Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

A bitter fieht was In progress so
years ago over the demand Of the PEG
The School il reform. e mA IN the STUDY a9g
, Study Row. system OF the public
/ schools. The star, In
the following editorial printed in its
issue of July 2, 1879, expresses itself
strongly on the matter Of the action
Of the trustees on the report of a spe-
cial committee named TO conduct q sur
vey and make recommendations:
THE school board had harmonious
meeting last night and made some
progress with the report Of the COM
mittee on course Of study and text
books The principle ,.1 NO =, ne st-,t text
out certain books from the list and
making them works of reference and
by dropping others altogether fewer
studies are provided. The ghost Of the
board seems happily to have loss Its
terrors for the trustees. II all the pro-
posed changes are discussed In the
same spirit the public can have no COM
plant to make In respect to the fair
ness OF the board. There is, however,
one matter growing out Of the past ac-
ton Of the trustees respecting the COM
mittees report which demands loud
protest, though the board itself need
not shoulder the blame. According to
the minutes Of the meeting for the
trustees on June "a. the following reso-
luton was adopted by vote Of g to Z,
in reference to the report Of the COM
mittee on course OF study:
That the recommendations OF the
committee Be now considered but that
all preceding thereto be regarded IS not
before the board, or any part Of its re-
port
resolution was tired Of the profitless
discussion that had sprung UP con-
corning the preamble, and desired to
end It in order that the specific recon-
mendAtion might be considered; the
':-c- passed this resolution and then
demanded Of the mover what he meant
by IL. It's effect, he thought, was to
strike out all OF the report preceding
the recommendation. As the latter
motion would be parliamentary, no
especial exception was taken by any
one Of the roundabout methods OF pre-
sentine It. The boards method OF
striking out part Of report by re-
solving to shut its eyee to the taet Aas
this part existed reminded one OF Mr..
rodsf1ap's habit OF loftily waving aside
by q motion OF his hand all unarswer-
able Arguments, and Was rather ANUS
ing. It appeared to be rather q good
Joke, But It turns out 10 be more seri.-
Gus. The secretary OF the board con.
strues the resolution to mean not only
that the board in adopting the report
struck out the preamble. but that it in
structed him to expunge from the min
utes OF preceding meeting, already ape
proved, the record of the fact that the
committee had presented q report con-
tanning such . preamble. In other
words. the record Is to- be talsified so
AZ TO make Il appear that at recent
meeting the committee on the course Of
study made one report. which was re-
ceived ana ordered to be printed. when
they really reported something else.
Nothing less than an unfnistakAble mo-
ion to expunge from the minutes should
be permitted to produce this effect.
rhe resolution as worded cannot be con-
strued Is the secretary would COM
strle 1t. We venture to assert that its
mover viii not assume the responsibility
for such intention as that With which
ne k cEsqlLsd;