The Washington times., 1911-01-20
SCHOOL OFFICIALS
UPHOLD TEACHERS
Oyster and Stuart Deny
They Questioned Veracity
of the Pedagogues.
FIGURES ON MATTER
SAID TO MISLEAD
Superintendent Asserts Less Than
4 Per Cent Are Absent
Day In Month.

President James F. Oyster, of the
Board Of Education, today upheld the
teachers in the public schools, and de-
MED that he accused them Of being
without conscience, at the meeting of
the Board of Education at the Franklin
School yesterday.
Superintendent Of Schools Stuart also
chGmpioncd the cause of the school
teacher. and discredited reports that he
had said at the board meeting that
Washington school teachers are record
holders in the matter Of giving false
excuses for absences.
The remarks | made at the board
meeting" said Captain Oyster today,
"have been badly distorted. The rec
ords of the meeting and the word OF
other board members will uphold ME in
denying the foolish statements laid at
my door. Superintendent Stuart also is
amused over the statements reports say
he made. He doesn't have to deny them.
A more garhled assemblage Of facts 1
have never seen printed" Captain
Oyster emphatiCally concluded.
Stuart Corroborates Oyster.
Captain Oyster has said about all
there is to say" said Superintendent
Stuart today. When the record of
teachers attendance was attacked l
gave figures and cited examples at the
board meeting to uphold the teachers.
The report that l said they can think
up better excuses for absence than law
yers or doctors is ridiculously far away
from the truth. The records of the
meeting will prove what transpired dur
ing the debate"
I1 inc ho
teachers was started al the
meeting yesterday when Henry P.
Blair made the statement that
from the figures at hand it was shown
that out of LOO teachers 200 were absent
each month. He said he thought it
would he useless to go to Congress with
requests when Congress could easily
get these figures and make justifiable
criticism of the school system. He said
teachers were too prone to remain away
from their schools after night at the
theater or dance, and that If they knew
they would be "doCked' on the days
they stayed away, they would make a
greater effort to attend to their duties
of teaching.
Figures Called Misleading.
Exception to these remarks was taken
by both Captain Oyster and Superin-
tendent Stuart. Superintendent Stuart
explained that the figures showing 200
teachers to be absent each month were
misleading. He said it would appear
that this number was absent the en-
tire month when, as a matter of fact,
more than 95 per cent of the 200 alb
sentees are away from their schools
for less than day. About 4 per cent,
he said, are away for not longer than
a day. And of the entire 200 who are
estimated to be absent at some time
during the month 80 per cent. said
Superintendent Stuart. have been known
to be desperately i'll.
II will put the LOO Washington school
teachers against the same number of
lawyers, LOO doctors, or LOO persons
of any calling said Mr.. Stuart, 'and
] will venture to say that the per-
centage of attendance of the teachers
will surpass that of the other classes
] have mentioned. Employees in offices
and other establishments, IT must be
remembered, suffer badly during the
baseball months and have to be excused
from work. We have none OF this IN
the school system"
On motion by one Of the members, II
was decided that high school pupils
who are to be graduated In February be
given the privilege of continuing a GER
tain number of elective studies until the
June closing. Such pupils will be SUBJ
feet to the same rules and conditions as
other students.
Changes in Force.
Changes and appointments were an
nounced as follows:
APPOINTMENTS.
Ira NJ. Bearce, teacher of physics
chemistry, and physical geography, Busi-
ness High School.
Miss R. f. Gonzenbach, teacher do
mestic science in graded schools.
Miss R. f. Wilson, teacher Mckinley
Manual Training Night School.
Miss c. A. McAvoy, teacher second
grade, beginning February l, and ex-
tending not over June 30.
Miss C. A. McAvoy, teacher of Latin
IN Central High School, beginning Feb
ruary l. 1911, and extending not over
June 80.