Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-07
REMOVAL OF YOUNG WOMEN.
BEFORE STATE BOARD
Case of Misses Ashby Made Special
Order for This Morning
at 10 O'Clock.
WERE sUMMARlLY DISCHARGED
State Superintendent Of Public H.
struction Stearncs Defends His
Action by Reading Letters From
Other Employees of Department.


Stearnes. of the State Department OF
Public Instruction, in support of his
recent action in discharging from his
office force Misses Ida and Ruby Ashby.
the state Board of Education, yester-
day adopted Il motion offered by Gov
crnor Stuart, passing the matter BY
until 10 o'clock this morning.
The summary removal of the Young
women. after service of many years
brought TO their aid champions who bit
terly criticized Superintendent Stearnes
lor the act. When the board convened
yesterday. James Fl. Price. member of
the House Of Delegates from the city
OF Richmond. charged that the dis
nissal was unjustiiicd. and asked the
board to conduct an investigations
The board passed the matter by until
the afternoon session to allow Superin-
tendcnt Stearncs and MIR. Price to hold
Il conference in which, II was suggested.
Mr.. Price might be presented with evil
dence which would lead to his aban-
aoning his protest, The conference
evidence but h" declared himself
wholly unsatisiicd ahd renewed his re-
quest that the board pursue the in
HestiGation.
CHARGED WITH MAKING: REMARKS
ABOUT OTHERS IN DEPARTMENT.
' .ii' rice ) request the two young
women were allowed to be present
when Mr.. Stcarncs outlined Ia tho
BOARD his reasons for lischarginr them
MT. StearncS read several letters from,
subordinate employees OF the Depart
meht OF Education, charging thti the
misseS ;NshpE made deroSatory remarks
hpout them. All of the charges against
'hcm were OF this tenor. The hoard
preferred not to make them nubli,
verbatim.
Nr. Price said last night that h..
regarded the so-callcd charges AZ c,,n-
'iouS ana unconvincing in the extreme
ana mat none of them Warranted ~.
drastic discipline na,cd out 80 49,,
Young women by Mr. Stearncs m.
"Iter. he said. declined after the men,
- " i"ThiSil nm with Il copy of tho
chrrSos read by him to the board
inc snort note of dismissal addressed
!" INC young women by Supcrinioud,nt
Stcarncs Informed them ma, thcir 49,
vices were no longer needed b.cnusc
thcE had INDUCED in criticism nj oih.r
"iclnhcrS OF tn. Department. Two NOT.
VI 'h' same tenor were written D,,,..
v.n,., "nI" 10 Inc sister who was ut
MoFh' ana the other was ,ransmi,,,J
through her to the other .i.,n ,
was at home ill., ""'
DISCHARGED WITHOUT
TftIRTN-DAI NOTICE.
ihe girls were discharged witbou,
me customary thirty DAYS noticc ,m,I
"elorc they had been given The ,nr,,.,i
''."'r vacation. 10 which they are
,n.'''t"' MI. Price said last night thar
inc young women do no, s..l r,i,,
statement and that he WAS int.rc.t.,,
cH''hE III seeing that they were cleared
III t'e charges preferred arajus, tbon,
81" IN obtaining for them proper res
.'"''"h ior the failure 10 give them
IN" usual thirty days notice
fln.
ln'h'S by the superintendent subject
10 confirmation by the board. II is silent
's 10 thc power of the board In re
NlcW the superintendent internal adj
'h'h'S'rati"n OF his Office, once il is
properly constituted. Mr.. Price will
~ morning discuss before the board
IN" ictai question of its right to re-
Wv me Supcrintcndcnt's action.
E'nt.Es ELECTED STATE; =
INSPECTOR OF RURAL SCHOOLS
ne hoard al the afternoon session.
'I'r'"d w. I. Hodges. for the past
,.~h' Years. superintendent of the Alex
'n''ia county schools. as State in
81 rural schools. To succeed
- A. i'hi"rd, VIII" has resigned to be-
'"H, second assistant superintendent
u me Richmond schools. The appoints
''"Ht Is effective October IL.
i'""ScS * a graduate OF William
ana Mary College. and received fur
:, '"'"'"S hS Il SPECIAL student in
IN" Columbia University department of
r",ica'i"n He has made extensive in
''tat'"nS mi" rural school problems
,T the United States Department OF
PUBLIC instruction.
~: board adopted resolutions thank
ing Mr' l'inford FOR the able and faith
IA manner IN which he has discharged
'nc duties OF his Office and also for
what II. has contributed to the gem
'fal advancement of the educational in
'c'cs'S OF the Commonwealth as presi-
't"' an" secretary Of the State Teach
erS Association. and as executive sec
re'arN of The cooperative Education
Associations"
Another resolution adopted by the
"oar" permits teachers in the Rich
mono schools who are pursuing studies
IN the night school Of the City Normal
Hcho"i TO have their certificates re-
| n"Wcd without attendance upon the
| summer normal courses
| ne meetings yesterday were attend
ca by the fun membership of the
| board.
| AR0R.I AVN NI0I hTI0Nc