Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-13
INQUIRY UNDER WAY
Charges Against Principal OF
Mckinley High School.
WITNESSES ALL SUMMONED
Testimony Taken in Superintendent
Stuart's Office.
THOROUGH HEARING TO BE HAD
Interview With Mrs. West of the In
dustrial Committee-Not Sur
prised at Developments
THOROUGH HEARING TO BE HAD

Investigation of the charges against A. r.
win Gardner, principal of the Mckinley
Manual Training School. by Mr.. A. T.
Stuart the superintendent of schools, began
promptly yesterday.
Mr.. Stuart. to whom the entire matter
had been referred by the board visited the
Mckinley school early in the day and held
consultations with various teachers. AS the
day the closing session before the
Easter holidays. and the end of the third
quarter, or matinee day. as 1t Is called In
the high schools. by reason of the attend
anee only of deficient pupils for purposes of
examination. but few boys and girls were
present. The school was quiet and the
teachers comparatively free.
Mr.. Stuart subpoenaed all those who had
signed the charges and made arrangements
for prompt hearings in order that teachers
desiring to leave the city might not lose
their entire vacation.
Several teachers OF the German and of
the English departments were summoned
to appear last evening at o'clock BEFORE
Mr.. Stuart in his office at the Franklin
building Mr.. Gardner was present at the
hearing The request of teacher to nave
| legal counsel present while giving testi-
| mony was refused having no precedent.
| So long was the hearing of the first teacher
| that the second was not admitted until
after 10 o clock. and an arrangement was
| made to hold the second hearing today at
| O'Clock.
1t Is understood that these hearings viii
| be continued until all the teachers who
| signed the complaints. and all others who
have slgnified a desire to give testimony.
| and even several ex-teachers, have been
heard
Many teachers in the school and at adj
jacent school buildings who did not sign
the charges are said to have indicated a
desire to explain when summoned the con-
dtions at the Mckinley school.
Mrs. Vests Viws.
Mrs. II. L. West. Mrs B. G. Francis and
DR. Richard Klngsman form the industrial
| committee of the board. The former was
seen this morning. and in the course of
| conversation said:
Although Mrs. Francis is chairman Of
| the committee, matters pertaining to Nc
| Kinley school have been. by courtesy IN
| the main given TO me. 1t Is absurd to call
| the petition bolt from the sky. My sur
| prise has been that 1t has been so long de-
| layed / have been expecting it for more
| than a year, and l know from what DR..
| Kingsman and Mr.. Stuart have said that
| they have long been concerned about the
| school"
| Asked why the board had referred the in
vestigation to Mr.. Stuart, Mrs. West said
| The first idea of the board was to REFER
| 1t to a committee of the whole, and the
| second to a special committee, composed
| Of the members of the industrial commit
| tee and the president. Mr.. Gordon. On Dr.
| Needham's motion, however, the petition
| was returned to Mr.. Stuart, as the matter
! Is really an administrative one. and the
| regular procedure would have been for the
| teachers to send their complaints to Mr..
| Chamberlain, Mr.. Gardeners director. who
would then refer them to the superinten-
dent, by whom they would be, in regular
order. presented to the board and to the
4 committee
| '.My understanding" continued Mrs.
West as that the superintendent Will make
| a general investigation, and that later the
matter will come back to the committee
| 1t seems to me that no time should De lost'
| and that the general welfare of the schools
| demands a thorough and complete propins.
! VIII Have Square Deal.
| To the statement which is in general cir
culation that the superintendent is a strong
| friend OF Mr. Chamberlain, who is in turn
A close friend Of Mr.. Gardiner, with whom
| he In said to be connected by marriage. and
| that. therefore the principal may expect
| special protection, Mrs. West said most posi-
| lively:
| al know that the teac aers will have a
| square deal at Mr.. Stuarts hands These
| fears have been expressed to me by various
| teachers. some even who did not sign the
petition but they have no reason to fear.
| Mr. Stuart is heartily in earnest, and from
| consultations l have had with him | know
| that he has long had some definite action in
| mind
| His personal feeling will have no weight
I with him. He had. as | happen to know,
taken steps before there was any idea or q
| petition by the teachers to understand the
| condition at the school. and is very much in
| earnest"
! To Indicate the attitude of the principal to
| the teachers one of those who testified last
evening says today that he was met after
| the hearing by both the principal and the
| director. who assailed him with reproa cheS.
and even went far as to make such In
! timatiuns and threats that he feels COM
PEELED to make a supplementary statement
in writing to the superintendent.
| None of the teachers would consent TO-
day TO be interviewed. saying that they
have done all that their duty requires IN
making a formal protest and that now the
matter is with the board.
The Teachers Congratulated.
Many students and ex-students have, II
is said. congratulated the teachers on what
they call their courageous stand. One Is
said to have remarked that year ago The
| classes as a body had made a proposition
| TO a teacher TO make a protest to th7
be ard as to the manner In which the ex
| ecutive work was being carried on, but the
| pupils were restrained. 1t was then though,
| they were taking too much on themselves
| Another student said he hoped he wouId
be permitted to testify He had left the
| school, he said. because of the way things
were run, and that 1t had been his habit
with other boys, TO cut the study halls ana
| pass the periods In the nearby pool rooms
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I cTrrcy n.y.