Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30

| S6nlcO 10 90. II may De interesting 10 the
public to know that DR.. Chancellor inform
led the board of education that he would
not have been present at all Tuesday after
noon If he had not received my note at
quarter past 3. l have dwelt at some length
| upon this phase of the matter to show
that it was impossible for either Dr. Mont
gomery or myself to consult the superin-
| tendent about the night schools or any
thing else Monday or Tuesday. l wish also
to emphasize the fact that DR.. Chancellor
did not reach the Franklin School Tuesday
afternoon till the president of the board of
education was ready TO call the meeting to
order, SO that conference with him then
was Impossible. DR. Montgomery did not
know DR.. Chancellor had arrived till he
was summoned befJ.e the board to answer
the charge of appointing teachers In the
night schools in defiance of the superin-
tendent's orders.
List of Night School Teachers.
''It may be asked why DR.. Montgomery
did not wait till he could consult the super
intendent before handing in the list Of night
school teachers to The beard. 1 myself in
quired Of Assistant Supt. Hughes if it were
absolutely necessary to present the list Of
night school teachers to the board Tuesday
afternoon, and was informed by him that
1T was. When I inquired who had dele
gated that power to him he replied that D.
Chancellor had authorized him TO lnax4 cut
the list of teachers for the white night
schools. and he supposed DR.. Montgomery
had the same duty for the colored night
schools. DR.. Montgomery also informed me
that he had been authorized to make out
the list of colored night school teachers,
and he simply obeyed orders when he did SO.
Again. DR.. Montgomery is blamed for
recommending Mr.. Clarence Wormley for
the assistant dictatorship of night schools
instead of DR.. Evans. l hold that if DR..
Montgomery for any reason whatsoever
thought 1t was better to name one man
for any position than another, it was not
only his right-the right which Congress
undoubtedly has given him. but 1t was his
duty to do so. There is doubt that DR..
Chancellor has the power to refuse to ap
prove DR.. Montgomerys recommendation,
since the superintendent, and he alone, has
the power to appoint, promote or transfer
teachers in our public schools After Dr.
Chancellor had glanced over the list of
night school teachers handed in by Dr.
Montgomery and approved by Assistant
Hughes before the superin-
tendent reached the meeting, If he had re-
Evans assistant director of night schools
the colored assistant superintendent would
undoubtedly have cheerfuIly complied.
As to Specific Instructions.
1T is also claimed that Dr. Chancellor
had given DR.. Montgomery specific instruc-
tons to appoint DR.. Evans. Both DR.. Chan
ceilor and DIR. Evans have insisted upon
this point and l have no doubt that both
gentlemen have stated what they honestly
believe to be the truth. l have the highest
regard for DR.. Chancellor and yield to no
one IN admiration of the sterling integrity
and absolute justice of our new superinten-
dent. But DR.. Montgomery is lust as GER
tain and states just positively that he did
not understand that he had been instructed
by the superintendent to appoint DR..
Evans assistant director of night schools.
For twenty-five years Dr. Montgomery has
been connected with our public schools as
teacher as supervising principal, as prnci-
pal OF the Street High School, and finally
as assistant superintendent. During all
those years of service, if he has ever been
accused of dishonesty, obstinacy or insub-
ordination, l have never heard of it. 1t is
strange that these qualities latent for so
many years are just becoming dynamic
now. When one thinks what insubordina-
ton to his superior officer would cost DR..
Montgomery, it is difficult to believe that
that extent. If it had been possible for
Dr. Montgomery to smuggle names and
keep the superintendent in ignorance Of
this deception for any considerable time,
there might be some reason for supposing
that he had attempted to play such a trick.
But 1t is difficult to believe that man
clothed in his right mind would be stupid
enough to think that he could carry his
point in defiance of his superior's orders
simply because he was able to hoodwink
him for an hour or SO on a certain after
noon.
IF DR.. Montgomery. knowing, as he GER
tainly does, how much power the supern-
tendent possesses, believed he could defeat
DR.. Chancellors wishes by any such weak
ridiculous methods as those with which he
has been charged by some, he should be
removed Immediately on the ground of in
sanity rather than insubordnation The
worst that can be said with reference to DR..
Montgomery's failure to appoint DIR. Evans
is that he misunderstood the superintend-
ents orders. In these strenuous times, when
everything is in a state of commotion and
uncertainty in our public schools, owing to
the recent organization, mistakes are likely
to occur among the Wlsest and best regu-
lated teachers in the District. 1t is difficult
for the assistant superintendent to know
just what their duties and rights. 1t
will take both time and patience to adjust
themselves to their new positions, and GER
tainly they should not be misjudged and
msrepresented to the pubic every time
they make a mistake.
Some Have Erred
ut would be easy for me to cite several
concrete instances which prove conclusively
that not only DR.. Montgomery, but several
others holding important positions in our
schools have erred concerning their rights
and duties along various lines.
IF I had not written to DR.. Chancellor
requesting him to attend the board meeting
and appoint teacher in our NJ Street High
School and he had not been present last
Tuesday when DR.. Montgomery handed in
her name, both the assistant superintendent
and myself would probably have been &C
Cused of trying to smuggle names to the
board, so as to outwit the superintendent.
There is just much reason for believing
that was sufficient evidence to convict us
Of treachery to the superintendent as there
is for claiming that the recommendation of
MIR. Wormley for the assistant dictatorship
of night sci oos proves that Dr. Montgom-
cry was trying to dupe the superintendent,
if we believe the colored assistant superin-
tendent's statement that he did not know
Dr. Chancellor had given specific orders
about that position.
Again, in certain quarters DR.. Mont
somery is being criticised because, in APP
pointing graduates of the class of 1905, he
has taken some whose rating in the Nor
NAL School was lower than that of others
who have not yet been given teacherships.
And yet the school board voted unanimous
ly to give the superintendent sole power in
these appointments, with the distinct UNI
Outstanding that IL a graduate stood near
the foot of the class of 1905 in the Normal
School, but had had a years experience in
teaching the enterprise she had shown in
securing a position out Of the city and the
experience as a teacher would count great |
ly in her favor. as compared with a grad
uate who stood much higher, but had had
no experience as teacher.
Sec,1rinr Teacherships