Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-27
BOARD ACTS IN
cARDOzO CASE
Deposed Supervising Principal
Reinstated.
DISMISSAL is RECOMMENDED
Plan to Prefer Charges and Have
Trial of Accused.
PROCEEDINGS AT THE MEETING
Counsel Announces That Effort Will Be
Made to Have Proposed Hear
ing Enjoined.

At brief and businessike meeting of the
board of education yesterday afternoon In
connection with which Admiral Baird,
Capt. Oyster, Superintendent Chancellor
andAssistant United States Attorney Nc
Namara were the principal factors, F. l..
Cardozo was reinstated supervising prin-
cipal of the thirteenth division of the pub
lie schools; charges were preferred against
him; his dismissal was recommended, and
steps were taken to proceed to trial UNI
der the law
Every member of the board was present
and there was large audience The
meeting was scheduled to begin at o'clock.
but it was nearly o'clock when Admiral
Baird called for order.
The proceedings were of a stereotyped
character. Apparently the program had
been mapped out carefully in advance,
probably in the superintendent office,
where the members of the board spent most
of the time from o'clock until the meet
ing began
Purpose of Meeting.
Admiral Baird read the following state
ment:
1.-The purpose of this meeting of the board
any, should be taken in view of the writ of
mandamus which is to be issued in the case
of F. L. Cardozo by the Supreme Court of
the District of Columbia to reinstate the
said Cardozo.
THE decision of the court as to the guilt
or innocence of the said CardOZo was not
passed upon, but the technical errors which
the board of education committed were
passed upon. The trial we gave CardoZo
was not in the opinion of the court, suff1-
cin ln6 hat he no
which Cardozo was dismissed was a new
charge, even though the phraseology is
identical with the second specification
which appeared in the original charge,
which was pending during the speech of
CardoZo's attorney.
Now that we are in possession of the
technical errors which have defeated what
We believe to be in the best interests of the
public schools and the commonwealth of
the District of Columbia and to determine
what action, if any, is to be taken with re-
spect to Cardozo in the maintenance of
discipline in the management of educa-
tional affairs in the District, it becomes
the duty of the board to determine what
action is proper to be taken. 1 beg leave
to invite the attention of the board to the
fact that previous to the organization of
this board there had not been a dismissal
of teacher or officer for number of
years.
ut is not necessary for me to remind the
board that we have proceeded in this mat
ter without fear or favor. and l trust
Will CONTINUE 10 protect the interests Oh lnG
schools without fear or favor. We are,
however, laboring under disadvantage in
not being able to enforce the attendance of
witnesses, which misfortune may operate
against the best interests of the common
wealth which we are striving to protect
Error of Fact
Mrs. Mussey remarked that she desired
to direct attention to an error in fact in
Admiral Baird's statement. There ha. been
bar Of
system in the last six years, she said In
that she supported by Mr. Cook In
the course of the brief remarks that fol-
lowed Mrs. Mussey said she could put her
finger on the records and show such to be
fact
the right hand of Admiral Baird, was then
called upon to speak. He reviewed the
status of the CardoZo case and advised the
board to waive the technically of waiting
for the formal presentation of the writ and
proceed at once to renstate Cardozo. He
then advised the board that in all cases in
the nature of that of CardoZo that may
arise he be shown the charges and allowed
to pass upon the method of procedure in
order to avoid further difficulties
Mr.. Mcnamara also said he thought the
decision Of the court was in the best inter
ests of the schools and would work much
good in the future.
1T occurs to me-" he continued, that
you are not here merely to gain a point or
to insist upon this or that, but to accom-
plish something that is definite
Oyster Moves Reinstatement.
Capt. Oyster then moved that Cardozo be
reinstated, using the following words:
II move that Francis L. Cardozo be re-
instated to the office of supervising prin-
cipal of the thirteenth division, colored
schools, in the manner as directed by the
Judgment Of the court In the case of the U.
s. ex rel Cardozo versus George w. Baird
ct al. at law No 1880 of the Supreme Court
of the District of Columbia
The motion was seconded by Prof. Ever
mann and adopted without a dissenting
vote.
Capt. Oyster then arose and announced
that he wanted to MAKE a personal ex-
PLANTATION concerning his position. He read
from paper, In part, as follows:
Il want to say to the board and to the
public generally that the question before us
is of considerable Importance and 1t Is
about time now for us to know what our
duties are. When this recommendation was
| ception, were familiar with the affair, and
| when voting believed that Cardozo was
| guilty of the charge and voted unanimously
| with that one exception, and that member
was excused by consent. If Cardozo was
| guilty then, why not now?
Must Respect the Law.
| 1.-THE court has declared our action null
| a trial. We must respect the law
. At the same time we should retain
| the respect of ourselves and we should re-
gard the reputation Of our superintendent
| who comes to us with reputa ton which is
| worth more to him than this position, and
| believe has endeavored to accomplish re-
suits and, in my judgment, has no inten-
| ton of shifting the load. He does not ex-
| pect and should not be expected to retain
| teachers and officers in the service who are
\ not in sympathy with his administration
l. We are here from duty, not choice
| trying to be impartial not to prosecute
II AS / see it there has been but one
| mistake and some of us were led to believe
| that our position was warranted by law.
| Yet more conservative ones urged different
proceedings.
! I'VE have done nothing to be ashamed Of
|" Proceeding in the right direction we
| tried to get counsel from the district at
| torney's office and from the Commissioners
| without success and there was some delay
| in getting to the President, who very
| promptly directed help from the United
States district attorney. We We're delayed
| in getting a start by the interference of
| past directors of the school policy and such
demands that were not acceptable to this
board.
| There were four tearhers suspandad