Evening star., 1920-03-20

IpoihtAieIlI DIS OtIlcESs HltfkOu6h iC N1N -.Ss
make the appointments. She said also
that she had talked the matter over with
Mr.. Bruce and that he had expressed
the opinion that 1t was unfortunate the
teachers should have the feeling they
did in this case.
Did you ever inquire into the req
sons for Mr.. Thurston making this
appointment" asked Senator Harri-
| son.
Mo; Nc; I was away at the time of the
You made no effort to have the ac-
ton OF the board rescinded?"
Il am not in the habit of going over
| the head Of the superintendent" said
Mrs. Cook.
She said that she had gone to see
out OF town. and she wished Mrs.
Gerry to be able to express her views
when the board met.
| Here Is one OF the instances you
give for opposing Thurston. yet you
say you never took the case up with
him." said Senator Harrison. ISM
this one of the reasons that this hor
rible situation exists at the schools
that some members Of the board do
not present these matters to Mr.
! Thurston, but criticise him after
| Ward:
| Makes Emphatic Denial.
| Absolutely, no." said Mrs. Cook.
! She said she did not wish to intrude
! upon the time Of MIR. Thurston. who
was busy man, nor did she want to
be charged with attempting to influ-
ence appointments.
! was the action of the board unani-
nous in the case Of this appoint
ment?"
II do not know: was not there
Isn't it a fact that as to this ap-
ence in judgment. yet you bring it
F.; in here as one of the matters show
| ing the inefticiency of Mr.. Thurston?"
| The witness would not agree to this
suggestion.
| Senator Harrison then took up the
Miner School principalship. which was
another case cited by Mrs. Cook in her
opposition to Mr.. Thurston.
| Says Denfness Disqualified Teacher.
| Mrs. Cook said that the appointee
was almost deaf, and had entered the
schools as teacher in 1874. She ex-
pressed great admiration for Miss
| Moten's work in the schools. but said
| that her deafness had, in her opinion.
disqualified her.
Senator Harrison wanted to know if
Charlotte Hunter had not been a
teacher in the Miner School. The wit
ness said yes.
This is the woman who was in the
| room at the time Moens was arrested,
was it not?' said Senator Harrison.
II do not know that"
Charlotte Hunter was allowed by
! the board to resign" continued Sena-
tor Harrison.
"She did resign"
| Asks Mrs. Cook About Miss Hunter.
Senator Harrison went to some
length in questioning Mrs. Cook as to
her knowledge of Miss Hunter and that
teachers relations with Moens, but the
school board member steadfastly MAIN
tanned she did not believe the teacher
guilty of any moral wrongdoing.
Have you seen this woman since her
resignation was accepted by the school
board?" asked the senator.
Il have not" the witness replied.
When did you last see herr"
About four or five weeks before she
resigned, She called at my home"
What did you talk about?"
Discussed Moons Case.
I'VE discussed the Moens case to
some extent. She said she had been
very much deceived in him, but that
she would not burden me with a re-
cital Of the entire case"
You knew Moens had called on
herr? ..
II understood So"
And that he was white and she
was colored?"
Yes"
"Did you discuss that with herr"
Mr.. Senator, let me point out one
vital thing" said Mrs. Cook. '1t is
impossible for woman of my race
to receive courteous treatment from a
man of your race without her charac-
ter being assailed by men of both
races. I have known Miss Hunter q
long time and she may have been in
discreet but l have had no reason to
revise my opinion of her."
Did you advise her to resign?'
Il never did"
"Do you know of any one that did?"
1T is my understanding that she
was so advised by her attorney"
Defends Miss Hunters Retention.
In defending the action Of the board
in the matter of retaining Miss Hum
ter for time and later allowing her
to resign, Mrs. Cook said that the
only way under the law that a teach
er could be dismissed was upon the
recommendation of the superintendent
Of schools. and that no such recon-
mendation had come before the board.
She also said that no parents had
ever appeared before the board or
had ever written the board to COM
plant that their children had been
improperly treated in the public
schools in connection with the So
called Moens case.
Senator Harrison professed surprise
| that Mrs. Cook had not gone over the
evidence In the files Of the Depart
| ment of Justice relating to Moens
To this the witness replied that Dr.
Learned was in the service of the
Department Of Justice at the time
] the case was in progress. and that she
| relied on him and on Supt. Thurston
to keep the board informed of de-
velopments of which 1t could take
| cognizance.
SAYS AN ADVANCE