Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-03


the whole matter. If he had followed the |
boards advice there would have been no |
Cardozo trouble"
Capt Oyster denied that DIR. Chancellor |
was asked to write out his opinion III the |
matter, and that the opinion. as published |
was the result of that request.
President oyster was next asked about |
the requests made of Dr. Chancellor to re- |
sign. and he said that it was made by him !
and Dr. Evermann on the authority of the !
board.
Where and when was that authority |
given?" he was asked
General Sentiment.
Not at any meeting of the board. 1t
was the general sentiment of the men, !
pers that this man was not wanted any !
longer" The witness denied that there /.
was any meeting of the board to draw up !
the request for the resignation. Capt. |
oyster was next asked regarding the con-
Versatlon at the time Dr. Chancellor's
resignation was asked.
We called on him and stated what we
wanted, capt. oyster said. I'VE told him
we had host all confidence in him. and that
We mad decided to ask him for his resig
nation on the authority of all the men,
oers OF the board. He said he would not
resign. You can dismiss me, if you want
TO. he said to us. / think. And l said:
You know We can't do that. unless we
nrst put you on trial L won't appear at
any trial. he replied. 4 rather advised
him to resign: told him to take the night
to think it over and then resign"
Attorney Fulton stated that the purport
or the examination was to show that there
mad been no meeting of the board to de-
mand the superintendent resignation.
ana mat there was no meeting to author
lZe the charges. and. therefore. the
charges were without authority. Mr.. Nc
Namara pointed out that that question
was decided at the beginning of the trial.
Session Last Evening.
when the evening session was begun.
ABOUT $50 O'Clock. President Oyster was
again called to the stand to testify.
When you demanded. as you testified
this afternoon, the resignation of the
superintendent, had you madeslup your
mind then that the superintendent should
go?' he was first asked.
The question was objected to by Attor
ney Mcnamara.
ITO what exteht did the other members
of the board share with you in that?"
This question-was also objected to. and
the presiding officer sustained the objec-
ton.
Immediately following the refusal of
the superintendent to recognize that de-
mand for his resignation, the charges we're
preferred and filed. were they not?''
Two days afterward.'
Were you still of the same opinion
when those charges were filed that you
were at the time you made the demand
for his resignation?' Attorney Fulton
asked.
II have always been disposed to be fair
with any one have had to employ, or is a
party to the employment Ito give chance
to explain, but SO far as l was personally
concerned my opinion was the same then
as when the resignation was asked
Are you still of that opinion?"
yes, sir" President Oyster stated.
Feeling that way. do you think you can
sit impartially in trial of this kind?"
IF evidence is produced to convince the
other members of the board that the SUI
perintendent should remain. and they
should acquit Supt. Chancellor, 1 would
announce that 1 would no longer serve as
a member of the board"
You do not mean to say that If We can
prove that the superintendent is innocent
of the charges that you will step out?
Il do"
Textbook Controversy.
The textbook controversy, which has
furnished ground for dispute between
the board and the superintendent recent
ly, was next brought up by Attorney Full
ton. The attorney limited that the claim
that DR.. Chancellor was needed here be-
tween August - and September 2 to de-
termine as to textbooks for the schools
was not valid, because the textbook COM
mittee of the board had assumed such
duty.
up to June 20 did not the text book
committee of the board presume to de-
eide as to the textbooks, rather than
the superintendent the president was
asked.
No
do you not know that there was
quite contention about textbooks about
June POP"
Not at a meeting of the board" Capt
Oyster stated. Possibly there was a diff
Of hofu
tendent and the committee, but the su-
perintendent accepted whatever was de-
cided.''
Was there not difficulty. which re-
suited in a heated unpleaSantness between
the chairman of the textbook committee
DIR. Evermann. and the superintendent? ?"
Il was not present at any unpleasant
ness Capt. Oyster replied.
DR.. Evermann Explains.
DR.. Evermann. who had been in the chair
during the giving of Capt Oysters testi-
mony, asked to be allowed to make a
statement in the textbook matter
Il want to say frankly and to the point
if 1 can just what the committee on text
books did on the books that were adopted
last June" he remarked. THE members
of the textbook committee met in con-
ference with the superintendent of the
schools, with assistant superintendent
Hughes of the white schools and Assist
ant Superintendent Bruce Of the colored
schools, to discuss the textbooks for the
graded schools A list was prepared and
submitted to the board OF education with
the superintendent recommendation and
the books were adopted. Now OCCASION
ally there was difference of opinion
among the different people who were in
this conference. 1t would be surprising
indeed. if it were not so. But an agree
ment was reached and the superintend-
ent recommended the entire list. That is
far as textbooks was concerned. Copy
books were not adopted and the purchases
of these was deferred by the board. The
superintendent was not here until about
the time school commenced and the text
book committee reported that it could
not report on any matter pertaining to
these on account of the superintendent s
absence 20 facilitate matters. the presi-
dent of tie board called upon Mr.. Wilson.
who was present, and who is principal of
the Central High School. and asked him
whether it was urgent that further action
should be taken on this matter. and Mr..
Wilson stated that it was highly import
ant that action be taken at once"
DR.. Evermann went on to say that there
could not help but be more or less friction
and misunderstanding between the super
intendent and the members of the text
book committee on account of the former
wanting everything done his way without
regard as to what the members of the
committee thought
Recommended by Mr.. Hughes.
Answering questions by Attorney Full
ton, DR.. Evermann stated that many of