Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-21
LIVELY SESSION HELD
Board of Education Stirred by
Superintendent's Statement.
ALLEGES INSTRUMENTATION
Cardozo's Example Cited as the In
citing Cause.
DIR. MONTGOMERY SUMMONED
Asked to Explain Why He Failed to
Report Derelictions- DR.. Chan
cellor's Report.
ALLEGES INSTRUMENTATION
DR.. MONTGOMERY SUMMONED

Surprises were the order OF the day at
the meeting of the board of education yes
terday afternoon. session, which at the
outset promised to be the dullest yet neld
by the present board, ended in one of tie
tensest situations thus far developed by
a body that has been no stranger TO such
things. While Superintendent Chancellor
was protesting against the precipitation
OF an investigation of certain deroeatory
statements in his report in regard 10 AS
sistant Superintendent Montgomery tnae
official was summoned before the board by
Admiral Baird and confronted with the
superintendent's statements. Before the
fun board and spectators DR.. Chancellor
found himself compelled to cross-eNahiiie
his assistant and it was evident mat
neither official was at his case.
Assistant Superintendent Montgomery
was referred to by Superintendent Chan-
cellor in his report. i'll the fotioWing mofu is
LOYALTY has made it almost impossibIe 1or
. the Colored assistant superlntenuent "
manage his system In fact. ne mas pfaG
ticaIIv given up trying to manage II. IN
saving this / do not wish to pass UNI UNI VI,
able Judgment upon filn: Exac raNs,,, tn5
same condition might eaSly nave ie9''"
in the white schools. -.-
Cardozo Cited as Cause.
at is necessary for me to go even farther
ond tn say that the influence Of the return
Of this Supervising principal imeanins r.
- Cardozo) to a division of the coloreo
scbooIs is felt even in the white schoois.
There is a tendency to disregard the orders
Of the superintendent and the ORDERS VI
the board of education that persls,e ' ne
will grow until this board can nave l.s
Judgment recorded Iesaliy aSdiist any ~
all of its subordinates- r.
After the reading of the report Nap''
OYSTER wanted to know to what the supeTln-
tendent referred when ne charseu ulsiuS
&C. IN the system. If il existed, ne de-
ciared vehemently, immediate steps ought
to be taken to stamp 1t Out.
Dr. Chancellor replied that oheers 90 no.
always report to- him Wheh Things so "i'"e
in their jurisdictions.
Capt oyster asked if this was true OF Dr.
Montgomery and also asked that the super
fntendent explain more fully what ne meant
nv his statement that disloyalty had made
n practically impossible for the coioreo as
sistant superintendent to manage MS sys-
TEN.
ont his orders said the superintendent.
We'll" replied Capt Oyster, does ne not
report these cases of INSTRUMENTATION 10
your
He complains to me. but Is unwilling to
nut his complaints in writing. as l have
told him to do" was DIR. Chancellors an
swer: ,1o,.noa-v
be asked to put his complaints in writing,
said Capt Oyster and then he added:
And If he doesn't do 1t. then l am IN
favor OF asking MIN 10 TeSlSu
Report Brought to the Surface. =.
Before this motion was put some one
called the boards attention to the fact that
there was an unread report from DR.. Mont
gomery before the board, and suggested
that it be read at once. This was done and
occupied about twenty-five minutes. The re-
port contained no mention or any lnsub-
ordination.
Capt oyster then renewed his motion.
Mr. Cook the only colcred member of the
board present, said he did not want to ask
more than just hearing for the colored
assistant superintendent, but he thought it
best for the board to send for him and let
him answer for himself the Charges
brought against him by the superintendent.
Capt oyster did not think Charges" was
the right word but Mr.. Cook said he
couldn't understand what else these state
ments were.
IAN right, let's send for him." said Capt
Oyster.
Admiral Baird dispatched a messenger to
see whether DIR. Montgomery was in his
room.
While he was gone the superintendent
took hand in the discussion. saying he
did not think DIR. Montgomery should be
sent for without warning He said he
would like to have a chance to talk to him
first DR.. Montgomery. he said. might not
admit that there had been any insubordi-
nation IL brought at this time before the
board, but after explanations by the super
In the midst of this protest from the
superintendent DIR. Montgomery entered the
room.
There was silence for moment, and then
the president of the board announced In a
formal tone to DR.. Montgomery what were
the reasons for his being summoned.
DR.. Montgomery Interrogated.
DR.. Chancellor then asked the colored as
sistant superintendent why he had not put
In writing certain complaints that he had
made To The superintendent of disloyalty
OF his subordinates- Dr. Montgomery. who
WAS somewhat bewIidered by the sudden
ness of the whole proceeding. said he mad
no particular complaints to make.
why did you not put in writing the
statement which you made to me in regard
to five or six teachers in the Armstrong
Manual Training SCHOOL," asked DIR. Chan
ceilor
Before DIR. Montgomery could reply to
this question. Capt. Oyster. in a concili-
atOry tone told DIR. Montgomery that the
board was merely trying to improve the
schoo's. and would like to have his help.
DIR. Montgomery then said had he known
the superintendent wanted in writing GER
tain statements which he had made in
conference with HIM ne would certainly
have complied with the wish, and would
do So now.
Have rhe supervising principals car
ried out your orders. or have they argued
with you about them?' asked the superin-
tendent.
Yes" said DR.. Montgomery. "in general
they have. although | did have little ar
Eunent with MIR. CardoZo-"
No questioned DIR. Montgomery
further and he was allowed to leave the
room.
After the meeting DR.. Montgomery
stated to several members of the board
that he very much concerned about the
incident which had just taken place. and
was at loss to know why he had been
20 closely examined
Il certainly thought 1 had right to
confer verbally with the superintendent"
he remarked 20 Capt. Oyster and Mr.. Cox.
Opening Proceedings.
All of the members of the board except
Mrs. Terrell, who is away on a lecture
tour. and DIR. Atwood. who Is confined to
his home by Illness were present yester-
day. The meeting was called for pm,
but did not get under way until 1896 pm.
On suggestion from Mrs Mussey. the
secretary was instructed to communicate
with DIR. Atwood and learn whether b,.
had not voted in the negative on the mo-
ton to adjourn for an evening session
during the Cardozo trial some weeks ago
instead Of in the affirmative as recorded
In the minutes.
A letter from the District Commission
ers was read informing the board that its