Evening star., 1909-05-06
FACING A DILEMMA
Conflicting Re-
quirements Confront Board.
MAKING ESTIMATES KNOWN
Steps to Be Taken to Get Text Books
Cheaper.
COMMENT ON LOCAL OFFICIALS
President Oyster Insists Upon the
Disciplining Of Teachers-Sepa-
rate Graduating Exercises.

| A clause in the last District appro-
priation act, it developed at a meet
| ing of the board of education in the
Franklin School building yesterday
afternoon, has put the board in a
great dilemma.
| That clause requires that none OF
the annual estimates of the Commls-
| sioners shall be published prior to
| their submission to Congress. The es-
Inmates of the board for the schools
form a part of the Commissioners es-
| Inmates. The school estimates are
| adopted in board meetings, and the act
| OF Congress creating the board pro-
vides that all board sessions must be
open to the public. Therefore. If the
board adopts the estimates in open
session they will be published in vlo-
lation of the law; and yet If the board
adopts them in closed sessions 1t will
be holding the kind of sessions prohib
tied by law. The boards counsel, As
sistant United states Attorney Stuart
Mcnamara, will be consulted In the
matter.
Cost of Text Books.
The board decided yesterday to take
steps to purchase text books at lower
prices than have been paid during the
| current school year. In a report
of the text book committee, read by its
chairman. DR.. B. w. Evermann, the
prices paid for text books during the
school year 19O7-OS and those for the
year 19OS-O9 were carefully compared.
and it was shown that in seventy-threc
instances higher prices were paid this
year than last year, in sixteen cases
the prices were the same and in five
A
was explained. are placed by the Dis
trict property clerk. and the school au-
thoritieS have nothing to do with the
purchasing. The committee suggested
that lower prices could be obtained If
the District dealt directly with the
publishers and the orders be filled more
promptly; and the board approved a
recommendation of the committee
that acquisitions sent by school au
thorities to the District property clerk
should contain the name of the pub
fishers OF each book SO that the pub
Usher could be given an opportunity
to bid on the books.
The board also ratified the committees
Recommendation that the superintendent
OF schools and his assistants should de-
eide on some proper division of the ap-
preparation for textbooks and supplies.
determining how much should be spent
for supplies. for mathematical books, for
reading books. etc, in the interest of
economy. Some changes In the list Of
textbooks to be used in the schools, rec
commended by Supt. A. T. Stuart were
also approved by the board on the ratiti
cation of the committee.
Comments on Local Officials.
Board members also indulged in some
comments. far from complimentary, upon
actions affecting the schools taken by
officials of the District. This began when
Capt. James F. Oyster, president Of the
board, read a letter from DR.. William
Tindall, secretary to the Commissioners.
1t was dated April'26 1909, and the OPEN
ing sentence explained that 1t was in re-
sponse to letter written by President
Oyster of the date of July 90, 1908 The
original letter requested repairs in the
toilet rooms of the Potomac, Threlkeld.
Brookland and Congress Heights schools,
and the letter of DR.. TindaH announced
that the repairs were made at three of the
schools and that those at the Congress
Heights School would be taken up next
summer.
The reading Of an order Of the Commis-
sioners which provides for the moving
School to allow space in the rear for an
alley created much discussion.
THAT takes space from the school play
ground" declared w. D. Hoover, chair
man of the committee on buildings and
sites. land the board reported adversely
on the plan when it was under considera
tion.''
L think we ought to tell the Commits
siOners the order is a matter of regret
to the board," remarked w. v. Cox.
President Oyster instructed Secretary
Harry 0. Hine to so inform the Commits
sioners.
Il had intended to say good deal
about the animus toward the board shown
by the inspector of buildings in his re-
port on school lighting recently re-
marked Capt. Oyster minute later 'But
will keep quiet. as ! have been ap-
pointed a member of a committee to
advise with the Engineer Commissioners
regarding the selection of q municipal
architect"
That officials of tho District have with
held reports that would be useful to the
school authorities was also limited. Capt
Oyster declared that there are reports of
the health officer which have never
reached the board, and he further de-
clared that the original report Of the
school committee which investigated con-
ditions in the schools last fall is still
ing. although parts of it favorable to
District officials have been made pub
lie.
Teachers and Public Library.
Supt. Stuart brought to the attention
of the board complimentary references to
public school teachers in the May bulle-
tin of the Public Library. The bulletin
says:
THE library is very grateful for en-
couraging and sympathetic help given by
the teachers We appreciate deeply the
cordial spirit of cooperation which has
manifested itself in SO many ways; in
the encouragement given the children to