Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-03
PROBLEMS AREKN0TTY
PAY of Teachers of the Local
Public Schools.
CONTROLLER WILL DECIDE
Statement by Attorney for Three Dis
missed Teachers.
ALLEGES MALICE SOMEWHERE
Fullest Investigation Of the Matter
Asked-Small Attendance at
Night School Opening.
ALLEGES MALICE SOMEWHERE

ance with the schedule of salaries
prepared by the board of education
under the new law have been noted
in writing by the auditor for the
District government, and, as soon
as they are transcribed, will be for
warded to the controller of the
treasury for an opinion. The prob
lens include the cases of the three
colored employees dismissed by the
board just before the opening of the
schools. Controller Tracewell's
opinion will be final, unless the
matter should be taken into court.
Taking up in a formal way the cases Of
Mrs. Anna ]. Cooper and Messrs. James B.
Clark and John l. Love- trio of colored
public school employees who were dropped
from their positions by the new board Of
education, Attorney Henry w. Blair yes
terday afternoon submitted series of
affidavits to the District Commissioners,
together with a written resume of events
preceding and following the dismissalS
He declared that the names of those men
toned had been Illegally left off the pay
rolls. which are now in the hands OF the
District auditor. and on the ground mat
they were ready and willing to perform
the duties as instructors which they be-
aeved the law authorized them to perform.
the attorney asked that the names be
placed on the rolls.
Commissioner West directed that the
affidavits and the attorneys written argu.
ment he referred to Auditor Garrison all
TO be included in the questions concerning
he l.Atrg ftu t.f ma
salaries which will be forwarded to the
controller of the treasury for answer pc
fore the auditor and Disburslng Omcer
Rogers prepare the checks for disburse-
ment of salaries for the first month OF the
new school year.
Auditor Garrison has completed the prep
aration of the questions covering points
about which he is in doubt, and as soon as
they are transcribed the queries will go
to Controller Tracewell In company with
the customary audit Of the school pay
rolls.
Letter to Commissioners.
In his letter to the Commissioners At
toruey Blair stated the case Of his clients
as follows:
81 venture TO ask Of the Honorable Com
missicners as full investigation as possible
on account of the fact that my clients, who
have in every instance given their best
ability and most devoted energies for many
wears TO the service of the public schools
Of this District promoting the good there
of As has been proved by their steady ad-
vaucement from subordinate positions TO
the very front rank of the best teachers
and officials in il. now ma themselves,
without notice. charge or trial OF any klnd,
az the acting board is sustained, deprived
of reputation and the means or llNellnood
by being ruthlessly cast out of employment
and honorable position for the alleged good
OF that same service to which they nave
given their lives
nv clients stand ready to assist your
honorable board, by their personal testi-
mory and in any way desired i'll the de-
yelopment of all facts which can thro"
light upon the subject, and thus court the
fullest investigation of their past ana pres
ent relations TO the puollc schooi seiFiee
OF this District.
And l further suggest that the power
and duty of the Honorable Commissioners
In such a case as this extends beyond the
snere matter of the payroll, and to the &C
ton of the acting school board as part
OF the machinery OF the District admins
tration over which your board has the duty
OF inspection with view to cooperative
suggestion, and certainly with view or
the r-commendation of remedial legisla-
ton.
Carried on Rolls for Years.
'"rhe names of all my clients were hon
orably carried upon the pay-roiis of the
public schools of this District 70" many
years without interruption and the records
are in your possession. They were there
when the last payment was made The law
OF the last session of Congress confirmed
them in their positions as an integral part
OF the service of public instruction and en-
acted that their pay should be increased
and in 10 case lessened, certainly not pc
fore the close Of the next fiscal year. Inc
published opinion of the counsel for the
acting board declares them to have Deen
carried over and established in the service
automatically by the new law. The Con-
.IAI hot
body Of instructors should remain intact.
Is there any pretense that these most ex-
cellent teachers voluntarily abandoned the
service by declining to serve, or by resis
nation. as some others are alleged 10 nave
done and. indeed are held to have done ny
the published opinion OF the same counsel !
why. then. is il. after they have thus
voluntarily severed themselves from the
service and are no longer subject to the
jurisdiction of the acting board, their re-
mains are dug up and violated ana their
good names slandercd and libeled by pup
fishing 10 the world, to which they must
henceforth appeal for livelihood. that
they have been discharged by thiS actihs
board for the good of the service! 800
What servant can get employment with
that sort of recommend from the last
employer? And what would be said OF an
employer who holds that his servant vol
unfairly left him and who had found not
the least fault with that servants character
or competency or conduct, should he after
all relation between them had ceased pro-
coed To publish in the newspapers that ne
had discharged him for the good of the
service? Surely. there Is malice somewhere
or this acting board OF public instruction
has innocently made plumbers worse in
their effects upon these superior teachers
than many crimes.
Embarrassed by Difficulties.
Embarrassed by the many difficulties of
the situation. and especially by their de-
fenseless condition. l confess that I am
somewhat at a loss where and how to seek
a remedy for the wrongs of my clientb. but
] feel sure that an adequate one will YET
be found. To one tribunal just cause car
always appeal-and that is public opinion
and to that publicity Of investigation which
forms public opinion.
I'm this District the honorable Commits
sioners are the tribune of the people. No
knowing myself Just how far you can go
yet this do know, that you have thu
fullest power to inquire and investigate
and any grievance which you endeavOr t
redress will in some way hnd its remedy
1T Is tho high character and unceasinr
devotion OF your board to the public wei
fare which alone redeems and makes ex
cellent Il form Of government in this Dis
trict OF which do not approve. And 1t Il
only as the people find that such contin'
he Snr.