Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-04
TWO POINTS OF VIEW
Board of Education and Maj.
Morrow Disagree.
EXCHANGE OF MISSIVES
Engineer Commissioner Resents
What He Terms Unjust CRITICISM.
DEFENDS HIS sUBORDINATEs
Board Members Mildly Respond,
nao1iys,o IN d nro T~&o r@-
DEFENDS HIS sUBoRDINATEs
Board Members Mildly Respond,
Declining to Be Drawn Into Con-
troversy-Business Transacted.


not care to get into any controversy with
to "unreservedly address themselves to
the welfare of the schools
Maj. Morrow's letter was written in re-
ply to one sent by the board and given
in full in The Star last week protesting
against the appointment. of Building In
spector Ashford and Assistant Engineer
Commissioner Kelly on committees to in
spect the safety of school buildings.
Commissioner Morrow says:
Il have your letter of yesterday. l trust
l may be pardoned in stating that II 1t
represents the attitude of the board of
education toward the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia or toward the
engineer department of the District of
Columbia it is a letter which must be
most bitterly resented by either of those
bodies. In it the statement is made, not
only by malicious insinuationS, but with
absolute directneSs. that the assistant to
the Engineer Commissioner and the in
spector of buildings would falsify them
selves in their official capacity in order
to cover up defective work for which they
were responsible.
Attitude of Engineer Commissioner.
You are entirely familiar with my atti-
tude toward reasonable and proper re-
quests made either by yourself by
your board for alterations or repairs to
buildings. and you know that no reason
able request of your board has ever been
denied where there were funds available
for complying with the request. You also
know that these two committees are the
identical bodies which act in similar cases
for the inspection of private property In
order to require these private properties
to comply with the law
You also know that when l first told
you it had been my desire for nearly a
year to have such inspection made in
this way and that 1 was going to make
final effort to secure this method OF
inspection of schools, you agreed with
me and made no objection at that time
to the presence on the committee to IN
spect schoolhouse conditions for safety
against fire of either Mr.. Ashford or
Capt. Kelly.
yet without even doing me the
courtesy of calling at my office to talk
the matter over or giving me the privi-
lege of calling at your headquarters for
the same purpose. but with no other
notice than in brief telephone message
within a few hours of the time set for
your board meeting, you recede from
that agreement and at the meeting. of
the board have such action as this taken
by your initiative.
I'm closing. permit me to state that
it is my belief that this letter of yours.
if it represents the action of your board.
reflects far more upon your board than
it possibly can upon any official of the
District government. If 1T is, on the
contrary. your personal act. I regret that
the board should have as its presiding
officer a man who can allow himself
to entertain such views and to officially
express them
The letter is signed by J. ]. Morrow
as Major Corps of Engineers. Us. A.,
D. c. Engineer Commissioner
Committees Reply.
After the reading of the letter from
the Engineer Commissioner. President
Oyster requested Acting Secretary Will
marth to read a reply prepared by a COM
mittee of the board, and signed by Presi-
dent Oyster. The board unanimously
approved the answer.
1t is as follows:
Il have your letter of the goth in
slant. and you will pardon me for say
ing that it's expressions are beside the
case-its viewpoint being a little warped.
perhaps. from the impulse in which it
was conceived.
You are in error in stating that l
have ever consented to the personnel of
the committees of three members each
to inspect the new school buildings. and
you fail to understand that the letter you
received records not my personal but the
unanimous official protest of the board of
education. This protest. adjudged rea-
sonably and necessary. is not the voice
of one member. but of the entire nine
members of the board
For you as an individual l entertain
the highest feelings of regard. and unite
with the board in observing for you as
an official the broadcast measure of re-
spect. AS to Capt. Kelley. you are
his ability or integrity. But very prop
erly. neither consideration will tempt the
board of education, or myself. to sup
press or modify our official judgment or
action, when the conditions so vitality
affecting the children and teachers in
trusted to our stewardship cry out for
relief. Unconvnced that the step taken
in the appointment of the two commit
tees referred to is adapted to such re-
lief. the board officially asserted its dis
passionate objection.
Controversy is unseeWly and profitless.
have none with you and shall not be
brought to one by any Illumination &C
credited to you by the press. In COM
mon with the other members of the board
| sacrifice. private feelings and interest
that we may unreservedly address our
selves to the welfare of the schools. That
duty must be done, even at the pain of
differing with you: and let it be under
stood that from it's full discharge. now
or hereafter. in no wise and by no one
shall the board of education be halted or
the least swerved."
Business Before the Board.
After the meeting came to order at the
request of President Oyster he explained
that the session had been called to con-
slider three matters; first, the action OF
the superintendent of schools in suspend
ing James Hunter. janitor of the Phillips
School. for disobedience of orders regard
ing fire protection: secondly, to learn
hot no nj
Bridge and Bruce schools has been held
of the law, doors in those schools opened
| inwardly, and. thirdly. to consider a let
ter from Engineer Commissioner Morrow
and to frame suitable reply.
Il want the board to hear letter from
the District Engineer Commissioner, sent
no doubt by the consent of the District
Commissioners said President Oyster
1T want the board to know that the presi-
dent has not allowed himself to be inter-
viewed about the letter and has not lost
control of his feelings so far as to answer
| it, did not care to act without learning
your wishes in the matter. and have toe
much love for the children of the schools
| 1t is unfortunate that this must be pub
lished at all. But the law compels us to
| hold public and open sessions, and there
| fore this letter must be read before you
at an open meeting"
The reading of the letter and the ap-
| prevail of the reply followed.
That the board intends to have its orders
| for the protection of school children
against fire dangers obeyed by its EN-
| rlnyoc ShoWn nv the nrOrnDt action