Evening star., 1939-06-13
DR.. Smith Plans
To Present Her
Defense Today
Ousted School Head
Unable to Estimate
Time Required

DR.. Carrie Weaver Smith planned
to testify in her own defense today
to answer the charges of more than
q score Of witnesses who have ap-
peared at public hearings before
the Commissioners on her summary
dismissal as superintendent of the
National Training School for Girls
in October, 1887.
The hearings were to be resumed
at 2 pm. in the board room of the
District Building. Just how long
the hearings will continue is prob
lematical. At the conclusion of yes
terday's session, Assistant Corpora
tion Counsel Oliver Gasch asked DR..
Smith how much time she would
require for her testimony, but the
former superintendent said she
couldn't say.
There have been many charges
made against me by the "a wit
nesses you called" she told Mr..
Gasch, land I just can't say how
long 1t will take me to answer them,
LAS matter of fact" she added,
laughing, there's been so much said
against me that it's a wonder the
Board of Public Welfare didn't hang
me instead of just firing me-"
Five witnesses called by DR.. Smith
gave their testimony at yesterdays
hearing. Among them was the Rev.
Charles Warner, rector Of st. AL
bans Church, who has been con-
Quoting monthly services at the
training school for 80 years.
Discipline Now Good.
DR.. Smith asked the minister If
his activities at the school had
been curtailed in any way during
her regime. DR.. Warner replied in
the negative. He then testified that
order and discipline among the in
mates of the institution had not
been as good under DR.. Smiths ad-
ministration as it had been under
her predecessors but that it was
very bad" after DR.. Smith was dis
missed. In response to a question
by Mr.. Gasch, DR.. Warner said
discipline at the institution was very
good at the present time.
Another witness, Mrs. Charles
Weston, vice president of the Vote.
less D. c. League Of Women Voters,
testified that she believed the train.
ing school was inefficient before DR..
Smith was appointed superinten.
dent. She also protested that DR..
Smiths summary dismissal was con-
trary to the principle embodied in
the merit system, because she was
discharged without notice, charges
or hearing
During the course of Mrs. Wes-
tons testimony, DR.. Smith produced
book written by Elwood Street.
until recently director of the Board
of Public Welfare, in which he said
that employees in social service are
always entitled to support OF their
superior officers and must not be
fired without warning, opportunity
to improve, conferences, a hearing
and notice.
Testimony on Disease.
Two other witnesses gave testi-
mony concerning methods of testing
for and treating venereal diseases.
They were DR.. John E. Noble, bac.
teriologist in charge of the Health
Departments laboratory. and DR..
Thomas c. Thompson. director Of
the Health Departments social ny.
giene clinic.
1t has been testified at previous
hearings that DR.. Smith, while serv-
ing as superintendent, had per-
mitted girls with active venereal
diseases to enter domestic service
in private homes.
Ray H. Everett, executive secre-
tary OF the Social Hygiene Society
OF Washington, the first witness yes
terday, testified that conditions ex.
lstlng at the institution when DR..
Smith became superintendent had
made her job very difficult one.
Asked by the former superintendent
II he thought she should be blamed
for the bad management of her
predecessors, Mr.. Everett said: I'VE
all know that the person in charge
always receives the blame"
In response to another question,
Mr.. Everett said he believed that
as a general rule, force doesn't do
any particular good in the treat
ment OF girls with abnormal ten
dencies. He said many of the
methods used by DR.. Smith in ham
ding these cases, such as kindness.
sex hygiene, education, instruction
and personal conferences, were pro-
ductive of some results.