
heart. that Mr. Swartzell be further upheld
by the board by being retained as principal
o. the Eastern High School.
What Mr.. Swartzell SAYS.
Mr.. Swartzell. when interviewed this
morning by Star reporter. felt that the
matter of the decision of the board tonight
was foregone conclusion. He said
THE whole affair 1 feel to be cut and
dried. Mr.. Wilson, by reason of the popu-
lar clamor. will certainly be retained at
the Central High School. but the hostility
of certain members of the board and what
take to be the hostility of the superin-
teEdent will result, / fear, unfavorably to
me. The fact that the committee submit
ted a report entirely favorable to my in
terests and that the board adopted the re-
port would have seemed equivalent to a
complete vindcation had the board not
pa SSed the transfer resolution. That reso-
luton, however. 1 take to be an official
promise that | am not to be reduced.
1t has been made clear to me that the
tenure of office will not necessarily sustain
me in my position. The law of the school
reads:
All appointments of officers, teachers
and other employee: heretofore or hereafter
and efficiency. unless otherwise ordered by
the board of education; but teacher may
at any time be assigned or transferred to
any school by the board of education or
may be removed by the board for incompe-
tency or such other cause as may be deem
ed sufficient
In his official report" continued Mr..
SwartZell. Superintendent Stuart says, by
way of pointing out the intention of the
law: The rule adopted by the board of ed
ucaton which abolished the yearly cleo
ton of teachers. thus securing to them
permanency of tenure during good be-
havior and efficiency, made it necessary
that definite standards of efficiency should
be determined
Establishes His Position. -
"Such an Interpretation establishes my
position. The board has said there are no
charges Now, Of course, the rule of the
board is not a statutory law. but I consider
that any transfer to other than q high
school principalship would be an offset
against the equity involved and personal
degradation to which could not submit.
1 have engaged counsel and will know
what to do after the decision tonight"