Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-25
BRIEF BUT EVEMTFOL
Meeting Yesterday of the Board
of Education.
SECRETARY CONN0R RESIGNS
Will Probe Into Affairs of the Arm
strong School.
AS TO TAXPAYERS COMMITTEE
Superintendent Denies Any Connection
With Authorship Of Published Crit
icisms Of Local Situation.
AS TO TAXPAYERS COMMITTEE

board Of education was held at the Frank
lin School building yesterday afternoon. The
resignation Of Secretary William w. Con-
nor was accepted. to take effect July J..
with leave of absence beginning June L.
Superintendent Chancellor made fiat de-
NAL Of any connection whatever with two
anonymous articles which appeared In the
February and April numbers. respectively,
OF. the Educational Review. New York Sc
verely criticising local school and govern
mental conditions, and also denied all
knowledge OF the author or authors Of the
articles. The board voted to probe more
deeply into affairs in the Armstrong Man
ual Training School. for the purpose of
learning the cause OF the many complaints
that have emanated there recently.
No reason was assigned by Secretary Con-
nor for his resignation, and no questions
were asked by members Of the board before
the vote was taken to accept 1t. After the
meeting several members expressed regret
because Of his action, and Mr. Connor ex-
planned that he had an opportunity to enter
mercantile life and had decided 1t was to
his best interests to accept the offer
More Time for Report.
Capt. Oyster, chairman Of the special COM
mittee on the investigation of the office
force. asked for more time to prepare re-
port In view Of the fact that Mr.. Connor's
resignation had changed the aspect of af
fairs The request was granted
Immediately following the acceptance Of
Mr. Connor's resignation Admiral Baird
recommended that the board appoint
Charles E. Fairman. lawyer and former
pension agent, to the position. Although
the admiral desired immediate action, the
matter was referred to the committee on
the investigation of the Office force for re-
port, no date for the report being specified.
1t was suggested by several members that
there would be other recommendations.
letter was read by Admiral Baird from
the taxpayers committee and signed by
Thomas S. Leisenring, chairman charg
ing that Principal w. Bruce Evans of the
Armstrong Manual Training School had Sc
cured the appointment Of David Munroe as
engineer Of the school when he knew that
Munroe was not a proper person to have
charge Of the steam plant of the building.
Admiral Baird said he had taken pains to
find out that Thomas S. Leisenrng. a news
dealer. did not own any taxable property,
but that a certain news company did own
s75 worth. He said he had never heard of
the taxpayers committee.
Defends His Course.
A letter from Principal Evans defending
his course was also read by Admiral Baird.
1t charged Leisenring with having plotted
against the school administration with
others, at the house of Miss Male who was
dismissed last fall from the school system
on recommendation of Superintendent Chan
cellor The name Of Francis L. Cardozo.
the dismissed supervising principal. was
mentioned In that connection.
On motion of Capt. Oyster seconded by
Mrs. Terrell. the board voted to investigate
the matter further through the committee
on teachers and janitors. A second letter
from IhomaS 5. LeiSenring was referred to
the same committee without being read
When that matter had been disposed of
Mrs. Mussey directed attention to the fact
that anonymous articles severely criticising
the local school system. had appeared in
the Educational Review. New York, In the
February and April numbers, respectively,
of this year. and moved that the board APP
point a committee to investigate the author
ship Of the letters.
Capt. Oyster Interrupts.
Capt. Oyster wanted to know whether
Mrs. Mussey had charges to file against
any one. Mrs. Mussey said she had none
Then. as this matter evidently refers to
the superintendent Capt. Oyster an
nounced, and the superintendent is
present. l do not see why we should have
an investigation. We have had enough of
investigations. 1 would Ike to ask the
superintendent question:
Admiral Baird nodded his head.
Did you write either of those articles?"
intendent.
Il did not" was the quick reply
Were you responsible for them?'
Il was not"
Mrs. Mussey then told Capt. Oyster she
thought he had been very hasty in inter-
rupting her and taking the floor. She had
several question to ask the superintendent
herself, she said.
ticles before their publication" Mrs. Mussey
asked of DR.. Chancellor
Il knew nothing whatever of them
Can you tell who is the author?'
I'M ah
ticles.''
Il refer to an article which appeared in
the February number of the Educational
Review and to one which appeared in the
April number. which number l hold in my
hand Were you in any way responsible
for those articles, or did you know any
thing about them before publication"
Il know nothing about them. I was not
responsible for them in any way, shape or
FORM
Capt Oyster moved that the motion for
an investigation be laid upon the table.
He spoke vehementy.
THAT is not necessary" Mrs Mussey
remarked quietly. The superintendent
has denied all knowledge and connection
with the articles. That IS all wish to hear,
and as there was no second to my motion
1 withdraw it..
Admiral Baird Plans Trip.
Admiral Baird announced that he will
be away from the city from April % until
the first or second week In June. He Is
going to California with his wife, and will
attend the congress of the Sons of the
American Revolution at Denver. June 3.
He is a delegate to the congress.
On motion of Mr.. Cox the superintendent
in conjunction with the superintendent of
janitors, was instructed to prepare figures
showing the ground space occupied by
public school buildings In the District
and the area of all playground space, or
spaces, available for Fairgrounds.
Stuart Mcnamara, assistant United |
States attorney. was present at the meet
ing, but did not speak. A letter from
him giving a ruling on the case of Mark |
r. Woodward, a high school teacher whom |
the board wished to grant leave of alb |
sence, was read by Admiral Baird. He |
ruled that as Mr.. Woodward was going |
to be employed during his absence and |
draw salary. the leave could not be |
granted. He suggested. however. that |
there be only temporary appointment to |
all the vacancy. so that IL the board /
wished Mr.. Woodward could be reap |
pointed to his old position.
On recommendation Of the military coin
mittee, Capt. Oyster. chairman. the con-
tract for the High School Cadet uniform |
for next fall was awarded.
Several other matters of a routine ma
,ure were disposed of by the board.
Changes Announced.