Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-28
OFFICIALS At ODDS
Capt. Oyster and Inspector
Ashford Lock Horns.
INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS
Issue Defined in Statements by Both
Men Today.
INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS
EACH ASSERTS HIS RIGHTS
"I Have Eyes and I Can See."-
Capt. Oyster. Board Wants
Foolish Frills. Mr.. Aasford.

Capt. James F. Oyster, president OF
the board of education, was at the Frank
lin School building this morning for the
purpose of putting through a requisition
for window shades for the Hyde School.
He had been on another tour of inspec-
ton.
The District building inspector. who
has questioned nay right to visit the pub
lie schools to inspect sanitary conditions,
is not going to keep NE from continuing
my visits,'' he said to a Star reporter.
Whenever l hear of a complaint from
teachers or parents about a school build
ing / a mgoing there myself and have
look at it, and if l think 1t is not In
proper condition, or that the District
thorities have been negligent l am going
to say so.
Il know as well as Mr.. Ashford, the
building inspector, that the board of edu-
cation can do nothing when 1t comes to
the actual repairing and building of
schools but as president of the board of
education, with only the welfare of the
children at heart, ! am going to Keep
myself informed as to the conditions as
best | can, and L am gong 10 state my
views to Mir. Ashford.
The board OF education has asked the
health officer to look into the sanitary
condition of the schools, and we nope to
bring about good results from the in
spection.
Il do not care whether Mr.. Ashford be
lieves that l am a poor judge of sanitary
and building work or not. / have eyes,
and | can see. l am having some data
prepared now which viii throw considera-
bic light on the subject.
What we need in this school SYSTEM
every where in it and especially where it
touches the District government-is more
businesslike methods. | may make my
self unpopular with some people. but l
can't help that ! am going to do the best
| can for the school children. Some of the
conditions left by Mr.. Ashford are deplor-
able. This is especially true in the Cen
trail High School and the Thompson
graded school,
Ashford Speaks His Mind.
Mr. Ashford, without knowing of
Capt Oysters remarks today, made q
statement this morning to the effect
that the less the board of education has
to do with the structural and physical
conditions of the public schools the
better it will DE for all parties con-
cerned, particularly the board itself
TT strikes me-" he said, that the
board should have its hands full in
trying to smooth out the many wrinkles
in connection with the educational side
of the school system, and that it
wouldn't have time to attempt to run
the physical end at the same time.
I'm my op Mon 1t should not concern 1t
self about the repairing and construc-
ton Of school buildings. Aside from not
being particularly adapted to pass upon
the structural work of school buildings,
they should know that nothing can be
done in the way of repairing and building
schools without FIRST securing the ap-
proval of the Commissioners. The board
of education couldn't put a pane of glass
in one of the windows without The Com
misSionerS consent"
Declared Oyster Not Competent.
In his statement Mr. Ashford was re-
ferring to a recent inspection tour of some
of the school buildings by Capt. Oyster.
at the conclusion of which President Oys-
ter criticised the condition of some of the
schools, and incidentally placed the blame
on the building department of the Dis
trict. The Star of Saturday printed an in
terview with Mr.. Ashford regarding this
criticism, in which he declared that Capt