The Washington herald., 1908-02-26

Scathingly attacking the present system
of the government of the District schools.
and contending that Sc long as the pres
ent rule is continued. with the board
made up as it is, there can be no
Improvement, former Superintendent VIII
liam E. Chancellor Is out in a statement
answering the imputation that he Is re-
sponsible for the bill now before Con-
gress.
The Dolliver bill will come up before
the Senate to-day. and the indications
are that,it will be passed. It abolishes
the board of education, and places the
schools under the supervision of a dI-
rector Of education.
According to DR.. Chancellor this ;s
about the only way the schools may be
kept free from corruption. In his state
ment given out last night, he declares
himself ready. as superintendent or pri-
vate citizen. 10 help investigate the rec
ords of some of the members of the
board and asks why such investigation
has not been made. Further, he makes
1t perfectly clear that under the present
board he will have nothing more to do
with the schools. ever, If it were pos
sible
DIR. ChunceIIOr'S Statement
His statement is as follows:
Il have been asked times without num-
Der whether or not I proposed to seek
judicial relief from the custer from the
office Of superintendent Of schools bv
the board Of education Of the District Of
Columbia It seemed TO me that the case
Is one not for judicial but for legislative
remedying, and that not in my own IN
terest but in the sole interest Of thu
children and youth Of the community.
The attorneys who so resoluteIv
fought my case for me before the hetero-
geneous board, at time when I was fI
in the care OF several physicians. advise
me that an application for mandamus
would probably result in my reinstate-
ment. with the certainty Of a new trial
probably more acrimonious and indecent
tnan even the former, and equally as
demoralizing in all of it's phases.
viii Not Renew Trial.
"Such a renewal OF controversy e AZ
my part. unthinkable. 1t would tend 10
the detriment Of an already agitated and
distressed body OF teachers. to the still
deeper lowering OF the authority and dig
nlty or educators In the minds of s0Ona
school children. and to the probably I'M
necessary further disturbance OF the c;ti-
zens.
AcqulttaI upon trial by a boa-6 NJ
education, constituted as is the Dres.,,t
board. even with the evidence that i, nv,
present somewhat restored bealtb
might be allowed TO put In. while b,gb1,,
improbable. is precisely the mos, en,-
barrassing situation that I can now
imagine. II would involve an obligation
upon my part to serve out a year and a
half Of my term not yet expired under
the board, and knowing the members Of
the board as l now know them, 1 cannot
contemplate with equanimity so much as
one hours service with them.
Did Not Seek office.
IAN additional reason for not seeking
restoration 10 the nominal control Of tbs
schools OF the District is that did nor
seek the Office originally. / was asked
TO take it, not only by the board repre-
sentative who made me the offer. but bv
distinguished educators, There was. in
August, 1906, no valid reason why I
should give up the mode of life that
was then living and the position that
was then filling, except upon the sssur-
ance then made me by the beard; and
there Is, in February. 1908. after one and
half years experience with the board
and its members. no valid reason for my
desiring TO be in fact superintendent of
schools here. With the board in control
and directing the schools, I am indiffer-
ent TO the position OF superintendent of
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