Evening star., 1920-03-19

signed by q little over 2.oooN instead
| 10, ooe.'' said Mrs. Ceek.
President Hamilton, Mra. pok sat'
ruled that the petition ceald pc nIe'
signed charge.
Query on Bruce Investigate ~
Did you vote for the Bruce in xhes
tigation?" asked Senator Harrison.
YES"
"Was the vote unaRimous7"
II think So"
Mrs. Cook said that written charges
relating to the moral conduct Of the
assistant superintendent were sub
mitted by the board to the corpora
tion counsel and were returned by
the corporation counsel with q state
ment that there wns nothing IL them
to warrant q trial.
Some persons refused to be satis-
fed, however" said Mrs. Cook. Fl
nally the board appointed commit
tee to hear the pros and cons OF the
Bruce case"
She said that the superintendent
and also the assistant superintendent.
against whom the charges were
ma1e, were not invited to be present
at the inquiry. The feeling was. she
said, that teachers would hesitate to
make statements before their supe-
rior officers, and the board wanted
them to feei free to testify.
Presence Of Superintendent.
Senator Harrison suggested that
the superint sndeat of schools under
the law had TO recommend the dis
missal of the assistant superintendent
If dismissal were warranted. He
wanted to know if that did not make
It necessary to have the superintend-
ent present at such an investigation.
Mrs. Cook replied that this was
merely an Investigation to determine
whether 4 trial should be held, and
that if Il trial had been held of course
the superintendent would have been
present.
Mrs. Cook was asked If the board
had not directed that the committee
should investigate merely Bruce's ef-
ficiency and NOT the moral question
involved in the charges. She said
that this was true and that the sub
committee had relied upon the rec
ommenda tions of the corporation
counsel in connection with the charges
against Bruce on moral lines.
Don't you think that the board
should have taken up the matter in
stead of relying on the corporation
counsel. who is not charged with this
duty?" asked Senator Harrison.
Corporation Counsel Willing.
Mrs. Cook replied that the corpora
ton counsel was always ready to be
called upon by the board. In reply 20
another question she said that Supt.
Thurston had approved turning over
to the corporation counsel the in
vestigation of the moral questions
involved in the charges against Bruce.
did Mr.. Thurston approve of hav-
ing the committee not investigate
charges of immortality against Bruce?''
demanded Senator Harrison
II don't remember: I do not carry
all the details in my mind"
rs that because you do not con-
slider the views of the superintendent
importantT' asked Senator Harrison.
'Oh, no." replied Mrs. Cook. But
I have no recollection Of the matter"
Mrs. Cook said that it, never had
occurred to the board that the super
intendent would object because he
was asked by the board not to attend
these hearings in the Bruce case. She
added that he never did object until
recently. when he made his reply to
the board. The report of the COM
mittee. she said. approved Bruce.
Were you appointed as a friend Of
Bruce or as a neutral on the COM
mitteer" asked Senator Harrison.
LAS a member of the board
"It has been said here that DIR. Van
Schaick said that he appointed a neu-
traI. a friend and an opponent Of
.sW ere you appointed as 4 friend?'
Mrs. Cook said that was a matte|
that DR.. Van Schaick would have to
explain. that she had heard nothing
of it until this year.
Faith In Colored Race.
In concluding her prepared state
ment Mrs. Cook expressed her faith
in the ability Of the colored race to
make progress Along educational
lines it's gratitude to the white race
for aid along these lines and her con-
fdence that a colored man Of ability
to stand at one head OF the dual sys-
tenn of the public schools would not
be lacking.
Chairman Sherman Of the committee
asked Mrs. Cook number of Ques-
tons regarding possible improvements
in the school system She said that
she believed the present system, with
one superintendent for all the schools.
was a more efficient way than the
old. when there were two superin-
tendents.
She suggested that the power which
appointed the teachers should also
have the power to discharge them.
Need Of More Space.
Senator Sherman asked whether
there was a sufficient space In the
public schools.
There is very great need OF more
buildings and Fairgrounds" said Mrs.
Cook. Some of the present buildings
heated"
Cook said that the janitor service
since the war had been hampered be-
cause it was almost impossible to find
men.
What about keeping the teachersT'
said Senator Sherman.
<hAA q
great deal of trouble in the white
schools in retaining the teachers, but
not nearly SO much in the colored
schools, owing to the fact that the
avenues Of employment for educated
colored persons were not nearly 80 wide.
schools. both colored and white, all
seemed to think that they were en-
titled to appointment to the teaching
force of the schools.
Business Manager Favored.
Senator Sherman asked If the wit
ness believed it was advisable to re-
ieve the superintendent Of many of
his duties and hand them over to a
business manager.
Mrs. Cook said she thought 1t would
be advisable.
isn't it physically impossible for
one man to do both the business man
agement and the technical manage
ment of the schools?" asked Senator
Sherman
Yes"
what about the schools as COM
munity centers?" asked Senator Sher-
man.
Mrs. Cook replied that she thought
that they should be used for such ac-
tivities.
The young people Of today" she
said, ARE going to dance. It Is bet
ter to give them a proper place and
chaperonage than to have them 60
to other places"
Movies In Schools Fav0red.
Senator Sherman wanted to know