The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-30
School Board s Requests
at Inquiry Are Utterly
Ignored.
SHARP DEMAND
FOR ALL PAPERS
Little That Was Relevant and
Nothing That Was Derogatory
to Public Schools Brought
Out at First Hearing.
Many Old Grievances
Are Aired.

Little that was relevant ana nothing
mat was dcrogatory to the public
school system of Richmond wlg
brought out at the first session of the
sp=cial Council committee appointed TO
investigate the methods Of conducting
,ho schools, which was In session for
nearly four hours yesterday afternoon.
several diSsatis patrons expressed
'heir grievances. the gist being that
me time OF their children ives taken
up with manual training. music ard
physical exercises. TO the detrimcnt Of
the essential elementary branches All
OF these had come as the friends OF
the elementary teachers, and the whole
coursa of the investigations served 20
draw more and more sharply the lines
between the White Elementary Teach
crs' Association, on the one hand, and
The City School Board, on the other,
the committee In every instance stand
ing with the teachers nnI showing Its
antasonism TO the School Board.
Fighting Henrsny Evidence
Chairman Charles Uutzler, Of the
School Board. fought hard to keen out
nearsay evidence and to prevent the
various witnesses from arguing their
cases. When his points OF order were
raised. Chairman Pollock ruled with
judicial fairness. but a. all other times
tn, widest latitude was allowed 10 the
elementary teachers and their friends,
and the school Board and suprrintend-
ent were cut short with cqual regular
ity. The three elements OF the inves-
LEGATION were stated TO be: First, the
charge that certain supervising teach
crs and special instructors are being
paid in excess Of the valuz OF their ser
TiccH; second, that the cou1ee in the
elementary grades is not practical and
efficient. and. third. that there is fric-
ton between the teachers and tho
school authorities.
The committee determined to 20 frs.
into the second count-the charge that
tho course Of elementary training Is
not practical and efficient. be4ng too
much interrupted by frilis and side
issues. 10 the dctrimcnt OF tho essen
tails
Council IIns No Real Authority.
Assistant City Attorney George
Wayne Anderson advised the commit.
tee that the Council had 10 real author
ity 20 investigate the schools or to
compel the production OF books and
papers. the appeal from any decision
OF tho local School Board lying 10 the
State Superintendent OF Public Instr,c-
ton. and from him to the State Board
of Education Any recomm endations
OF the committee, therefore. or action
of the Council, could cnlysbe advisory.
school boards Requests.
Al the opening OF the session. Chair
man lIutzler presented. on behalf oil
the City School Board, the following
resolution submitting nine .equests
bearing on the conduct OF the invcsti-
antion. as follows:
|. The School Board respectfully
requests the appointment of an Official
stenographer, whose notes in dupIi-
cate shall be. al all times. equally
available for the use os the commit
nd 4 S1h.
hearing, notes shall be transcribed
ono copy going TO the committee and
one TO the School Board. without pre-
ference to either.
.. The School Board requests that
it may have the privilege Of
securing the attesdancc OF Wit
ncsses necessary to establish or
controvcrt any proposition or charge
brought forth during the investiga-
ton; and that 1t may tavc the privi-
leEc of cross examining all witnesses
5. For the purpose of bringing out
the fun value OF the curriculum OF
the schools. the School Board requests
the privilege of summonins rccogniz-
cd educators from different localities
whose testimony shall DC directed TO
criticism OF the methods employed
in the Richmond schools. IL cop,pari-
sion of these methods and tenchers
work in our city schools with tho
methods and teachers work elsewhere
and colaterally all other topics hav-
ing relation to the curriculum.
{. The committee is earnestly re-
qucsted to visit with the School Board
not less than six school buildings,
while III session. In order 10 sec the
work in practical operation.
5. The School Board requests per-
mission to present and have put in
the record or this Investigation, tho
authenticated record of those grad
yates of our high school who have.
within the past six years, entered col
legcs and universities for the purpose
OF taking higher education. and TO
present and have placed in the record
the average percentage rf promotions
in the elementary aud high schools of
Richmond as compared with schools
of the same character in other cities
of the same class.
s. The School Board requests per-
mission to present and have printed
in the record a comparative cost per
capita OF each pupil, aud as per each
inhabtant, so as to show the relation
of these facts TO the cost in other
communities; and any, othcr statistics
bearing upon the COST of schools. nnu
the maintenance of the curriculum.
I. Whlo the School Board realizes
that the law Of evidence. which pre-
walls In courts OF Justice, should not
govern in tho conduct or this invcs-
tigation, It earnestly requests that
hcarsuy evidence be not admitted.
&. Tho School Board requests that
i all sessions of this investigation shall
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