The Washington times., 1908-11-04
Head of School Board and
Engineer Commissioner
Busy With Mails.
BOTH COMBATANTS
BECOME PERSONAL
s cesidenr OF Educational Body
Deplo7es Publicity Given 10 Con
uoversy by Open Meetings.

N4ot.pr Tassa2e al arms between
cant. James l. Oys,er, president OF
5he BCatd GA Elucatiou, and Maj. J, j.
--alr44.. IT. tul District Commissioners
LAS Been revealed .n duel OF letters
between lie TWO.
Ma5o- Morrow $ bitter personal letter
10 Captain oyster made public al the
spGcIal meeting Of the board yesterday
afternoon, was taken Lp ami answered
IA a uausyic reply which the board
unanimously approved, suswing that
the members are IN sympathy with their
\ president
ii regret that the law compeis .aese
l meetings TO be public" said Captain
oyster, as he ordered Major Morrow s
letter read, FOR / wish that these let
ters might not be published. But our
meStings are open and the criticism
that drew forth this letter was the act
Of the entire board
EYour president has not allowed him
Slf To lose his self-contT0l in this con-
Hroversy 1 have been careful not 10
Jake any action in the matter without
Shaving first consulted the members Of
the board. Cur nTsU letter was ap-
3 proved by you. Z have too much re-
spect for you and too much love TOR
he school children to answer personal
sttaeks."
With this brief statement, Captain
cyHter presented the following letter:
Major Morrow's Letter.
October 80, 1898.
capt. James f. Oyster. President Board
of Education, Washington, ID. &,
Cir: i have your letter Of yesterday
trust ! may be pardCned IN stating
nH HHHE NH
Foard OF Education toward the Com
T1issiohers OF the District of Columbia,
o, toward the Engineer Department OF
fae District of Columbia. IL Is a letter
which must be most bitterly resented By
other Of those bodies.
In i the statement is made. not only
lV malicious insInuaJIOn, but with aDso-
Iste directness, that the assistant 10 the
engineer Commissioner and the lnspec-
fOT OF Buildings would talSIty them
selves in ,heIr official capacity in order
% cover up defective work for Which
they We're responsible
You are entirely familiar with my at
tauds toward reasonable and proper
arauuests made either by yourself or by
yolur board for alterations or repairs 10
bl.ildil IS, and YOU know that no reason
able request of your board has over
E4en denied where there were funds
asailable Tor complying with the re-
quest.
tnittees are the identical bodies which
act iu similar cases for the inspection
of Ir.Vate properties TO comply with
she law. You also know that when
hrst told you that IL had been my de-
sire for nearly year TO have such an
Inspection made in this way, and that
i was going 10 make a final effort 20
SECURE this method of inspection of
schools, you agreed with me and made
no objection a. that time TO the pres
ence on the committee 10 inspect
schooIhuuse conditions for safety
against rTe OF either Mr.. Ashford or
Captain Kelly. Yet without even doing
me the courtesy of calling at nay othce
20 talk the matter over, or giving me
the privilege of calling at your head
quarters lOT the same purpose but
with $40 other notice than IN brief
. telephone message within a few hours
, Of the time set for your board meeting,
YOU r5ccde from that agreement and al
, the meerUg OF the board have such ac-
ton as JhIs taken boy your initiative.
In closing, permit me 10 state that IL
Is my belief tlaJ this letter of yours,
if it represents the action of your board
reflects Tar more upon your board than
IL possibly can upon any official of the
District government. If il is. on the
that the board should have as its pre-
self 10 entertain such views and to Of
ficially express them. Very respect
fully. JAY J. MORROW,
Major Corps Engineers, L. s. A, En-
gineer Commissioner District of Co
lumbia.
Silence prevailed as the final words OF
= bitterness concerning Captain oyster