The Washington herald., 1907-04-10
SPEAKS FOR SCHOOLS
Chancellor Answers North
east Citizens Criticism.
Defends ADVISORY COUNCIL
Admiral Baird Says Association
Was Not Correctly Informed as 70
Asserts Discipline and Harmony
Exists-Teachers Indignant.

In reply to the criticism of the con-
ditions in the public schools made by the
Northeast Citizens Association. DR..
Chancellor gave out 9he following state
ment yesterday:
THE report claims that there is a lack
+ of cooperation between the teachers and
/ the management without giving any
specific instances and without a knowl-
/ edge of the facts, That I am in close
touch with most of the teachers is evil
/ denced by the fact that more than 100
meet me weekly at my lecture on Psy-
Icholcgy.' 100 from the white schools and
/ 500 from the colored. These lectures ap-
! pear TO me to be the best method Of get
ting in touch with the teachers and hay
ing them understand me and my policy.
The lack of harmony between the
school board and myself has not made
itself evident either to me or. / think, TO
the board The Citizens Association may
have observed it, but does not mention
when.
Not Yet Subject to Criticism.
''As regards that portion Of the report
dealing with the Teachers Advisory
Council have only this to say-that the
council is not yet completely formed nor
has it begun its work. so that whatever
harm il has been accused of doing cannot,
IN fairness, be attributed 10 it, since it
has done nothing yet. either good or bad.
as an organization. That it is chosen in u
democratic manner and without any fore
! knowledge the elections can testify. The
council Is chosen at mass meeting Of
teachers and every teacher is free to
name her choice 1t is a democratic ore
4 ganization, as it was intended TO be-
The only reason that 1 follow the
marking system is that Congress de-
mands it. The system that is used here
is an exact counterpart of the one used
in New York which has been approved
( by many experts and is recognized as the
standard sf method. The teachers are
paid according 10 that standard, and any
criterion directed against it should be
turned toward the Congress that brought
it into practice l do not ike it any bet
ter than my northeast friends. one thing
is apparent, however, and that is that
the teachers are not opposed TO it, as /
( have received no complaints from any OF
them The public schools are in con-
ditiOn which is satisfactory to me, con-
sidering the whole situation, and I am
not al all worried by the criticism of out
siders.'
Committee MfsinfOrmed.
Admiral Baird. president OF the board
Of education, refused TO take the criti-
Il cism seriously He said the Citizens
II Association was evidently not correctly
I informed as 10 the condition in the
n schools or the members would never have
committed themselves TO such a ridiculous
report.
IF the committee wished 10 obtain an
d estimate of the work that is being done
in the schools" said the admiral and
the discipline and harmony that exists
they have only 10 come 10 headquarters
and see for themselves. / do not believe
that they are sufficiently informed to eX-
press an opinion"
At meeting of the Teachers Advisory
Council yesterday afternoon at the Frank
lin School the following resolution rela-
tive TO the report Of the school commit
tee Of the Northeast Citizens was passed:
IN view of the fact that the state
ments contained in the resolutions adopt
ed by the association at its meeting
Monday. April s. We're made without le-
/ climate investigation on the part Of
I any member of the association, no MEM
bef of the council or the superintendent
having been interviewed, we consider the
statements without foundation. The
Teachers Advisory Council is democratic
in its origin, its purposes, and its repre-
Il sentatiOn.
1T is composed Of teachers from all
departments of the school system rep
Tesenting all divisions and sections Of the
lefty. These teachers were selected from
groups nominated and In mass meetings
held by the teachers It is legitimate
means for the suggestions of two thoU-
sapd teachers reaching the ears of the
superintendent in a systematic way. 1t
does not in any way supplant personal
interviews with him in his office during
the hours set apart for teachers. This
idea. Of an organization Of the teaching
force into an advisory body has been ap-
proved by educators all over the country.
Chicago has recently inaugurated a
Teachers Advisory Council in its public