The Washington herald., 1920-12-02
Captain and Plain Clothes
Men Sit In at Regu-
lar Meeting.
BRUCE CASE Is REVIVED
Questions Fired by Parents
League Causes DR.. Learned
To Threaten to Quit.

For the FIRST time in the history
Of the District Board OF Educa-
tion. a police oficial-Capt. carf
Flatherg of No. precinct-and three
plain-clothes men ofhcialiy -sat In
at the regular meeting Of the board.
held In the Franklin School Build
ing yesterday.
Capt Flather said later that he
had not been called In. but had
Scted on-his own initiative because
Of trouble reported at previous
meetings with members Of the Par
ents' League. who insisted upon dis
cussing the Bruce case against the
wishes of the board members-
DR.. Abram Simon. president OF
the School Board. when asked 10
explain the presence OF the police
at the meeting. declined TO discuss
the matter.
DIR. Learned Tkrezte.s 20 Omit.
While nothing occurred to neces-
state police action at yesterdays
meeting. Mrs Daniel Murray. chair
man OF the school committee Of the
Parents League. and c. Vaughn
Todd caused a lively verbal TIT
which provoked DIR. Henry d.
Learned. vice chairman OF the board.
to threaten to resign
First indication of any untoward
incident during the meeting came
when Mrs. Murray. after complsin-
ing about the crowded condition Of
the colored schools and requesting
that the Grover Cleveland School
be turned over 70 colored pupils.
asked what had been done in regard
to the appointment OF three colored
school teachers Of aIlesed question
able character.
Rising from his seat. Or. Learned
said II <bfSct 70 hsz,.r ~~T-
Of the school system. 4 DO not want
r. listen TO them IL any complaint
10 10 be made e should be done in
writing and sent 10 the superin-
tendent OF schoois--
Points 10 Former Deeision-
A few minutes later DR.. Learned
said he proposed TO retire" unless
I'VE live up 10 what We say" re-
ferring to a decision reached at .
former meeting that there would be
rBuce case.
Mrs Murray asked DR.. BaIIou
what had been done in regard TO
charges that Bruce had forged two
checks DIR. Bsllog arose and re-
piled that he had Investigated and
found that Bruce had given two
checks of almost inconsequential
amounts to a Mrs. Powell and that
they had been returned. marked
NO funds" but that Bruce had
made them good.
After Mrs. Murray had taken her
seat. Vaughn Todd. who was promi-
nent in a discussion Of the Bruce
case at the boards last meeting.
leaped TO his feet. At the same time
DIR. Abram Simon. president OF the
board. also arose and explained that
he had allowed a little liberty TO
show that the statements were un-
true" in regard to the checks. and
cautioned Todd that IL he had any
thing further to tell the board he
must 90 so IN writing.
II was asserted that a hearing had
been denied the Parents League, but
DR.. Ballou said he would arrange a
conference any time the league
wanted one.
Capacity Crowd Attends.
A few routine matters were taken
care OF during the meeting. includ-
ing a review OF the annual report
Of the Board Of Education which has
been forwarded 10 the Commission
ers.
A crowd taxed the capacity OF SUI
iperintendent's Ballou's ofice and
portion of IL had TO find room in ad-
joining rooms.
The following teachers have been
appointed. IL was announced at tho
meeting: Mrs. c. c. Clark. Mrs. r. s.
White. Mrs. Beulah Compton, Mrs.
c. N. Jarboe, Mrs. NJ. NJ. Brown. Mrs.
l. l. Banks, Miss Pauline Grahame,
Mr.. o. +. Smith. Mr.. A. A. Cook. Mr..
e c. Rick. Miss L. G. Wines, Miss
Genevieve Oudin, Miss Pauline Mon
day, A A. Cook. W. NJ. S. Hammers.
d. B. Kalb. Hazel Davis and Mrs