Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24
Dr.. ChanceIIor's Charges
Against Board Of Education.
ExCEPTS TO REQUISITIONS
Alleges an Effort to Usurp the Su-
perintendent's Duties.
MIR. HUGHES WITHOUT POWER
Said to Have Signed Orders When
DR.. Chancellor Was Able
to Act.

Charges that in approving acquisitions
for text books last Friday the board OF
education and Percy NJ. Hughes. assistant
| superintendent Of schools, exceeded their
| lawful authority because the regulations
did not contain Supt. Chancellors
signature are made in letters Of pro-
test which have been sent to the Commits
sioners of the District, to the controller
and to Capt. ]. F. Oyster. president OF the
board. by DR.. Chancellor. The outlines OF
the letter were indicated to q Star reporter
this morning by Attorney Greed NJ. Full
ton, counsel for DR.. Chancellor.
This shows how the members Of the
board and Mr.. Hughes are trying to un-
dermine the superintendent and usurp his
authority" declared Mr.. Fulton at the
close of the interview.
I'm the course Of the letter which DR..
Chancellor will file with the Commission
ers. with the controller and with Presi,
state that he has been advised that at q
meeting Of the board Of education held
December 20 reQuisitions for text books
for use in the schools were authorised
Of Percy NJ. Hughes. assistant superin-
tendent of schools, and that he Is informed
that Mr. Hughes told the board that he
had been given authority by DR.. Chancei-
lor to make such recommendations.
Scope Of Authority Conferred.
Regarding that letter. DR.. Chancellor
says that about June Of this year, Just
previous to taking his vacation, he did
write Mr.. Hughes a letter authorizing the
assistant superintendent to exercise the
powers of the superintendent not statu-
tory, whenever it was absolutely neces-
sary for such powers to be exercised But,
DR.. Chancellor says in his letter. that Old
not give Mr.. Hughes authority to act Tor
and In his stead in such matters when ne
Is within the District Of Columbia and
able to perform such duties: Or. Cnan-
cellor contends that he is able to perform
his duties now, as he has signed many
papers in the last few days.
'Dr. Chancellor will also say that early
in October, he recommended acquisitions
for all necessary books for which the
board had money to pay and Is advised
that the acquisitions were turned down
early in November. 1907, at the instance
of Dr.. Evermann, chairman OF the text
book committee, after the bids 1or tne
books had been submitted by the book
companies and been stamped Tor the LIS
trict Of Columbia.
Under the statute Of 1900. DIR. Chan
cellor maintains, the superintendent is
required to make annual lists of all nee
essary books and supplies for the schools
Under the act Of June, 1905. 1t is further
contended. the superintendent Is given
the direction Of and supervision In all
matters pertaining to the instruction in
all OF the schools. And under the ap-
preparation act Of 1907, he says, ne Is re-
plies; and in the new rules OF the board
OF education, recently promulgated, he
says. the board has recognized the valid
| ity and force of these acts of Congress.
HpIE ~ de tha
members of the board have no right to
say what text books are to be used.
Gives Attention to Business.
Gas q summary, DR.. Chancellor points
out that, while he has been confined to
his bed and home by illness, he has re-
manned in the District and has attended
to many of his duties as superintendent.
He has signed the pay rolls and other
documents sent to him, which required
his signature, and he could just as easily
have signed and approved any recommen-
dations for acquisitions for school books.
Therefore DR.. Chancellor protests against
the validity Of the recommendation Of Mr..
Hughes and contends that that action and
the action OF the board, are without the
authority Of law"
When asked IL there was any reason
why the requisition should not have been
submitted to DR.. Chancellor, except on
account or MS lll-nealtn, MT. FultOn re-
piled that there was.
I'm those acquisitions were some for
plnysiologies which DR.. Chancellor has
said are no good. and which DR.. Ever
mann. chairman Of the text book commit
tee, has had adopted by the board. I sup
pose 1t was felt that DR.. Chancellor
would not sign acquisitions for physiolo-
giles of which he did not approve. and
therefore Mr.. Hughes signature was OBJ
tained.'
It is recalled that at the time DR.. Chan
cellor, through his attorneys, appealed to
the District Supreme Court for the dis
missal OF DR.. Evermann and r. r. Horner,
two members of the board, he made a
charge Involving the purchase OF the
physiologies.
The refusal Of the secretary Of the board
of education, Harry o. Hine, to furnish
Attorneys Fulton and Leckie with a copy
Of the letter which Mr.. Hughes claims
to have received from DR.. Chancellor.
giving him authority to sign acquisitions
for text books, has also brought protest
from Attorney Fulton to the secretary OF
the board. This letter is in reply to one
from Mr.. Hine, in which Mr.. Hine says
he refers Mr.. Fulton to Stuart McNa-
mara, counsel for the board.
Mr.. Fulton's Reply.
In reply, Mr.. Fulton wrote:
when I asked you to get from Mr..
Hughes q copy Of this letter you assured
me that you would do so. and therefore
Immediately sent young man from my
once to get said copy. A few minutes
after the young man had left, you called
I'D over the phone and informed me that
Mr.. Hughes had told you that this letter