The Washington herald., 1915-12-15
BRUCE ON Grill
AT Evans TRIAL
Assistant Superintendent OF
Schools Says Former Prin-
cipal Was Inefficient
SIGNEDRECOMMENDATl0N
Attorney for Deposed Man Brings Out
That His Critic Once Stood =,
Sponsor for Him.

When the hearing of the mandamus
su;t of Wilson Bruce Evans, colored. for
,,er ,rincipal OF the Armstrong Manual
Training School. to compel the Board OF
Education TO reinstate him in his former
position. came up before Justice Stafford
Yesterday, Roscoe c. Bruce. colored, as
sistant superintendent Of schools, re-
,umed the stand. He was undergoing
cross-examination when court adjourned
at s O'Clock.
After testifying at length and in detail
to the many alleged faults of DR.. Evans
for over an hour and q half, Bruce was
severely grilled by Attorney A. A. Birney.
for the former principal.
Among the charges Of inefficiency made
by Bruce against Evans were those OF
having been 'inexeusably negligent tn
arranging his programs OF classes" OF
having changed his program several
times, and Of failure TO file It before the
term opened. He said that the 'educa-
tional organization was grossly unsatis-
factory" that DR.. Evans education was
'meager;;" that he had no high school
education and, therefore, was united
for the position he held.
Other charges made by Bruce against
Evans were that he had frequently been
absent from tho school during school
hours without leaving word where he
could be found: that he seemed to think
that the school belonged to himself and
resented any suggestions as to how 1t
was to be run; that he used his office
TO further his own private interests:
that the discipline was extremely lax:
and that he permitted the standards Of
attainment OF the pupils TO be grossly in
ferior to those at the NJ Street High
School 30 as to induce pupils to attend
the Armstrong School.
Admits Signing Report.
On cross-examination, Bruce ad-
mitted that in 1911 he had signed a
report on the qualifications of DR..
Evans in which he said that his Quali-
fications were excellent. that he CO.
operated with the other school OFF,
cials. and that his services were sat-
isfactory in every way. He said that
he had signed this report "to the best
of his knowledge and belief" at the
time.
Mr.. Bruce testified that when the
meeting of the school board was held
on November s. 1912. at which time
the resignation OF DIR. Evans was re-
nuested. the memorandum setting forth
charges against DR.. Evans had not
been mentioned.
Did you discuss any of the charges
that were in the memorandum asked
Attorney Birney.
Yes. in an informal way. with menu
bers Of the board" said Mr.. Bruce.
Was Dr. Evans represented when
these charges were discussed, or was
he present At the time" he was asked.
No" was the reply.
Attorney Birney brought out. by
cross-examination. the fact that DR.
Evans had submitted program of
classes for the Armstrong School on
September II. 1912. twelve days before
the school opened He also brought to
light the fact that on September 20.
the school of business practice at the
Armstrong School was removed and
placed at the N Street High School.
"Didn't this make it necessary for a
new program to be made OUT" Bruce
was asked.
"It did" replied the witness
Court then adjourned until Tuesday
afternoon at : o'clock.