Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-07
BETHESDA SCHOOL CASE.
Maryland Board Of Education De-
cides Against Trustees.
Special Dispatch to The Star. {.

SpSSAoA D'oPubSu ~ 4pS otdE.
BALTIMORE. Md, December TAT the
meeting of the state board of education
held Thursday afternoon at the Normal
School building in this city the conten-
ton between the school commissioners of
montgomery county and the trustees of
the school at Bethesda was taken I'D for
consideration and decided In favor of the
commissioners.
The trouble arose over the appointment
OF Miss Ida Dove as principal of the
school. The commissioners decided that
as Miss Dove did not have a frst-grade
certificate she should not hold a position
of such responsibility, and consequently
asked the trustees to appoint another
teacher. This the trustees refused to do,
and the school commissioners thereupon
removed them.
The trustees appealed from this action
and the case, as stated, was decided
against them.
When Or. John L. Lewis a member of
the board of trustees. deposed from Office
by the county school commission of Mont
gomery county last September folloWins
his refusal to remove Miss Ida Dove, the
principal Of the Bethesda school, from Of
flee. was told Of the decision of the state
! board. he said that the matter seemed
~ oe sEttied. he removal OF MISS Dow
from her position. he said. was in his
estimation without the sanction of law.
According to DR.. Lewis. Miss Dove was
removed by the county commissioners
after the Bethesda school trustees had
refused to ask for her resignation, tn.
remoVai being contrary to the law govern
Ing such removals.
AT the present time" said Dr.. Lewis
the board of county school commission
ers. of which Mr.. George Lamar is the
chairman, IL acting In the capacity OF
commissioners and trustees Of the Beth
sioners. Miss Dove qualified and was
appointed PRINCIPAL OF the Bethesda school
oyer two years ago. After serving until
septeHhsr OF this year the members OF
the county school commission ordered
the trustees to remove her because she
Of the first grade.
Because she had given satisfaction for
the two years as principal the trustees
refused to obey the ord RS of the com
mission and as a result the commissioners
summarily removed both the trustees and
the principal. and installed Mr., Manion
who resided in the neighborhood OF
GAINESVILLE. Md. as the head of the
school,
Shortly thereafter a mass meeting o.
the residents OF the Bethesda school dis
trtct was held. Mr.. 8. D. Caldwell, presi.
dent of the Bethesda Citizens Association
presided. and at the meeting the action OF
the members Of the county commission in
removing the trustees and principal was
roundly denounced.
DR.. Lewis believes that the action OF
the commissioners can hardly be legal in
| view of the fact that the law of Maryland
prsscribes that in the event the commits
| sioners desire to remove a principal OF a
| school, such as that at Bethesda, they
| shall do SO through the trustees. In this
| instance. as stated. both trustees an
PRINCIPAL were removed and. according to
members OF the deposed board of trust -es
the principal has not been removed by a
| board of trustees.
| Mr.. A. Wilson. who was also a m embel
| Of the depased board of trustees with DR.
| Lewis. said he supposed the action of ths
state board in supporting the county com
missioners was final. although he is of tn
| belief that 1t will not give genera! salts.
| faction to the people of Bethesda. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Wilson the people of the
section have been eagerly awaiting the
decision Of the state board.
| Mr.. George Lamar. chairman of the
county commissioners. is in attendance
| upon the meeting of the state board at
| Baltimore.