The Washington times., 1919-10-23
copyrfghe. 1913.
Sy n l. ooidbs:E

rev. FRANCIS j. Grimke, the Rev.
Thomas J. Brown. the Rev. Oscar L.
Mitchell. the Rev. w. J. Howard, and
the Rev. NJ d. Norman have had
nothing to do with the Parents
| League in this matter.
Holds Petition worthless.
Claiming over and over again that
1T represented at least 10000 citizens,
and that its petition to the board
carried that number of names, the
| league worked systematically against
the school authorities, the report says,
and continues:
Urged as an expression of public
opinion, the petition appears, in the
Judgment of your committee, to be
quite worthless. Furthermore, such
testimony regarding the Parents
League as your committee has gained.
gives clear indication that almost all
of the coiored citizens OF Washington.
who have children in the public
schools, have sufficient confidence in
the judgment of the Board of Educa )
ton to accept as conclusive the
boards estimate of the character and
the educational and administrative
qualifications of r. c. Bruce
The report hints that Bruce Is not
| responsible for all of the policies at
tributed to him. 1t states that all Of
fSruce's proposals, before going to the
board, must be submitted to a super
intendent. and that the superintendent
| has the power to revise or reject with
out recording Bruce's recommends
ions. The committee suggests that
| Bruce be allowed to officially attend
meetings of the board and at these
/ meetings to submit his proposals
Crfticises Bruce Once.
In only one section of the report
was Bruce criticised This says, Mis-
takes have been made on his par:
and now and again some degrees OF
Injustice through his failure to make
simple direct statements may have
been done"
1T is to some extent customary"
says the report. 1--WE are informed. for
vetoes of Mr.. Bruce's recommenda-
tfons to go unrecorded.' We should
like to suggest the advisability to the
board Of having all vetoes duly placed
on record in order hereafter to have
brief but explicit evidence of such
matters Our single recommendation,
made for the purpose of adding to-
ward better coordination of the work
OF the system, Is to have the assist
ant superintendent OF the colore 1
schools asked regularly into board
sessions
at would afford Mr.. Bruce oppor-
tunities of taking part in discussions
and of bringing directly to the board
sucn recommendations as in his eyes
might be of Importance. 1t would
not, we think. weaken the authority
or the superintendent. Had Mr.. Bruce
oeen privileged during the past year
or so TO sit with the board, we ven
ture TO think that solutions of prob
lems OF special interest to the col
ored schools and citizens would have
been facilitated"
Peyton Criticizes Procedure.
In concluding his minority report.
Peyton says:
Moreover, the procedure In the
submission of the minority report is
very interesting as we'll as sug-
gestive. On October /, 1919, the
chairman of the special inyesti-
eating committee detailed oraliy
from brief, purported to be the ma
Jority report. At the meeting the
BURDEN of blame fol all failures affect |
ing Mr.. Bruce's administration was
laid at Mr.. Thurston's door. He was
arralsned. This was done during his |
absence for he had been excluded. |
contrary to law, from the meeting.
AT the meeting of October 8. how
ever, there was an entire change of |
'front.'. The chairman appeared with a /
FORMAL written report and all blame
as regards the allegations concerning !
Mr. Thurston's maladministration had |
peen eliminated. Mr.. Thurston also |
was present at the meeting.
The writer of this report, after |
thlrty years practice at the bar. Is |
forced to record his disapproyal of |
such methods of procedure.
Charges Gross Inefncicncy. |
1T is the contention of the writer !
that Roscoe c. Bruce in his educa-
tlonal qualifications does not measure
up 10 the demands requisite for his |
olnce as proven by the testimony.
IL Is the contention of this
writer that, in the only lines of orig
inal administrative policy disclosed
oy the testimony, Mr.. Bruce has been
proven grossly inefficient. And, worst
OF all, 1t has been shown that he has
wastefully expended public money.
1t is further contention that he
is guilty of administrative ineffici-
ency, through indisputable proof of
lack of character. He is shown to be
undependable, lacking in directness,
candor. frankness, and truthfulness.
IL is also established he is lacking in
backbone, and manly insistence.
Usefulness At End.
ut is needless to say that his use
fulness is at an end. His moral ef-
feet upon teachers and children has /
vanished. His power to serve the
community has waned. Every day he
remains at the head of the coIored 4
schools but serves to bring nearer
heir complete disintegration. Ruin
and destruction con but follow, and