Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14
PROGRESS OF INQUIRY
Views Expressed Of Mckinley
High School Conditions.
Mr.. GORDON SURPRISED
Superintendent Stuart Gives Assur-
ance Of Impartial Hearing.
TEACHERS DISCUSS SITUATION
Those Who Signed the Accusatory
Letter Giving Testimony-Daily
N
Sessions Being Held.

49, If the condition OF the Mckinley Manual
Training School. from a scholastic or
moral standpoint" said a gentleman today,
whose children are in attendance at the
school, has been at any time a matter
Of question. and members of the board have
had even partial knowledge of the situa-
ton, as 1t seems they have why have
not the requisite steps been taken before
this to secure for our children unques-
TONED scholarship and a wholesome moral
atmosphere
President ]. Holdsworth Gordon. when
asked the question, said that as for him
the charges were a total surprise
In my position as president Of the board
and chairman of the high school committee
matters pertaining to the grades and the
academic system came to my attention
more closely than those pertaining to the
Mckinley school, All / can say at the
present time Is that the board has perfect
confidence In the superintendent and l
know he will De perfectly fair In his report
When that is received by the board to in
certainly be in accord with perfect justice
to all parties"
Statement by Mr.. Stuart.
Mr.. Stuart this morning said:
81 note that some of the teachers who
have preferred charges against Principal
Gardner want public trial by the board
of education. and seem to fear that will
not give them an impartial hearing I re-
greet this feeling, and want to assure these
teachers that l will do my best to secure
all the facts in the case which will in due
time be presented to the board for their
action.
II suppose the teachers know that in
obeying the mandate Of the board I have
no power to acquit convict any one. but
that judgment in this, and In all other
cases, must be pronounced by the board Of
education. I am sorry that the teachers
seem to fear that my friendship for Dfrec-
tor Chamberlain disQualif1es me from giving
every one a chance to speak his mind
freely. Those who have so far been heard
have not only had the utmost freedom to
speak, but have been invited to submit addi-
tional statements in writing nave never
allowed personal consideration to influence
me In the performance of my Official duty
and will not In this instance"
A Teachers View.
One OF the teachers in question said last
evening:
IT have been at particular pains to say
to Mr. Stuart that in our desire to have the
state in the school Investigated by the board
no reflection was implied upon his integrity.
We all have perfect confidence in his ability
and Willingness to give all parties square
deal. The only point in our attitude to en-
phasze is that as the well-being Of the
school is in question, and as our names are
known as having Endorsed the charges pre-
scented in open meeting OF the board, we
should have an opportunity to explain be-
fore the board our reasons for taking the
action
TT is well understood" continued the
teacher. that some teachers refrained from
signing the charges because they had al
ready the charges OF their personal
knowledge before members OF the board,
and awaiting board or committee action.
Nothing is more certain than that for years
teachers, by reason of school loyalty and
esprit de corps. have struggled with condi-
tons and have done the best they could for
the pupils by the force Of their own teach
ing and influence. What has the epidemic
of designations at the Mckinley meant?
Nothing like 1t has occurred at the Cen
trail, the Eastern. Western, Business or at
the other manual training school, the Arm
strong"
AS for the tone OF the school, the teach
who have been interviewed on the SUBJ
ject agree with one who said:
We teachers believe that the character
of the pupils, their scholarship and their
behavior is naturally second to none, and
we want the great possibilities Of the
manual training school to be maintained
and perfected.
ION the other hand even the best pupils
are naturally influenced by loose condi-
ton. and the strongest teachers sometimes
need the backing OF a firm and consistent
executive.
Discusses the Dances.
"As for the dances, 1t is true some of the
teachers have declined to attend them,
having made protests as to the manner in
which they are conducted. The protests
have been regularly pooh-poohed by the
principal.
Il can give first-hand testimony regard
tt,u
kinley School. I went there while q dance
was In progress on the second floor Prin-
cipal Gardner was dancing with the rest
Somebody told me that IL I wanted to see
the real show should go up to the third
floor. / did SO. and found the lights turned
down. In each of the window recesses l
saw IN the dim light the forms of couples,
hugging and kissing. They did not pay
any attention to me at first, but when /
turned up the lights there was a scattering
All these couples were pupils of the
school. The girls ranged in age from four
teen to eighteen and the men from sixteen
to twenty-one, l recognized some of them
All the rooms on the third floor were un-
locked. and the lights turned low 1 had
to go to the office myself and get the keys
and lock up the rooms, before I could get
the place cleared Of loving couples. The
principal was told of this state of affairs
but he did nothing whatever, and dances
have been held there since that time where
the same liberties have been enjoyed by
the boys and girls.'
Daily Sessions Held.
The investigation is being carried on with
almost constant sessions. The teachers
who signed the statement are In the main
presenting written testimony This after
noon the superintendent will hold a meet
ing, and other teachers have been sum-
moned for Monday afternoon and MONDAY
evening. 1t Is believed that the superin-
tendent will be ready to report at the next
meeting OF the board