Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-12

A. I. Gardner.
chief responsibility for its condition rests
upon the principal the teachers request an
investigation Of his administration, in order
that the state OF affairs may be deter
mined and remedied.
The board of education referred the
charges to the superintendent Of schools to
investigate and make a report as soon as
possible.
Superintendent Stuart said this morning:
In spite Of the fact that todhy is the last
school session before the Easter holidays, l
shall begin thorough investigation at once
and report to the board in a written report
a promptly as possible"
Knew of No Reason.
Asked why the matter had been referred
to him instead of being placed in the hands
OF the committee on Industrial education
and special instruction, composed of Mrs.
Francis. Mrs. West and DIR. Kingsman or
in the hands of the board as a committee
or the whole. as in the case of the
recent investigation of the Eastern High
School and the NJ Street High School.
Mr.. Stuart said he did not know. hut pre-
sumed that II was in order that the matter
might come before the board through the
regular channels-that is, through the hands
OF the director of manual training or the su-
perintendent
Many of the teachers win be out of the
city during the Easter vacation, but Mr.
Stuart said:
II shall begin the hearings immediately
and make a thorough investigation though
II IS unfortunate that the affair should
come Just at this time. However. am glad
that II mas come to a head"
Director J. c. Chamberlain and Principal
Gardner were seen this morning. but Mr
Chamberlain said nothing with respect to
the charges.
Statement by Mr. Gardner.
Mt Gardner when seen at his office said :
In view Of the fact that the board will
have the matter in hand for investigation
l prefer not to make any statements /
shall, however. be pleased to have matters
pertaining TO the school looked into"
MI Gardner gave out a letter which he
uad received from one OF the teachers
signing the petition. Warren S. Orion who
the principal said. is former pupil of his
The letter is addressed TO the board. and
In referring to the charges against the prin-
cipal in the petition Mr.. Orton saws In part:
! acknow Wedge having signed my name
to IT, but in doing so l misunderstood the
purpose OF the paper
cannot support any charge contained
therein by single case where 1t could be
proved that the case existed with the
kno"Iedge OF Mr.. Gardner, and therefore
desire my name withdrawn from the paper
IN question. Very truly yours
tsiguedl WARREN s. ORION"
Mr. Louis ". Mattern, head teacher I'm
the department Of chemistry, said today
at the school:
The atmosphere Of the school Is charp-
ed with caution. Teachers have many res
sons. personal and otherwise matters of
pOilcy or timidity. preventing the signing
OF a petition FOR investigation, but when
IL once comes out they will ali line up
Formal Charges.
Is. in part as follows:
We. the undersigned teachers OF the Nc
hiniey Manual Training School, believing
that conditions in that school have become
50 demoralized that they are harmful to
The school system Of the District of Column
bia and to the healthful development OF the
mind and character of the pupils, and be.
heytng that the chief responsibility for this
condition of affairs rests upon the PRINCIPAL.
A. ]. Gardner. do hereby respectfully re-
quest your honorable body To Institute and
conduct such an investigation of his ad-
ministraton as principal as may seem
proper 10 you In order to fix the resDonsi
bilty for the aforesaid state OF affairs and
TO remedy 1t.
I'VE base our request upon the following
charges. all of which are either known 10
lie true by us personally or have been told
us by fellow-teachers OF the same school in
whom We have confidence. as being within
He has repeatedly violated rules OF the
board OF education to-wlt: The rule con-
corning hardness OF teachers the rule for
bidding teachers 10 smoke inside the school
building. the rule providing for substitute
teachers. the rIile against exeusing pupils
before the close OF school In order to per
INIT them 10 take private lessons outside
Discipline Alleged to Be Destroyed.
lie has completely destroyed the dssei-
pine In the school by failing TO support
teachers in their efforts to punish violations
OF the school rules; by granting permanent
excuses Tor hardness and absence during
school hours; by granting excuses for alb
senee upon slight pretext. and by lack of
supervision over pupils while they are
under the care of the school This last has
resulted in the visiting OF pool rooms
on TIN street by the boys of tho school,
In the smoking of cigarettes by boys near
the school building. In the playing OF base
ball I'm the school yard during school hours
IN the remaining of boys and girls in the
school building until after Of clock In the
afternoon without. supervision by any