Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-26
May Attend to Chancellor's
Duties in Latter'S Absence.
CERTAIN POWER EXCEPTED
Communication Received by Secre.
tary of Board of Education.
DECLARED TO HAVE NO EFFECT
Comment Upon the Action Of the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of
President Oyster.

DR.. william E. Chancellor, superin.
tendent of public schools, recently for
warded to Harry o. Hine, secretary OF
the board of education, a communica-
tion authorizing him to exercise all the
powers of the superintendent except
the statutory ones. which are not trans
ferable, during his CDR. Chancellor's)
absence from the city to recuperate
from his illness.
When the order was received 1t was
read to Capt. James F. Oyster. president
of the board, and to Stuart Mcnamara,
counsel Commenting upon this action.
the president and counsel of the board
stated that the secretary of the board
cannot, under the law, exercise any
such power as that held by the super
intendent in educational matters.
At DR.. Chancellor's residence this
morning it was stated that he had left
the city for about a week to recuperate
from his recent illness.
Text Of the Letter.
The letter which DR.. Chancellor sent
to Mr.. Hine today was dated December
"A and is as follows:
Dear Sir:
ANY powers not statutory but resi-
dent by rule or by custom in the super.
intendent of schools may be exercised
by you during my absence from the
District Of Columbia when i'll your
Judgment necessary, until further no
tice.
ANY instrument of similar tonor con-
veying similar authority to any other
person or officer is hereby revoked;
and you are requested to notify any
nd oil -
concerned.
Statutory powers are, of course, nom
transfera BILE.
Il have the honor to continue to be,
as this testifiey, .eS.r,, s,,,.,.,,, o,
lSigned) WILLIAM E. CHANCELLOR.
superintendent OF Schools. District Of
President Oyster referred to the section
of the rules and regulations of the board
Of -education. defining the duties OF the
secretary to the board, and declared the
order has no effect.
Section Quoted.
The section quoted reads as follows:
Sec. 3. The secretary of the board shall
have charge of the office force and shall
be the custodian of all the records of the
board of education.
He shall keep journal of it's proceed
pertaining to his office; shall administer
the oath of office to all officers and en-
ployes; shall certify to all pay rolls and
make and certify to all requisitions for
supplies; shall submit a monthly state
nlent of balances on hand to the commit
tee on ways and means. and shall perform
such other duties pertaining to his office
as are from time to time required of him
by the board or its presh3t"
Contrary to Edles.
1t is further pointed out that the su-
perintendent. by this latest order, has
gone exactly contrary to the rules Of the
board under which he is acting as those
rules prescribe that the assistant superin-
tendent of white schools shall perform
the duties of superintendent when the
latter official is away on leave. 1t was
thus shown that DR.. Chancellors order
would set aside one of the rules of the
board
The section of the rules covering that
point is us follows.
"lhe assistant superintendent of white
schools shall, in the absence of the su-
perintendent. upon leave granted, be his
deputy in respect to all matters not espe-
cially delegated by act of Congress to the
superintendent of public schools. or to the
a ssistant superintendent for colored
schools. occupying at such times a seat at
the meetings of the board of education and
performing all such duties for which he
may have the written authorization of the
superintendent of public schools"
Will Be Ignored.
In view of the rules of the board de-
filming the duties of the secretary of the
board and of the assistant superintendent
at the time of the absence of the superin-
tendent, this order from Supt. Chancellor
no effect.
Alleged Unnecessary Expenditure.
The Commissioners today ordered the
recent letter of DR.. William E. Chancellor,
received by them several days ago, charg-
ing unnecessary expenditure of the school
funds by the purchase of certain text
books. recommended by Assistant Superin-
tendent of Schools Percy NJ. Hughes, re-
ferred to the board of education. The ac-
tion was taken upon the recommendation
of Commissioner West, who has immedi-
ate jurisdiction of matters pertaining to
education in the District.
In ordering the letter sent to the board
the Commissioners declined to discuss any
phase of 1t. When Commissioner West
was seen at noon today he stated that tile
board of education, in his estimation, is
empowered to make such recommenda-
tons regarding the ScnooI tunQS as may
be deemed necessary, and that II such rec
concentrations are considered reasonab bic
they are approved by the Commissioners
at once, it peing assumed that the matters
have been properly presented. Commits
sioner Macfarland, while declining to
make any statement relative to the letter.
said that he believed the view expressed
by Commissioner West was the correct
one, and which is always taken by the
Commissioners when school matters are
brought to their attention
Special Service Squadron.