Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-19
SUBSTITUTES WAGE
/ IN SCHOOLS IS CUT
Protest by Teachers Union
Brings Slight Reduction.
Plan for New Law.

Slight reductions were made by the
Board of Education yesterday after
noon in the new salary schedule 1ol
substitute teachers as a result OF a
protest by the teachers unions. Inc
changes We're ordered In the pay
scale for the second so days of sub
stitute's services.
Stephen L. Kramer, first assistant
superintendent of schools, advised the
board that the new pay scale for SUD
stitutes was recommended at the re-
Quest of supervising principals, who
were finding it exceedingly dlfhcult 10
obtain the services of competent SUD-
stitutes at the old rate of s2.4O day
The new scale for the second 81
days follows: Glass l, $3.50; class 2
$40 without senior high eligibility
$50 with senior high eligibility:
class 3, $3.50; class 4, $3.50; class 5,
$3.50, and class 8, $3.50.
Moves to Follow Law.
The board also took several definite
steps toward the enforcement or the
new compulsory education and schooi
census law. 1t combined into one de-
nartment the attendance and child Ia
hor office as provided in the new leg
islatfon, authorized administrative OF
tccrs to take the necessary action 10
return to school all employed chill
dren who have not reached the age
of I6 or completed their education
through the eighth grade, and estap-
Ished valid excuses for absence
from school. ,
cnt of schools, explained to the board
that the enforcement of the new COM
pulsory education law presented many
nerpleXing questions, especially one
regarding the return to School OF an
children of II years of age hoiolhs
work permits. He suggested that
continuation school, operating three
hours might for Six days "eeh'
might be organized for these chill
dren in order that they might con-
Time their employment Such
school. he pointed out, would give a
course equivalent to that IN the gay
schools, and the children under 10
could legally continue to work. AS d
result the board authorized the su =
perintendent TO investigate the 90,
biIity OF establishing such schooi
and report at its next meeting
Five Valid Excuses.
Five valid" excuses for absence
from school were established by the
hoard as follows: First. illness; sec
ond. death in the immediate family
third. quarantine; fourth, court SUD
poeua. and fifth, unusual emergen-
cies. such as inclement weather con-
ditions insufficient clothing ana Sc
rious illness in the family. lhese
valid" excuses will remain IN force
until the close of the current school
year
The peace and tranquility which
have marked the board meetings Tor
the last month were rutfled somewhat
Yesterday afternoon when Capt Ju-
lius I Peyser voiced his dissatlsfac-
ton with certain procedures. Erhest
Greenwood, vice president OF the
board, also criticized the unparlia
mentary" actions.
One of the clashes came as a sequel
to report of the committee on athletics
and Fairgrounds, which recommended
the purchase of a site at Wisconsin ave-
nue. and S street as a site LOT the
athletic field for Western High School
at a consideration of $lVz,ooV. ..
Duncan Bradley of the Western Home
and School Association, who mas leo
a fight for the acquisition OF a site
In Rurleith for the athletic field
charged that some one was trying TO
unload the Wisconsin avenue tract
on the District This provoked Capt
Pevscr to say that Mr.. Bradley is
irving to bulldoze members of the
board into viewing this matter as ne
views it,
Action Held Up.
At the request of Mr.. Bradley. the
board deferred action on the report
pending a public hearing. Mr.. Green
wood then interjected the statement
that he also would like an investiga-
ton made by the board of the methods
used by the principal of Western
High School in securing signatures
to petitions concerning the athletic
field.
An echo of the investigation of
Frederick ]. Libby, executive secre-
tary of the National Council for Pre-
vention of War, was heard in TWO
communication read to the board.
One was from Z. c. Stanton, suggest
ing that inasmuch as Libby had been
forbidden to speak in the schools that
representatives of the Army and Navy
receive the same treatment. The other
was from ]. A. Stone, which said the
boards report on the Libby investiga-
ton deals in generalities and mis-
statements, and should have listed
the charges against the alleged
pacifist Reading of the communica-
lions prompted Mr.. Greenwood to in
sert in the record a statement that
Mr.. Libby is circulating postcards
dealing with the boards action which
he said contained untrue information.
After a lengthy discussion over the
appeal Of a group Of colored junior
high school teachers for a higher
salary placement, the board referred
the entire question to the corporation
counsel, maintaining that it involved
legal questions. DIR. Ballou told the
board that under the law he had no
authority to advance teachers to
higher salary group unless qualify
ing examinations had been conducted
and d rated list established.
Principal Is Criticized.
The board adopted report of it's
committee on complaints and appeals
criticzing NJ. Grant Lucas, principal
of the Bruce School, for circulating
letters emphasizing his personal dis
appointment that his long years OF
service in the schools had not mer-
tied more favorable comment from
his superior officers. Such action, the
board held, us bound to be inimical
to the best interests Of the schools
and the school system"
Capt. Peyser criticized the commit
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