Evening star., 1938-01-20
EQUIPMENT LOSS
GUSTS CHIEF Of
COL0RED CADETS
Board of Education Votes
to Retire Capt. Newman
After Warm Debate,
BLAME ALSO is LAID
ON FORMER EMPLOYE
Investigating Committee Holds
Tactics Teacher Responsible
However; Two Dissent.

BY vote Of So, the Board of Edu-
cation yesterday voted to retire Capt.
Arthur c. Newman, professor Of mill
tary science and tactics in divisions
1913, as Of January 81 in connection
with the loss Of about $1,000 worth Of
military equipment in the colored
cadet corps over the period of the past
10 years. 1t was made clear that the
primary fault for the losses lay with
former employe, now resigned.
The recommendation for retirement
was adopted only over the heated pro-
tests Of Col. West A. Hamilton, COL
ored board member, who cited Capt.
NeWman's length Of service In the
school system and his service record
as head Of the high school cadets.
This action may be legally right"
he declared, but it is not the spirit
OF the law. Capt. Newman has been
40 years in the school system as both
teacher and a principal before his
service with the cadets He was not
the caretaker of the military property
and his military service record is bet
ter than satisfactory, and yet you
ladies and gentlemen say this Is in
the public interest"
Quinn Fails to Vote.
Mrs. Mary Mcneil, a colored board
member, cast the other dissenting
vote because Of points Of procedure
with which I cannot concur" Henry
I. Quinn, lawyer member, declined to
vote because of lack OF familiarity with
the question.
The report of the boards Personnel
Committee which accompanied the
motion for retirement Of Capt. New
man declared that, on the basis Of
the report Of the Investigating Com
mittee appointed by First Assistant
Superintendent Garnet C. Wilkinson,
in charge Of colored schools, the re-
port Of the War Department, Third
Corps Area. and the statement Of fact
by DR.. wilkinson before the committee,
primary fault for the property loss lies
with former employe, who has re-
Gently resigned
The committee said the former en-
ploye should never have been per-
mitted to resign without reference Of
facts and circumstances to the COM
mittee, but should have been dis
charged, and that his case should be
referred by the superintendent to the
proper legal authorities for investiga-
ton and possible action, in accord with
the report of the Third Corps Area"
The report, however, added that
"had Capt. Newman properly dis
charged the duties and responsibilities
put on him as responsible and super
visory officer in charge in the field,
the losses of property would not have
occurred or would not at least have
been permitted to reach such propor-
tions as they did"
Wilkinson Criticized.
The committee also criticized DR..
Wilkinson for allowing "a system to
continue for many years which per-
mitted the various officers and en-
ployes in the military department Of
divisions 1913 to shift the RESPONSE
bilty In large measure from one to
another"
Through Col. Hamilton, Capt. New
man filed protest against his "invol-
untary retirement" He cited his long
service in varying parts Of the school
system and said that in the investiga-
ton Of the property loss by an Army
officer he was not held accountable
or responsible.
Robert Maurer. chairman Of the
Personnel Committee, told the board:
Never in my service on the Board
Of Education has the committee given
more attention to a matter or gone
into one more carefully"