Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-01
STRENUOUS PERIOD
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL S

Ahe'e nave been rev years, il any
buster in District educational circles than
the one just ended. The public schools
nave been in continuous state of tur-
mol. strenuous board of education,
public meetings, militant superintendent
and new school law, are among the rea-
sons given for this condition. The year
opened with the case of Francis Cartozo
coiored, supervising principal against
whom charges of characterization were
made pending before the board, the Dis
trfct Supreme Court having decided that
the boards dismissal of Cardozo without
ira! was illegal. The community was
stlrred by public statement by Superin-
tendent Chancellor severely arrafgning
the Judges OF the District Supreme Court
Cardozo was declared guilty and dis
missed March .. Miss Mary E. Male
colored, a teacher who was dismissed
early IN the present administration. and
the board for reinstatement. but the court
rendered an adverse decision June 49,
during the summer Admiral George W.
Bard. president, and Er. O. T. Atwood
resigned from the board, and the judges
or the District Supreme Court appointed
William D. Hoover and Richard r. Hor-
ner to I'LL the vacancies. Capt James F.
oyster was elected president The board
became dissatisfied with Superintendent
chancellor during the summer because
and his alleged refusal to be present at a
meeting of the board
The schools opened September %. with
increased enrolment. AN order was
issued by Superintendent Chancellor in
september to abolish the freshmen class
OF the Mckinley Manual Training School.
but the action was later reversed on the
protest OF Principal Myer of the school
and numerous parents of pupils. The
r p0ard OF education adopted set of
loooylng at the Capitol by the boards
employees The first months salary OF
the teachers was delayed several weeks.
In the latter part of October a contro-
versy arose between the BOARD and Dis
tr1ct Building Inspector Ashford over the
repair of school buildings, which resulted
In conference of board members and
the commissioners and an adjustment
suitable to the board. The board held
hearings during the fall on proposed new
school legislation.
The dissatisfaction of the board with
Superintendent Chancellor reached it's
highest in November when the board
learned that DR.. Chancellor had establish
ca certain Latin and German centers.
winch. 1t was alleged. lie had promised
not to establish without consulting the
board. The superintendent was asked
to resign. but refused. Formal charges
were filed against him. charging disloyal-
ty. inefflciency. untruthfulness. etc. In a
published interview November II DR.
Chancellor laid the blame for his difficult
ties with the board to the door of Barton
W. Evermann. member whom he
charged with attempting to coerce him
and stirring UP sedition in the schools
DR.. Chancellor filed counter charges of
unfairness against the board with the
District Supreme Court judges, but the
judges refused to consider the charges on
the ground that they had no jurisdiction
unless regular legal proceedings were
brought. The trial of Dr. Chancellor
was begun before the board November
70 and owing to the illness of the super
intendent Is not yet concluded. I. All of
the evidence except that of Dr. Chan
cellor Is in. When the Senate District
committee was considering reporting ia
vorably on a resolution to restrain the
board from completing the case until
there could be a congressional inyestiea-
ton President Oyster informed Senator
Gallinger. chairman of the committee
that the members would resign if Con.
gress took such action. The resolution
Is still in committee
The most interesting feature in local
educational circles during 1907 outside of
the public schools was the campaign
OF George Washington University to raise
money to purchase a new site for it's
buildings. Considerable money was raised
but the goal Of $S00.OOO was not reached