Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-29
GILLIGAN STANDS BY CHARGE
ON READING BALLOU'S LETTER
Says Failure to Forward
Teachers Proposal Viola
ton of Rules.
Ball0u Denies RefusaI-Says
He Felt Move
"UnWiSe."

1
Shown q copy Of DR.. Frank w. Bal.
LOUIS letter to Miss Catharine watkins
In which, he charged at yesterday,
school board meeting, the superintend-
emit OF schools had forbidden" the d.
| rector OF ktndergartens to appear be.
fore the Board of Education on behalf
Of her department, Henry L. Gilligan
| board member, today stood by his accu-
sations by citing a school board rule
which, he contended, DR.. Ballou had
violated.
The school board rule which Mr.
Giligan quoted specifies that:
All communications to the Board OF
Education from any of its employees
shall be transmitted in regular order
to the superintendent of schools, who
shall present the same to the board
with or without his approval"
In withholding Miss Watkins letter
to DR.. Charles F. Carusi, president of
the board, in which she had asked per-
mission to address the board on the
under-age kindergartens and had re-
quested DR.. Ballou's approval of her
request, Mr.. Gilligan insisted today
That Ballou had not carried out the
specific directions of the board. In
charged that teachers were scared to
death" to appeal to the Board of Edu-
cation on any matter of school BUSH
ness and he blamed DR.. Ballou for the
situation.
Says Others Complain.
Gilligan said he had been told by
persons other than Miss Watkins"
that DR.. Ballou had forbidden" her
to speak before the board on the
kindergarten reorganization which Rep
resentative Robert G. Simmons of
Nebraska proposed during the hearings
on the 1881 appropriation bill by the
subcommittee of the House appropria-
tons committee.
"If that's So" Gilligan declared. "I
don't like it, Is it SOP"
Miss Watkins asked my advice and
Involvement for thing she wanted to
do," DR.. Ballou replied. I'm my capac-
ity as superintendent, advised against
it. Miss Watkins didn't have to ACCEPT
my advice, but she did. She had a
right to appeal directly to this board !"
Yes, and If she had" Gilligan re-
torted. I'D like to know where she
would stand" Continuing, Gillinan in
sisted every teacher in the system Is
fearful Of DIR. Ballou and the conse-
quences OF crossing him. Carusi en-
tered the discussion at this juncture to
assert the only way to eliminate this
fear" OF subordinate for superior us to
change human nature"
Board Representative.
Gilligan continued:
This board is representative Of the
District OF Columbia citizens in any
matters pertaining to the schools and
1t Is representative of the teachers, too,
In their differences with the admin
tstration. This kindergarten situation
has never been acted upon by the
board and it has never been discussed
publicly because the superintendent adj
v1Ses against it. When was told Miss
Watkins was not allowed to come here,
it made by blood boil!"
DIR. Ballou's voice rose when he said: .
Lets get this story straight now:
Miss Watkins was not told she could
not come here; she was advised it was
not wise!"
The argument was closed when Gill;
gan declared he would like to see the
correspondence and get the facts"
''If that shows what DR.. Ballou says,
I viii apologize gladly" he asserted.
DR.. Ballou's letter to Miss Watkins
in which Gilligan charged he had
forbidden" the kindergarten director
W AQuI ccS tIlC OOdIQ WIS HlHQ6 puDllC
by DR.. Ballou. It follows:
BalIou's Letter.
MY Dear Miss watkins:
"I have received your letter Of April
%, 1890. accompanied by q letter ad-
dressed to the president Of the Board
of Education, In which you request
Of the president of the board the privi-
Nf he 81 80
Education on the subject of 'Underage
KindergartenS.' You ask my approval
Of this request, and that I forward
said approval to the president of the
board along with the letter addressed
to him by you.
1.-THE matter Of underage kinder
gartenS Is not at present under dis
cussion by the Board Of Education
Neither Is the subject of the reorgani-
zation OF kindergartens now before the
board. In view Of the differences be-
tween the House and the Senate regard
ing the matter of kindergartens, 1t
seems to me inappropriate for the
school officials to bring this matter
to the attention of the Board of Edu-
cation at this time.
When the appropriation bill for 1881
shall have become law it may be de-
sirable for the school officials to formu-
late report for the consideration of
the board on the matter of our kinder
gartens. During the formulation of
that program by the superintendent and
his associates you and Miss Wormley
and any others especially interested in
the kindergartens will be given ample
opportunity to present your views.
When the report of the superinten-
dent and his associates is before the
Board of Education, the superintendent
and the board may desire to have you
and Miss Wormley appear before the
board. If so, am sure that either the
superintendent or the board will be
glad to invite the directors of kinder