The Washington times., 1921-05-19
SCHOOL HEAD
UNDER FIRE IS.
VOTED LEAVE
Garnett c. wilkinson, of Dunbar
High, Named as
Successor.

Roscoe C. Bruce, colored assistant
superintendent of schools. today sub
mitted to the Board of Education
request for indefinite leave of alb.
sence, beginning September 1. The
request, which is virtually resig-
nation. was accepted by q vote of
s to i, Fountain Peyton dissenting.
Bruce should be either fired or
retained" declared. Peyton, after
hearing the boards action. He Wig
orously protested the boards, de-
cision.
wILkINsoN GETS POST.
Garnet c. wilkinson. principal Of
the Dunbar High School, was named
to succeed Bruce. Wilkinson. who is
forty-one years old, was born in
South Carolina. He was. educated in
the washington public schools. has
an A. B. degree from Oberin College
and an LII d. from Howard Univer-
sity He has been connected with tho
local school system since 1902. and
from 1912 to 1915. was principal of
Armstrong Higs Schoo.
In submitting his request. Bruce
asked permission to engage In an
other occupaticn. II he saw At. Per-
hisssos was grsntsd;
dent or 4 schools. who submitted
Hruee's leave request. asked the
sloxd to approve certain conditions
vkfch fSfiov:
I. That Brsee's leave of ab-
se.se Ne witAsat pay.
:. That Brace be permitted 10
accept aNStAer jon while On leave.
= That Bruce not be persnitteA
10 return to the schools without
'"the written reeoamenaatton of
the superintendent"
WILL NOT RETURN.
These conditions. approved by the
board. mean that Bruce will never
return to the District public school
system while DIR. Ballou Ia superin-
tendent of schools.
The board met at IL o'clock today
in secret session. At 1880 the board
came into public meeting and an
nounced it's decision.
The severance. of Bruces connec-
tions from the schools came SUDDENLY
and entirely unexpected. Whether
Bruce was asked to seek leave or
whether the request was voluntary
is not known. but II Is known that
DR.: Ballou does not want Bruce as as
sistant superintendent.
The efficiency and character Of
Bruce has been attacked numerous
times by District colored organize
tions Only once did Bruce attempt to
answer publicly the charges made
against him, but then his declara-
tions of innocence made no impress
sion upon those opposed to him and
the hght for his removal continued.
When DR.. Ballou frst took office
last July he announced that he was
open-minded on the Bruce case; thst
he would give the assistant superin-
tendent an opportunity to prove his
worth.
BALLOU RECOMMENDS LEAVE.
The fact that DR.. Ballou recon-
mends the leave of absence Is taken
to indicate he is not satisfied with
the work Of the present office holde-.
The board. 1T Is understood, did not
dismiss Bruce from office. feeling
such action would count against the
man when he seeks a position else
where. The granting of the leave
method was decided upon rs the cas-
lest way out t>f
Bruce mas been In the Distrct
school system for fifteen years, COM
ing here in 1906 as supervising prin-
cipal The year following he was
appointed assistant superintendent
for colored schools.
The night on his incumbency be-
gan in 1911 and was waged then by
three colored members OF the board.
This night came under the super
intendency, of DR.. William Davidson.
The contest then was quieted but
broke out afresh about two years
ago. when Ernest l.. Thurston was
superintendent. At that time the night
was wased by the, Parents League,
an organization which challenged
nrrcn,. rOuonrtcpcu