The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-03
SCHOOL BOARD
SUPPORTS CHANDLER
Takes View That Superintendent Had
- Taken In Connection With Rid
dick Matter
PROFANITY is CONDEMNED.
All Persons Guilty of Use of Such
Language In School Buildings Re-
proved-Thomas Charged with
INSTRUMENTATION.

The City School Board last night.
after hearing the testimony in the
/ case of r. II. Thomas against G. A.
! Riddick, in which the latter. assis-
vocational School. was charged with
! being unfit for teacher, and being
! offensive to the teachers. passed reSo-
! lutions approving the action of DR..
| J. A. C.. Chandler in the matter when
1t was before him,~and censuring all
persons using profanity in the school
and Mr. Thomas for characterization.
/ When the charges We're before DR.
/ Chandler he reduced Riddick in posi-
/ ton, and transferred Thomas.
J The resolutions adopted are as fol-
| lows
First That the act of the super
intenent in demoting Mr.. Riddick be
approved. and that all persons guilty
| of profanity in the Prevocational
! School be and they are hereby re
proved,
Second The board considers the
act of Mr. Thomas in absenting him
self from the school on January 2
! without permission was an act of in
(! subordination. which requires its CEN
I, sure. The board declined to interfere
/ with the act of the superintendent in
transferring Mr.. Thomas.
4 1t appeared that Thomas left the
school yesterday without first obtain
ing the permission of the principal.
Thomas claimed that he telephoned
into the office that he would not be
Il present. but this was not satisfactory
to the board since it requires that the
teacher report direct to the princi-
pal.
Lack of HARMONY
Lack of harmony and cooperation
between the teachers and assistant
principal of the school was brought
out in the testimony that lasted three
hours before the board. Thomas APP
peared with his counsel. L. w. smith
but Riddick stated to the board that
he was willing to let his case rest with
that body.
In lengthy document of charges.
which was read to the board Thomas
charged Riddicll with being too lax
as a principal and not capable as an
oihclal he further charges that his
manner of administration was often
sive to the teachers. 1t was stated
that he smoked cigarettes IN the
school, showed little discretion in is
suing his orders to the teachers. and
was given to profanity.
Thomas stated that he objected to
t'iC ~ "hoitiS IitduS ny LII. u. "A. u.
Chandler. after the matter had been
brought TO his attention. The super
intendent thought part of the charges
sustained. which resulted in Riddick
being reduced from the position of as
sistant principal. and Thomas trans-
ferred to another school. The COM
plainant stated that he had no desire
to prosecute Riddick, but what he
hopes to do in bringing the matter be-
fore the board was to vindicate his
position. and protect his own record
as teacher. He said that while he
objected to being transferred, since it
made it appear that he was being
punished for making the charges he
recognized DR., Chandler's right to
make any changes he thought proper
During cross-examination of DIR.
Chandler by Attorney Smith, 1t devei-
oped that the record of Rid4ck had
been good as a teacher. and fair as
to influence on the children That of
Thomas. however showed fair in both
instances At the request Of the
board, Thomas made a statement in
his own behalf in which he stated
that he opposed being changed from
his position in the Bellevue Preyoca-
tional School because he did not see
why he should be punished on ac-
count of being complainant in the
ease, and in addition that he had
mapped out his years work. a plan
made useless by his transfer. He
said he had put considerable work on
his plans, all of which had gone for
nothing.
+ Teachers Appear.
Eleven teachers of the school were
called as witnesses IN the case, eight
of whom appeared against Riddick.
and three in his favor. All of the