Evening star., 1908-01-14
BOARD OF TRADE SUBCoMMIT
TEE ON SCHOOL QUESTION.
Inexpedient to Make Any Change.
Vacancy in Supervising Princi-
palship-Promotio of Pupils.

after investigation and careful con-
sideration it is the opinion of the sub
con,Snittee on school administration that
1t Is inexpedient to make any change in
the law or in the administration of the
schools at the present time, and 1t recon-
mends that resolution to this effect be
passed by the Board of Trade and sent to
the District committee of the Senate and
House of Representatives.
The adoption of a resolution couched in
this emphatic language was the net re-
suit Of an important meeting last night
of the subcommittee on schools of the
Board of Trade. held in the board rooms
in The Star building. Judge Charles S.
Bundy presided, and there were present
the following members of the subcommit-
tee: William H. Baldwin. Arthur T.
Ramsay. Mrs. L. g. Myers. b. +. Barnes
L. II. Daniel and Percy S Foster. The
committee had before it complete alb
stract of the testimony offered al the re-
cent trial of Supt Chancellor and the
whole public school question was thor
oughly discussed before the resolution was
drafted and adopted.
Besides accepting the resolutions in the
form prepared, 1t was the sense of the
meeting that quiet, and plenty of 1t.
was the thing now most needed by the
local schools. Members of the commit
tee unhesitatingly expressed their belief
in the desire of the board of education to
work to the best interest of the whole
from entering into formal considerable
of the abstract phases of the problem
incident to the placing of the appointing
power In the justices of the Supreme
Court OF the District. The Chancellor
case was treated as matter of history.
Filling a Vacancy.
A. T. Stuart superintendent of public
schools. stated today in answer to an in
quiry that an examination would prob
ably be held within a short time to deter
mine who is to be appointed supervising
principal of the twelfth division. a posi-
tlon which has been vacant since the dis
missal of F. L. Cardozo several months
ago.
Soon after the place became vacant
DR.. William E. Chancellor. then superin-
fendent, ordered an examination. and
there were several candidates. When
the results of that test were reported
to the board a member stated that there
were rumors that the examination was
unfair to some of the candidates. and
asked for an investigation. That was
conducted by DR.. Chancellor and the re-
port made by him denied the reports of
unfairness. The candidate with the
highest standing in that examination de-
clined to accept the position when it
was rendered. and the result has been
that no supervisor has been appointed
in the succeeding months.
1t is known that several of the candi-
dates feel disgruntled over their markings
in that examination and the fairness of it
is still questioned. despite the report to
the contrary. On account of these re-
ports and the, fact that the results of
the examination depend much on the
markings of the deposed superintend-
ent. in whom the board, by It's verdict
after the trial. declared it had lost it's
confidence. there is feeling in school
circles that the results of the former
examination. should not be made the
basis for the appointment of a super
visor.
Discussion of the Issue.
When asked about the matter. Supt
Stuart declared that he expected to
take the matter UP with the eNamin
ing board as soon as possible. and
that a new examination is probable.
= When the attention of Capt. J. F.
Oyster. president of the board of edu-
cation. was called today to an article
In a morning paper. quoting Mr.. d. D.
Bowen in criticisms of the board and
of Capt Oyster for the attitude they
took toward DR.. Chancellor in the re-
cent controversy. the president replied:
Il present my compliments to Mr..
Bowen. express regret in failing to
have his acquaintance, and add that /
believe if Mr.. Bowen had studied the
situation closely he would not talk
that way
Asst. Supt. P. NJ Hughes has an
nounced that the system of semi-an-
nual promotions in the public schools
will be continued this year, and that
the mid-year readjustment of pupils
will occur early in February. Contin-
uing. the announcement says:
Pupils whose work has been salts
factory during the past half year will.
at the beginning of February. be pro-
moted to the next higher half year of
work. Those whose work has not been
satisfactory during the half just end
ing will be required to repeat that
work. and will not be promoted until
September next.
Not Necessarily a Transfer.
"Only in necessary cases will the pro-
motions above noted mean transfers to
other teachers. The great majority of the
teachers whom they have had since Sep
tember last.
s"Pupils in the kindergartens who, in
the judgments of their teachers. arc ready
to go into the work of the first grade
will be promoted in February All chill
dren of the age of six years not now en-
rolled in school. and others whose parents
may intend to enter them before the end
of the present school year. should be en-
tered at the beginning of the second half
way classes can be organized uniformly
and pupils will find their work evenly de-
veloped.
Parents desiring to enter their chill
dren in the graded schools are requested
TO call upon the principal of the nea rest
school who will issue tickets of admis-