The Washington times., 1920-12-02
CHARGE ST|RS
SCHOOL BOARD
Mrs. Murray's Allegations Bring
Sharp Objections From DR..
learned-P0lice at Hearing.

learned-P0llce al hearing.
Charges involving the character Of
colored public school teachers were
made by Mrs. Daniel Murray, repre-
senting the colored Parents League,
when she spoke before a meeting OF
the Board of Education yesterday
afternoon.
REPUTATIONs UNDESIRABLE.
"You have appointed to positions
az teachers women whose regulations
are anything but desirable" began
Mrs. Murray. But she got no farther
Il object to hearing insinuatlo ions
against SGsl% srnIs employees Of Dr. 'hf Henry A b.
Learned, vice president OF the board
of Education. ave want to know the
I names Of persons to whom you rerer'
These charges involve people whom
! know nothing about.
II want to announce now that the
. board has resolved not to listen 10
/ any public charges or insinuations
against school employees: If their ~
a continuation of insinuating re-
marks or charges permitted before
board meetings i will retire as
member"
While this proceeding WAS in pro-
gress, three plain clothes men, sit-
ting in the rear quietly looked on
Capt Colin c. Il. Flather. of the First
police precinct station. was also pres
ent. Another policeman stood at the
door OF the board room and still an
other paced up and down in front or
the building.
The police were present at the
, meeting at the direction OF Major
Harry J.. Gessford, superintendent OF
police. Major Gessford was re-
quested by the school board to have
several men attend the meeting.
They were sent to prevent dis
, turbance during the meeting. Here
,ofore. the school board has ex-
7 perienced difficulty in conducting it's
meetings without Interruptions by
! rvlored citizens In several instances
' recently colored speakers have made
charges against school employees. and
chen told to curtail their talk have
efused to do so.
QIIETING AIR IN ROOM.
whether the board was determined
10 use force in preventing speakers
from making charges is not known.
I;ut the presence of the police yes
terday for a time threw a quieting
air over the room.
When DR.. Learned finished his
short talk, Mrs. Murray declared that
tho law provided that all public
school matters be dealt with in pub
lie However. she was requested to
make any and all charges in writing
and present them to the superinten-
dent of schools for investigation.
There is another matter-concern-
ing checks of Roscoe C. Bruce, col
ored assistant superintendent of
schools" began Mrs. Murray In
third attempt to talk.
DR.. Abram Simon. president OF the
board. rose to his feet Immediately.
Just one minute, please. This
check matter must be settled now
and for all time" "Dr. Ballou." no
said, addressing the superintendent
Of schools, explain the results Of
your investigation
DECLARES CHARGE FAKE.
Or. BaIlou then went into detail
concerning his investigation. When
there was enough information to
prove the check charges against
Bruce were false.
Attempts by c. Vaughn Todd, Of
the Parents League, and Mrs. Muir
ray to continue the discussion of the
rheck case were frustrated several
times by DR.. Simon.
This is not a court ROOM" said
-. simon, "it is even out of place
for the superintendent to argue the
case. But it was my desire to max.
IT known that the superintendent In
>estigated the charges. He is not
asleep on the job.
If there are any additional facts.
J am sure the superintendent will be
glad to receive them and will make
further investigation"
The colored assistant superirtend
ent was not present during the meet
ing. He talked with board members
several minutes before the meeting
and then went to his offices.
TODD REGISTERS PROTEST..
During the end of Mrs. Murray's
talk, Todd again interrupted and
Siancing at the police in the rear,
declared:
II want to register protest against
tho reprimand Mrs. Murray has re-
ccived and / am willing to pay the
penalty for protesting" He then took
his seat.
Mrs. Murray requested that the
school board change the Grover
Cleveland school, pointing out very
few white children lived in the
neighborhood
The board turned down the offer
of the Chesapeake and Potomac Telc-
phone Company. which would lend
its Fairmont Seminary, rent free. for
use as a public school. The building
was not accepted beause the fire mar
shal declared the buD ling "was not
adaptable for use a. public school,"
letter of thsTIks will be sent to
tho telephone company for it's offer.