The Washington herald., 1907-12-06
SENATE FOR PROBE
District Committee to Sift
School Trouble.
FULTON WELCOMES ACTION
ChRnceIIor's Counsel Hopes IL Will
Begin Soon and Go Deep Into the
Whole Business - Admiral Baird
and Other Educators Have Conf
dence in District superintendent.

Senator Scott. of West Virginia, yester-
day introduced and secured unanimous
consent 10 resolution directing the SEN
ate Committee on the District OF Colum-
bia to inquire into the condition and
management of the public schools Of the
District. as a result of the pending CON
troversy between Supt. Chancellor and
the school board
Senator Scott said:
The resolution speaks for itself and
there is little 20 be said about It. There
is so much in the papers about the
trouble between the school board and the
superintendent that we decided to bring
the whole matter before the District Com
mittee and find out what it is all about.
No time has been set for the investiga-
ton. as the committee has not yet organ
lied. We merely desired 10 get the power
10 bring il before the committee at some
future time"
Senator Scott is a member of the Dis
trict Committee Of the Senate. The fact
that no objection was raised to the i'm
mediate consideration Of the resolution
and that il was Immediately agreed TO
was taken to indicate that the Senate is
a unit in desiring to sift the school mud
die 10 the bottom:
Fulton Welcomes Probe.
Mr.. Fulton. Of the firm of Fulton.
Leckie and Cox, counsel for Chancellor.
said last night:
II think it a timely resolution. and that
the committee cannot start TO early or
probe too deeply into the motives sand
reasons for the action taken by the
school board to remove Superintendent
Chancellor"
Admiral Baird. formerly Superinten-
dent Of the school board. when ques-
toned as 10 his opinion Of Dr. Chan
ceIIor, said:
Il think he Is born educator. He is
a brilliant man. a good organizer and
a good leader. ] think the act OF Con-
gress. which created the board intended
that the superintendent should have the
responsibility.
As soon as l was elected president OF
the board ! did my best TO have a Dis
trict man elected superintendent. but
failed. When DR.. Chancellor was elected
l espoused his cause at once, and did
AAag AAtAAbSA 20 AAdhF AAl0 tAAAlAtAACAA oAlNA n
success. so far as could. keeping the in
tent Of the law in mind
school Law Not Perfect.
The law was not perfect. though it is
evident that it was prepared with the
best motives. 1t is like bird with some
Of its plumage plucked here and there,
and this plucking was evidently the lit
lie amendments and changes which were
introduced. probably to please complain
ants There were thus some anbiguities
one purpose of the law was, / believe
TO obiige the board to suffer every per
son complained OF the privilege Of con.
fronting his. or her accusers. but Il said
teachers and not employees. We under
stood that the supervisors were officers
and not teachers. but the court over
ruled US. We were obliged 20 give Ions
and tedious trial 10 a teacher-officer.
do not believe Congress ever intended
that
I'm the main the organic law is a good
one. and now that experience has en-
abed as 10 discover the errors it would
be easy 10 so amend II that all its error,
may be eliminated
Gets Letters of Confidence.
That Or. Chancellor Is held in high
esteem by the leading educators o.
this country is shown by the fact thai
letters have been sent 10 him since the
beginning OF the hearing by many OF tht
foremost school superintendents and uni.
versity professors in the United States
expressing confidence In his success in the
controversy Following are some of the
educators who have communicated with
him: E G.. Cooley. superintendent OF
schools. Chicago; Thomas NJ. Ballet
dean OF New York University. William
II. Maxwell. superintendent Of schools
New York City; Jesse D. Burks, principa
Teachers Training School Albany, n. Y.
Dr. Van Sickle. superintendent OF schools
Baltimore, and others.