The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-06
COLLISION CHARGE
WARMLY RESENTED
Principals of Schools Heartily
Indorse Present Course
and Methods.
NO SCHOOLS ARE VISITED
Members OF Committee conspic-
uously Absent at Manual
Training Exhibit.
NO SCHOOLS ARE VISITED

Resenting the 'nslnuarion in remarks
OF Alderman Mitchell of collision
among witnesses. three principals o.
pubic schools who had testified before
the special committee Of the Guy Coun-
Gil last night in regard to the conduct
OF the public schools. returned to tho
stand claiming personal privileges. and
denied that the Principals Association
had discussed the pending invest! ga
ton or formulated any concert Of ac-
ton IN regard to testimony. oupAriu-
tendent j. a {. Chandler also entered
denial OF having coached" am, wit
ness. Witnesses heard last night were
John 7. Fentress, principal Of Chin
borazo Sohool; ClaTenos 4. Dunaway.
principal OF sidney school. and c. y.
Taylor, principal OF John Smith School.
Approve Present Methods.
Called b. Chairman Pollock in sup
port Of the contention Of The EleInen-
tary Teachers Association all three
proved to BE- strong witnesses for the
School Board, approving the present
methods o: conducting the schools. tn.
teaching Of manual training and kin
dred topics. and the present tina al
lotment. Chairman Pollock i>tfus cd to
call at this time Joseph II Saunders
principal OF thu William +. Fox School.
t"ilo is known TO have progressive"
views in regard 10 the conduct Of the
schools, as oppoStd TO the "reactlonary''
views OF the Elementary Teachers AS
soc!at!oE. II was announced that other
principals would be called to the stand
at q meeting TO be held on Friday OF
next week superintendent Chandler
stated tina, after the Elementary
Teachers Association had rested its
side. ne would ask permission 20 take
the stand himself and TO introduce
witnesses IN behalf Of the public scnool
system.
Chairman Pollock said that DR..
Chandler and members OF the School
Board would be heard. but the COM
mittee has never acted on the request
OF the board that expert educators be
summoned 10 criticize and pass upon
the curriculum, time allotment and
methods OF conducting the Richmond
schools. DR.. Chandler also called at
tention to the fact that the school
Board had invited the Investig2 ting
Committee to visit the schools and in
spcct their actual operation. bat so
far the committee has made no such
visit. and active school work viii
close within week.
Fall to Visit Any schools.
MIR Pollock said il would be lmpos-
s!ble for members OF the committee at
this time to visit the schools only
three Couneilmen. it was stated. visited
the exhibit OF manual training work at
the John Marshall High school
Mr. Fentress. the first witness last
night, would not change the time
allotment or the various subjects
taught having compared IL with that
of many cities where the schools stand
high. He Believed fully In manual
training. and said that too much time
wss not being devoted to Il. In his
Judgment the physical exercises are so
=
they VIII develop every muscle OF the
body. Mr.. Dunaway thought the per
iod given to supervised writing suffi-
Client He believed that more time was
given here to the So called "funda-
mentals" than In most cities, and stat
I'd that the teaching ain the so-caliei
''noncssent!ais' was practically uni
versal In modern school systems. Mr.
Taylor considered manual training
necessity He believed in the note
teaching OF music, and IN scientific
physicicsi exercises.
Mitchell Charges Coiiusion.
The announcement OF Chairman Pol
lock az adjournment that other prin-
cipals would be called al tho next
meeting, brought Alderman Mitchell 70
his feet In protest 1t wss evident. he
thought. that the principals were Of
one mind, and he suggested that their
further hearing was waste OF time.
The principals had their associa ton,
and those heard We're no doubt rep
resentativc OF the views OF all
The principals ha dino doubt agreed
among themselves. ne asserted. as TO
what limo they would take. This
brought s D. Turner, chairman Of the
Principals Club. to his feet in yiAhe-
ment protest but Chairman Pollock
refused 20 allow Mr.. Turner the floor.
even 10 defend the organization at
tacklsd. Rising 10 a question Of per
Honai prvil .e... Superintendent Chand