The Washington herald., 1907-11-16

DR.. William r. Chancellor. superintend-
cnt Of schools. has been formally request
ed 20 resign.
But he Will not resign.
a communication, signed by every men,
Der of the board of education, WAS deliv-
Grad 10 the superintendent yesterday, con-
veying the request. 1t was prepared at
Thursday nights meeting Of the board
in the Second National Bank Building.
In reply. the superintendent stated
pointedly 10 the board members that he
would not resign. He made It plain that
he had not the slightest intention Of do
ing so And there the matter rests at
least for the present. Attorney Mcnamara
has informed the board that it cannot
relieve the superintendent without giving
him trial, and the superintendent re-
fuses TO stand trial. Then again the red
light and soft music. The serio-comedy
promises many humorous and many thrill
ling climaxes.
Attacks Capt. Oyster.
The superintendent last nigat made
statements attacking the position Of Capt.
oyster, Prof. Evermann. and the board in
general He said that one of the ap-
pointccs in the scheme that lies at tho
root OF the squabble was recommended bv
Capt Oyster and that Prof. Evernann
attacked the scheme because it threw out
OF use number OF books In which one of
his friends was interested.
1t developed yesterday that the secret
session Of the board Of education Thurs
day night was for the purpose Of unifving
Ihe opposition against the superintendent
and 10 devise means TO GUST him. II IS
said the board was Informed bv Stuart
Mcnamara, its attorney, that under the
law 1t could not dismiss the superfn-
tendent without trying him, and that il
vas for this reason his resignation was
requested
Dr- Chancellor, believing this. reiterated
his determination not 10 resign. but 10
light the matter but lie saws that even
n he -o1rd Hoe saccocG III oustins him
ne VIII not leave. but viii stay in the city
and promote the reforms he has begun.
lie declared he is ready and willing to air
everything before the public in any man
ner whatsoever; that he has nothing 10
fear from such "A course, but would. in no
circumstance, submit TO being tried
Move of the Board.
In view of this tangle it is impossible to
say what the next move Of the board Of
education viii be. Capt. Oyster and the
other members We're noncommunicative
last night on any subject pertaining II
the schools. but Capt Oyster said he
wanted it made plain that it was not the
scheme that was being opposed by the
board, but its installation by the SUPER
lntendent without first submitting II.
DR. Chancellor said last night he did
not deny at the board meeting all Erlovl-
edge OF the scheme as was erroneorsI,,
stated, but said that he had no written
report on it. that he had given the or
hers, but had received no statement from
his subordinates placed in charge OF the
scheme by the board. as to its affect
and the figures
The claim Of members Of the board -
he said. that they knety nothing through
me OF the Inauguration Of the scheme
Is admitted by them 10 be wrong They
certainly did know Several of them adj
United to me when shown the papers
with the signatures Of the committee
that they had passed on nv recommanda-
uons with regard TO the matter. but said
they did not know the scope OF the
recommendations. l cannot be held re-
sponsible for theiI lack OF intelligence
can II
capt Oyster admitted TO me Yesterday
ihat he had recommended Mrs. Sarah
West for appointment as one Of the Teach
ers IN the college preparatories.' and II
was on his Endorsement that L IN turn.
recommended her 10 the board.
Froi- Evermann, as chairman Of the
teist-Dook committee, some time ago.
against my veto. expended 81 .6i3 Of public
money IN the purchase Of a physiology
that is used but fifteen minutes each
week. and many OF the pupils in the
grades are suffering from a deartb Of
readers and other absolutely essential
books. This was the book of one Of his
warm friends. I told him plainly at the
time that, In my opinion. II was a willful
misrepresentation of school funds. and was
without the authority Of the COMMITTEES
or the board
He Confronted Them.
IL confronted these two members with
these things yesterday, when l told them
would not resign, and Prof. Evermanr
admitted his dislike for me dated from
that time. The other members Of the
board admitted it was not on the ground
Of the installation of the Latin and Ger
man centers that they based their Oppo-
sluon. but upon my character l dislike
TO say that those who make habit OF
deviating from the truth are naturally
suspicious.
In every city and every State the
superintendent Of schools has jurisdtc-
tion Of all matters pertaining to peda-
gogy. and, consequently, over all changes
in the course Of study. textbooks. and
teachers. and in Washington this is the
law. Whether German is taught In the
seventh grade or ia the high school is a
pedagogical question entirely, and under
my jurisdiction, and the board wants 10
dictate In every other city and State.
the board OF education has Jurisdiction
over all expenditures 10 an unlimited
amount Tor schools. school sites, text
books. &C, but in Washington all this
IS done by the Commissioners and by
Odd. Qunint. Beautiful