Evening star., 1918-04-18
DISTRICT. PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TOCLDSE June 10
Board Of Education Presented With
Petition Asking That German Be
Dropped as Study.


the public schools Of the. District, 1t
board Of education yesterday, following q
recommendation by the superintendent.
All class work win cease Monday, Juno II,
and the two extra days will be used by the
teachers and principals in checking up
and making fnal gradings for the year.
A petition. drawn by John NJ. Riggles
Of seabrook. Md. urging the with
drawal of the German language and
any allusion to Germany in the public
schools. was presented to the board
by John NJ. England. a student at Cen
trail High School The petition was
signed by forty pupils of the sch ool.
England said similar petitions are be-
ing circulated in Mckinley High and
Western High School. The matter will
be considered by the board.
On motion of DR.. J. Hayden johnson.
a member of the board. the suspension
of Edward NJ. Syphax. a teacher In an
ungraded school, who was suspended
providing. for corporal punishment in
the schools, was lifted. Syphax will be
severely reprimanded" and transferred
to another school. Announcement was
made of the suspension Of Miss N. l..
Lancaster for an offense against rule
43 of good order in the schools.
Permission to enter the public schools
Of the District to address gatherings of
pupils in furthering the needs of the
woman's land army. to assist farmers
year. was asked by Mrs. F. L. Ransome.
chairman OF the land army committee
Of the woman's committee of the Coun-
Gil of National Defense.
about tho age of eighteen years In the
schools to enlist to help farmers Of the
country in harvesting cropA The work
in Warrington will be carried on with
tho work OF tho war gardens commit
tee.
Letters from President Wilson. in
dorsing tho movement, and from tho
Council Of National Defense woGe read.
Acting President George e. Hamilton
declared that the matter Will be given
Leveling Of salaries Of asoietant df-
srectors Of instructors in special subjects
to conform with the salaries OF direc-
tors was urged by spokesmen for the
assistant directors. All nine assistant
directors were present The term as
isistant director means colored director.
according to Miss E. F. G. Merritt who
addressed the board and read the hear
Eings before the District subcommittee
In Congress urging general pay In
creases for District teachers as carried
in the District appropriations bill.
Action Declared Timely.
Assistant directors receive compen-
sation OF 5000 and $500 less than the
directors, and in nearly all cases do
homework. said Miss Merritt They
handle all changes In the e'scurriculum
and actually supervise the work We
propose here leveling OF the salaries
of assistant directors to conform with
those Of the directors, timely just now
because Of the general salary increases
Miss Merritt urged that directors
start at q basic salary of $2.50o per
annum. with an annual increase Of
500 for five years. and that assistant
directors start at q basic salary Of
1850, with an annual increase of $50
for fiye years. Other speakers for the
assistant directors were o. w. McDon-
ala. Mrs. ]: A. Shaw and Miss p. F.
Wilson. The board pledged sympa-
thetic action.
( A resolution of sympathy. for the
family OF the late Maj. j. .E. walker
Of the National Army. formerly super-
school division, who died In. the south,
was PASSED by the board. as