Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-05

L Namdrd.
THE first question is. Whether the teach
| ers in the public schools on June 20. 1906.
| were continued In service by operation OF
| the act approved that day. and entitled An
act to fix and regulate the salaries OF
| teachers, school officers and other em-
| plOyes of the board Of education OF the
| District of Columbian
| There are certain expressions in this
| statute from which it might be cOntended,
| with some show of reason and authority,
| that the effect Of the act was not only to
| abolish the school board as 1t then ex-
| listed but to remove from Office all the ap-
| pOintees of that board But, after care
full examination of the entire act and In
view of the fact that it's principal object
| was to increase the salaries then paid TO
teachers. am of the opinion that the In.
| tention of Congress was, and the effect OF
| the statue is to continue all teachers ana
officers except those mentioned in section
of the act, in the service until such
| affirmative action of the new board.
| However, in order to settle beyond
| doubt the status Of those teachers to be
/ continued in the service, think 1t would
| be wise to use in the orders of the board
| the words of the statute. appoint and con-
| tinue.'
Reduction in Grade.
1.-THE next question is: Whether the teach
| ers in the service at the time Of the pas
| sage of the act can be reduced to posi-.
| lions paying less money than they then re-
| ceived?
Section provides that the board shall
appoint all teachers. While the statute
does not specifically authorize the removal
| of teachers it is settled law that the au-
! thority to appoint to an office includes the
| right to discharge. This necessarily in
| cludes the right to promote and reduce. The
| only restriction upon this right is the pro-
vision of section that no appointment,
promotion. transfer or dismissal shall be
made except upon the written recommended
1 ton of the superintendent.
L n 0f not
l teachers in the service at the time of its
passage shall be required to take any ex-
animation to be continued in the service.
Il am Of the opinion that 1t was the in
| tention Of Congress that the new board
should have the right to continue in its
/ employment all the then teachers, either
such new positions should be higher or
| lower than the old, and without examina-
| ton.
''The only language Of the act which can
| raise any doubt as to the correctness OF
| this construction is the following from sec
4 ton 6:
For the year ending June 80. 1907. each
| head Of department and each teacher shall
| receive the salary in his class next above
| his present salary and no teacher or prin-
| cipal shall in any event receive less than
his or her present salary
| But I think this clause applies only to
the teacher or principal who is continued
| by the board in his old place. or in the
class in which he would fall in his old
place. and not to a teacher who Is reduced
| to a class the salaries In which are lower
| than the salaries last received by him.
| Otherwise the board would have the power
| to discharge an old teacher unable to per-
| would not have the power to reduce or re-
| appoint him to a subordinate position, the
duties of which he could perform.
Regarding Promotions.
1.-THE last question Is: Whether teachers
| NAV be advanced from one class to another
| without examination?
'I have already held that the board may,
| in classifying teachers, place them. with
out examination, in such positions as the
board deems proper.
1 Section g provides that teachers shall
| be promoted from group A to group B Of
| class 6 only after oral and written exami-
| nation. This does not, In my opinion, apply
| to the first arrangement of the teachers
| to be made by the board, but only to pro-
motions thereafter to be made.
| 1.-The same section provides that teacher
| shall not be promoted from one class to
4 another except upon the recommendation
| of his supervising officer and of the super
| intendent. This would indicate that 1t was
| not the intention of Congress that ex-
| animation should be required; however. it
| is in the discretion of the superintendent
| and the proper supervising officer to make
an examination precedent to such recon-
! mendation.
| These answers are made without exami-
| nation of or reference to the rules Of the
board of education.
Committee Of Investigation.
| Mr.. Oyster moved that a committee OF
4 three be appointed by the president to in
vestigate the methods and efficiency Of the
| office force of the board at the Franklin
! building and make such recommendations
| to the board as might be deemed necessary
| for the good of the service. This motion
| was acted upon favorably. The committee
| will be named by President Baird upon
his return to the city.
| Upon motion of Mr.. Cook the secretaries
| Of the supervising principals were instruct
| ed to see that all school rooms in their
divisions put In proper order before
the opening of school
| Several routine matters in regard to the
renting of buildings and floor space to
relieve congestion in various schools were
| disposed of.
petition from colored residents Of Pet
| worth, d. c., was presented to the board
| asking for the renting of quarters for
| have to walk several miles to the nearest
4 school The petition was referred to the
committee on buildings.
The board adjourned to meet at pm.
4 September Is. which Is two days before
| the opening of school.
The Schools and the superintendent
! To the Editor Of The Star:
The new school superintendent Is making
| recommendations to the school board re-
| gardng appointments on the teaching staff.
so we are informed by the daily press. 1t
is foolish to argue that he stranger here,
can make these recommendations Of his
| own knowledge. Were he to study the per-
| sonnet of his staff for, say one year. he
might be able to do so. but many teachers
have been dropped before he has had time
| to know their merits or demerits This
proves that he is being used as a figure
head. or rather as catspaw. Fair play
and a square deal demand that matters
be left In statue quo until he can inform
himself by personal observation but pretu-
dice and the interests of a CLIQUE demand
the chamber methods and the latter seem
| to prevail.
| / have two boys at school, but have no
other interests at stake. and only have a
| slight acquaintance with one Of the drop
ped teachers. URIC T. MENGERT
Loss of Copper Wires.
The officials Of the Baltimore and Ohio
| railroad have notified Capt Daley Of the
| ninth precinct that they are experiencing