The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-05-21
ENDORSEMENT
Of MISS DEAL
BEFORECOURT
Twenty thousand Women Wage
Farmers Urge Her Appoint
ment to School Board.

Formal Endorsement OF the candi-
dacy OF Miss Alice Deal for the Board
OF Education to succeed Mrs. Mar
garita S. Gerry. whose term expires
in June, was sent to Chief Justice
Walter I. Mccoy OF the District su-
preme Court by 10000 wage earning
women of Washington.
Miss Deal. as president OF the High
School Teachers Union and leader OF
the teachers in the Controversy with
the board over the case OF Miss Wood.
and the general question OF teachers
rights. has received the general sup
port OF all labor organizations in
Washington.
The letter Of Endorsement follows:
The Washington committee Of the
Rational Women's Trade Union League
wishes to lay before you a request
from its affiliated membership OF
more than 1000 wage earning women
Of this city, for the appointment OF
Miss Alice Deal as a member OF the
Board OF Education TO succeed one
OF the present members whose terms
are about to expire.
Grounds For Request.
Eve make this request upon the
following grounds:
81. The capability and fitness OF
Miss Deal to perform the duties OF
the position.
'2. The Importance to the pupils OF
having the teachers point OF view
expressed in the determination OF
policies Of the public schools.
'3. Justice to teachers as the work
ing force OF the schools through haV.
ing a representative TO voice their in
forests in the management OF the
schools.
1--WE are. in other words. funda-
mentally interested in a program to
democratize the schools in order that
they may more completely satisfy the
needs OF the children OF the workers
who so largely pay for their main
tenance. To accomplish this we urge
emphatically the appointment OF Miss
Deal as being herself q representa-
tive of the workers, highly, qualified
to meet this responsibility
MISS z. II. SMITH.
Executive Secretary"
Scope Broad.
Among the individual organizations
in the Washington branch OF the
Women's Trade Union League are
Federal Employees Union, No. 2; Fed
eral Employees Union. No. los; Wait
resses' Union; Cigarmakers' Union,
and Women's Binding Union. The
High School Teachers Union and the
Grade School Teachers Union are
also members OF the organization.
The new appointments to the Board
will be made by tIic District Supreme
Court next month, and announced
late in the month or early in July.
The three members Of the board
whose terms expire are Mrs. Gerry
Lieut.. Col. John Van SchaicIx, jr.. and
]. H. Johnson, one OF the three eolored
members.
Mrs. Gerry and DR.. johnson are
being opposed for reappointment be
cause OF their action in voting with
the board to suspend Miss Wood for
her discussion OF current eventG
Support Col. Van sehaIek.
Colonel Van Schaick, whose attituds
toward the teachers cause is favor
able, and who advocates the appoint
ment of a teachers council to confeI
with the board, is being supported b.
the union forces. for re-appointmenE
Interest in the teachers fight noR
centers mainly about the candidacy
Of Miss Deal. and the case of Miss
Wood which comes up in the Distrtci
Supreme Court Friday. A suit in be
half of Miss Wood was filed about two
weeks ago, and the court summons
the members OF the board to appear
tomorrow to show reasons why their
action in suspending Miss WoOi
should not be rescinded.
Meanwhile the teachers unions are
collecting data to be presented to thu
Congressional committee in charge Of
the general probe of the school syS
tenn OF Washington, proposed BY Sen