Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-08
"the reporter would go or and

II don't think so,' said Mr.. Greene.
you give us control over the promo,
lions of teachers without publicity, salo
fhe admiral, so why not give us control
rs well OF demotions and transfers.
!. In the light of what n has been dc done :I
ehould not want to grant that 81,
Admiral Baird said that while the Dill
kenerally served very good purpose ne
Tanted to object to the section PREVIOUSLY
the Ave days notice before an empioye
ran be disciplined. Mr.. Greene said he
was willing to accept an Amendment 10
Admiral Baird left the witness chair after
Explaining that the members OF the BOARD
were serving in fear Of the LORD and nao
~ don't know any one on the board who
has" said he.
Mr.. James F. Oyster.
Mr. Jas. F. Oyster OF the board Of educa-
hon followed Admiral Baird before the sub
bommittee and II wasn't minute after he
hat down at the head Of the table before
trouble in the air.
What prompted this bill?" demanded
Or. Oyster abruptly.
Mr.. Greene got red in the face and bang.
ed the table in front OF him. None OF
your business" he cried. Il am not mere
TO be questioned by you. l tell you very
plainly that Il Is none of your business.
Thank you' said Mr.. Oyster, scowling
at the representative from Massachusetts,.
II guess l know my own business as Wen
As you do. l thought that the board OF ed,
pcaton was entitled to that Information
you are wrong, said Mr.. Greene. lou
have no right to question me as to why l
put that bill in OF who asked me to put IL
IN. al any one
II would like to explain the position OF
the board of education" said Mr. Oyster.
In a somewhat more subdued tone. you
ask us to hold trials. but you give us no
power. We have no power to call Wit
nesses and this bill gives us none
Mr. Oyster then reviewed at some length
the early troubles of the board of educa-
ton. He said that at the second meeting
of the board he inquired whether teachers
would be considered in office and was told
that II was a legal question. we asked
the District Commissioners" he said. Dur
we We're told that we were no longer any
child OF theirs We applied to the court
and were referred to the Attorney General
who referred us to the President who told
the Attorney General to set US straight
That consumed about six weeks. Then the
superintendent, after some delay due 10 To-
cal opposition. demanded that the school
authorities give him record of all teach
ers whose records were good or better and
these be reappointed Then he asked for
1he fair list and the poor list, and
some of those In the latter class he person.
ally interviewed / think there were only
two on the whole list who were not recon-
mended for appointment. One was Mrs.
Cooper. who had absolutely failed as prin-
cipal of the NJ Street High School, owing
TO her lack of executive ability We Of
fered her another position at 81 900, or 500
more than she had been getting
No Record of the Office.
Have you any record of the board Of
educa ton" asked Mr. Greene, (which will
show that Mrs Cooper was in fact offered
another position?"
NO" replied Mr.. Oyster. Mrs Cooper
refused the place"
When was that?" acked Mr. Greene.
Prior to the meeting of the board" re-
piled Mr.. Oyster. About twenty minutes
before"
Why did you ofrer Mrs Cooper larger
salary If she had no executive ability?'
Mr Greene inquired.
She was a good teacher" replied Mr..
Oyster, although, as | have said, she was
absolutely lacking in executive ability"
How did Superintendent Chancellor OBJ
tain information in regard to Mrs. Coop
er's lack of ability to hold her position?"
81 don't know, only from talks with her"
Did you find her lacking In executive
ability in your talks with herr asked Mr..
Greene.
she admitted to me-" said Mr. Oyster,
THAT she was not capable of running the
N Street High School
Then what became of Mrs. Cooper!
asked Mr.. Greene.
''She was dismissed" the witness re-
Piled because she wouldn't take the place
we had offered her .-,..
DO you mean to tell me that she was
dismissed because she wouldn't take this
$1,000 position?"
Tried to Break In.
Messrs. Baird and Chancellor endeavored
TO break in Just then, but Mr.. Greene
would not permit 1t.
Let this man answer said Mr. Greene.
s'He seems to have been the missionary
In this matter.
II was not" said Mr.. Oyster
You We're replied Mr.. Greene just
as emphatically.
81 say 1 was not" Mr. Oyster came
back
Admiral Baird tried to pour oil on the
troubled waters.
I'VE all held Mrs. Cooper in high es-
TEEN" he said, but the efficiency of the
school was impaired by her inefficiency
as principal But we did not wish to
dismiss her, but to put somebody else
in charge of the school. So we made
her an offer of another position paying
500 year more"
What was he date of that offer?'
II can't tell just when" replied Ad-
rnral Baird. TT was done verbally"
do you mean to say that you can turn
anybody out Of the schools because they
don't do just what you want them to in
the matter Of accepting another posi-
ton? Have you the right to say to
teacher. I'll give you better or a poorer
place and If you don't take that you can
can show" said Mr. Greene. that in
July and August Mrs Cooper was under
orders and did work for the schools"
Whom did she get her orders from?'
asked Mr.. Oyster. We had no superin
tendent then"
Don't go so fast" said Mr.. Greene.
well come to that later. Certainly
somebody had something to do with the
schools since the law was passed and be-
fore the superintendent was appointed"
Il only know that the schools were in
q beautiful condition when took hold
OF them" commented Mr.. Oyster. And
from appearances you must have ex-
pected the board of education to manage
the schools and the teachers to do as
they pleased"
What the Law Didn't Provide.
I'VE do not think" replied Mr.. Greene.
that this law provided for you to indis-
criminately get rid of teachers without
trial"
Well. l don't think the law provides
for trial said the witness.
There are none so blind as those who
won't see. tartly rejoined the Massa-
Chusetts representative.
Mr.. Greene then inquired whether Mrs
Cooper offered trade. and the re-
Spouse was in the negative. We'll" he
said. we hear that Mrs. Cooper was Of
fered a position. but we will probably
ind out that il was all talk. And how
about SwdrtZell of the Eastern High