Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-06
APPEAL TO CONGRESS
Complaints Against the School
Board Submitted.
MEMORIAL is PRESENTED
Citizens Committee Specifies Viola
lions of Law.
ILLEGAL 'REAPPOINTMENTS"
Investigation Requested Into the Con-
duct of School Affairs Since
July l Last.


Senator Gallinger a memorial from the cit
liens committee on public school, affairs"
composed Of a number Of residents of WASH
ington who have taken deep interest In
the situation This memorial recites the
circumstances which have given rise to
the various controversies between men,
bers of the community on the one side
and the board Of education and the su-
perintendent of schools on the other. and
petitions for "such investigation and ac-
ton as Congress may consider necessary
The memorial in full is as follows:
The citizens committee on public school
affairs, representing the sentiments of the
great mass of citizens and patrons inter-
ested in the educational system or the
District of Columbia, plead the privilege OF
setting before your august body certain
considerations and facts growing out OF
certain legislation enacted by the last ses-
sion of Congress Fifty ninth Congress,
first session., providing for the reorgan1za-
ton of the board of education and for the
increase of the salaries of the teachers
and the executive officers or the schoois
/ of the District of Columbia. and of certain
unjust and unlawful acts of the board OF
education and the superintedent of schools
affecting injuriously the livelihood ana
reputation of some of the most worthy
teachers and the efficiency of the educa-
tional system of the District. and respect
fully petition you to remedy the grievances
herein set forth by such investigation and
action YOUR wisdom and sense of justice
| and fair play will dictate.
Design of the Law.
The law passed at the last session of
Congress entitled IAN act to fix and regu-
late the salaries of teachers, school officers
and other employees of the board of educa-
, ton of the District of Columbia" and APP
proved June 30, 1906. was a broad and
statesmanlike effort to properly compen-
safe the great body of earnest and faith
full teachers of the District for the services
they were rendering, and thus Ito bring
the school system of the District to state
of efficiency commensurate with what the
public school system of the national cap
designed to benefit and thereby to encour-
age the efforts of all teachers and officers
in the system and certainly not to work
injury to any of them either in the loss Of
position or in reduction of salary. In the
House of Representatives. Mr.. Morrell, In
submitting the report from the committee
of the District of Columbia, said:
while at first. in view of the testimony
submitted, the committee was of the opin-
ion that radical reform in the school sys-
tenn was necessary, yet as the hearings adj
vanced and the committee became better
acquainted with the school system 1t now
maintains the conclusion was reached that
the organization and teaching system
should not be disrupted. but should be re-
tanned. at least for the present, as now
constituted, with the few alterations con-
tanned in the bill in regard to management"
blouse report No. 1895, Fifty ninth Con-
gresS, first SESSION.
Mr.. Burkett's View.
In the Senate, Mr.. Burkett. in submitting
the report from the committee of the Dis
trict of Columbia. said:
1T will be noticed that this does not de-
crease the number Of employees nor re-
move any one. but changes names some
what and gives the responsibility of the
high schools to the assistant superintend-
ent, and gives the place that was held by
the director of high schools the name of d.
rector of intermediate instructor" (Senate
Report No. 1874, Fifty-ninth Congress. first
SESSION.
In the debates upon the bill in the Sem
ate Senator Burkett, on June 8, 1900. ex-
planned the purpose of the law as follows:
1.-The recommendation of the committee
will not do away with anbodys job. Every
person who drew salary last year will
draw a larger salary this year than ever
before in the school system under this bill. -
&C. R.. p. S306) They will have their
jobs. and by virtue Of the fact that this
bill raises the salaries. they will have their
salaries raised. 1 will guarantee the Sem
ator (Spooner) there is not soul who will
lose his job by this BILL" C. R.. p. sOO7.)
The remarks of Senator Garter on June
9, 1906 in discussing an amendment which
shows Enthusiastically the intention that the
teachers then in the service were to be con-
tinued in their positions.
Senator Carter said: Mr.. President. the
senator has stated the reasons which i'm
pei me to offer the amendment, although
he Is mistaken with reference to the limlta-
ton provided In the amendment itself.
understood the fact to be that teachers
hereafter hired will be employed at $1,000
per year. We will have the anomalous con-
dition of teachers Of more than five years
experience-and l am told In the list OF
seventy-two there are about ten such-who
are now receiving 500 per annum. being
compelled to work for $3.50 the coming
year whereas the teacher hired next Sep
tember, of like experience will be receiv-
ing LOCO.
might quickly evade the law by resgning
and being reappointed but 1t is desirable
that such subterfuge should not be rem
dered necessary as to experienced teachers.
&C. R., S4Ol)
Fiction Of disappointment"
In spite, however. of the foregoing ex-
pressions of the intent Of the law by the
trainers thereof and the express and explic-
it provision Of the law itself. to wit. THAT
no teacher or officer In the service Of the
public schools Of the District OF Columbia
et the time of the passage Of this act shall.
by the operation Of this act. be required TO
take any examination. either mental or
physical, to be continued IN the service,
the new board Of education which was APP
pointed July q 1906, determined upon the
fiction that all of the teachers who were IN
the service at the time of the passage OF
the act had to be "reappointed' by them
And thereupon individual members. as
events seem to prove. drew up their lists as
those whom they desired "reappointed and
their black lists of those whom they did not
desire .'reappointed." The new superintend-
emit of schools, who was chosen by the
board of education on August IL. 1903. al
though an entire stranger to the Washing
ton school community. adopted upon his
arrival here, or soon thereafter. the fiction
previously determined upon by the board.
Yet in a letter published in The Evening
Star on September Is he stated the follow
ing:
by far the greatest difficulty arose from
the fact that no one yet knows positively
by judicial opinion whether the great body
of teachers were or were not continued in
office. For myself, believe that they were
continued by mere virtue of the legislation.
/ hold this opinion mainly because the legis-
lation does not state the contrary. but there
are phrases and clauses In the law which
make this opinion questionable"
Important Facts.
In this connection we beg respectfully to
call your attention to the following facts: