Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-14
CHARGES FILED
AGAINST CkRDOz0
Chancellor Hesitated to Sign
the Complaint.
ANONYMOUS LIBEL ALLEGED
Further Asserted That the Principal
Stirred Up Str e.
PAPERS IN CASE SERVED TODAY
Trial Scheduled for January 10
Text of the Specifications
as Completed.
PAPERS IN CASE SERVED TODAY

After a conference today with Mr.. Stuart
Mcnamara, assistant United States attor-
| ney and counsel for the board OF educa-
! ton, Admiral Baird, president OF the ooaro'
gave to the press a copy of the charges
against Francis l.. Cardozo, supervising
principal of the 18th division of the public
| schools. The charges are preferred by w.
| S. Montgomery, assistant superintendent
| for the colored schools. and respectfully
| submitted to the board of education by
Superintendent Chancellor. They contain
a copy of the anonymous letter. which was
responsible for the summary dismissal Of
Cardozo from the school system, which &C
ton was declared Illegal and reversed by
the District Supreme Court.
A story being told in connection with the
delay in the preparation and filing Of the
charges is that Attorney Mcnamara insist
ed that they be properly signed by the
superintendent before he would stand for
them, and that it required several days
to persuade DR.. Chancellor to sign the
charges. The superintendent positively de-
clined to sign the charges, according to the
story, until Mr.. Mcnamara told him that
he must do so.
He also declined to be witness against
the accused it is further stated, although 1t
was upon his recommendation that Car
doZo was dismissed, and that the case was
later ordered tried. Again Mr.. Mcnamara
told him, it is added, that he had better re-
consider his determination
The struggle was prolonged, but the at
torney gained his point last Saturday after
noon. 1t is believed that had this out
come not resulted there would have been
no charges filed against CardoZo, in spite
of the fact that the board had already
ordered the trial for O'Clock pm. next
Saturday. '''-
ii was surprise to many to learn that
~ oIo r,.ad ht,T or font
cry instead of by DR.. Chancellor. who first
called them to the attention OF the board
and upon whose evidence the board had re-
lied That DIR. Chancellor subsequently re-
fused to back up his position and threw the
burden of proof on his subordinate and
upon the board is now known to be a fact.
The situation, in view OF the C:rcum-
stances, is regarded as exceedingly inter-
esting and it is probable that the school
officials and teachers, as well as the public
in general, will watch developments eagerly.
Aside from DIR. Chancellor and DR.. Mont
gomery it is not known who will be wit
neSses for the board of education. In fact,
1t was stated by Admiral Baird this morn
ing that he did not know who would ap-
pear.
Cobb, attorneys, will appear for Cardozo.
They have not made public the names of
their witnesses.
1t is hoped by the members of the board
that the trial may be finished Saturday,
and it is understood that they are willing
to sit into the night if necessary, rather
than let it go over until the following
week.
The charges were served upon Mr.. Car
dozo today at the Franklin School building.
Following is copy of the charges:
ITO the Board of Education of the District
of Columbia:
II hereby charge Francis L. Cardozo SUI
pervisng principal, thirteenth division of
the public schools, with conduct unbecom-
ing a supervising principal. and violating
rules GO, GO and 65 of the rules and bylaws
of the board of education of the District
of Columbia, and consisting in this
"Specification-1n that The said Francis
l.. CardoZo, supervising principal, thirteenth
division of the public schools, to the preju-
dice of the good order and administration of
the public schools. during the present schO-
lastic year, and prior to the 18th day of
October 1906, did write, utter and publish
of and concerning w. s. Montgomery, COL
ored assistant superin tendent of the public
schools, and his immediate superior officer
certain false anonymous libel of the tenor
following, that is to say:
"PLEASE PUBLISH TODAY.
''To the Editor 0or the Times exclusively
1T is learned that the publication in the
Times of last Friday that DIR. Montgomery,
assistant superintendent, in charge of col
ored schools had violated the instructions
of Superintendent Chancellor in recon-
mending deficient teachers for reappoint-
ment, mas SUBJECTED MIN 10 severe CTltlClSm
from the colored people, who had confident
ly hoped that under the new regime the
public school system would be relieved of
those teachers who are notorious failures.
They are now interested in knowing
whether Dr. Montgomery has friends to re-
ward and enemies to punish in the schools.
1t is well known that the retention of such
teachers as John w. Cromwell. Addie How
ard, Laura Fisher, Sarah Spencer, Parthe-
MIA Woodson, Ursuline Brooks and others
rated fair or poor" for years by differ
ent supervisors has prevented the colored
schools from reaching their highest eff
cheney, and it would seem that DR.. Mont
gomery intends being their savior In the
future If he has not been in the past
The argument that teachers should be
retained because of their influence and ac-
tivities outside of the school room despite
lack of teaching ability, is looked upon as a
dangerous one, for it is stated If such con-
siderations to be taken into account 1t
teachers worth, inasmuch as many who are
rank failures will begin at once to get
busy in church and society, in order to
forestall any effort to get them out of the
schools. 1t is felt that teachers should be
retained because of being educational ex-
perts, rather than for their civic force.
Many are interested in knowing what
teachers have been saved in order ito avoid
embarrassing members of the board of edu-
cation.
"'Colorcd citizens generally feel that DR..
Atwood Is rendering an immense service by
demanding a searching investigation into
the matter.
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