DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - NEWSPAPERS - School News ----¤¤¤¤---- This file is part of the DCGenWeb Archives Project: http://www.usgwarchives.net/dc/dcfiles.htm ********************************************* http://www.usgwarchives.net/dc/dcfiles.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************* Contributed to The USGenWeb Archives Project by: Barbara & Dave (barbara-dave@adelphia.net) ------------------------------------------------- Washington Post April 4, 1912 Page 1 PUPILS ROB SCHOOL Board Asks New Law to Catch Junk Dealer Accomplices. TAKE BOOKS AND SUPPLIES Students Cause a Heavy Loss by Thefts, Declares Oyster. Principal Evans, of Armstrong Manual, Latest Official to Complain—A. A. Doolittle Sues to Compel His Promotion—Women Object to Summonses Being Served on Them, and Board Relieves Them—Boys Lose Appeal. Aroused by the growing tendency of some school pupils to sell their school supplies, and sometimes the supplies of others, the board of education, at its meeting yesterday afternoon, decided to ask the District commissioners to frame a police regulation placing junk dealers on the same basis as pawn brokers, and requiring them to make daily reports to the police. President James F. Oyster urged some action, declaring that the schools have suffered large losses recently due to pupils selling all sorts of school property to junk dealers and that some method should be found to stop the depredations of the pupils. Principal W. B. Evans, of the Armstrong Manual Training School, brought the question before the board in a letter, saying that pupils of his school had been selling things to junk dealers and asking that the board request Congress to .pass legislation to put an end to the scandal. The board decided that the question should be referred to the District commissioners. "This thing must be finally controlled," said Mr. Oyster. "We have had no end of trouble recently because pupils have sold all kinds of school supplies to junk dealers. The main trouble has been at the McKinley Manual Training School, but other schools have been affected, too. It has been discovered that a number of junk dealers along Seventh street have been buying things from the pupils. The result has been a great loss to the schools." I This action comes as an aftermath to discoveries made by Principal Daniel, of the McKinley Manual Training School, several months ago that books and supplies were being stolen from pupils. Similar discoveries were made in other schools. In several instances overcoats were taken. The principals of the schools issued warnings that the thefts must stop. No thefts have been reported to the police recently. It is the belief of the board that if a police regulation requiring junk dealers to make daily reports of the articles bought is put into effect, it will be easy to catch pupils who sell supplies and punish them. Under the present system it is claimed that the pupils have no trouble selling things, and that it is practically impossible to catch them. Women Avoid Summons. The women members of the board were disconcerted yesterday when Secretary Hine read a letter from A. R. Severn and R. W. Joyce, attorneys for A. A. Doolittle, a teacher in Central High School, containing a notice that a suit had been filed in the District Supreme Court to compel the board and Superintendent of Schools Davidson to promote him. The board was notified that tomorrow all the members would be served with summons in the suit. Mrs. Ellen Spencer Musser and Mrs. Harris declared that they did not want a United States marshal chasing them around the city with a summons to appear in court. Out of courtesy to the women, the board designated President Oyster to receive all the summonses. The case dates back to 1907, when William E. Chancellor was superintendent of the District public schools. At that time notices were issued that an examination would be held to fill a vacancy then existing in group B, class 6, and setting forth the conditions. Mr. Doolittle took the examination, receiving a grade of 75 per cent and claimed that he should be promoted. Dr. Chancellor held that investigation showed that Mr. Doolittle had not fulfilled the requirements necessary to take the examination, and that therefore his mark should be ignored. He refused to promote him. Subsequently Mr. Doolittle made similar requests to Superintendent A. T. Stuart, and finally to Superintendent Davidson. Each upheld Dr. Chancellor . Students Lose Appeal. Charges by Irving Frank and John E. Eckert, students in the Business High School, that they had been discriminated against in the matter of appointments as cadet officers by Principal Allan Davis and Charles Hart, faculty military director, will be formally dismissed as groundless at the next meeting of the board. The military committee was ready with a report yesterday, but it was not presented because E. H. Daniel, a member of the committee, had not had a chance to read it. The District health officer and Supervising Principal J. E. Walker reported that two wells formerly used by the pupils at the Garfield School are in bad condition. The matter will be taken up with the District commissioners. The Easter holidays will begin at the closing of the schools this afternoon, and will last until April 1?[5 or 8]. Changes in the Force. The following appointments, promotions, and other changes were ordered: Accept resignation of Miss L. E. Lumpkins, teacher, third grade, Payne, and transfer Miss M. E. Fleming, teacher, third grade, from Banneker to Payne. Promote R. H. Ashton from second to third grade, and transfer from Logan to Banneker; transfer Miss H. N. Gordon, teacher, second grade, from Smothers to Logan, and appoint Miss R. M. Grimshaw, teacher, second grade, and assign to Smothers. Promote Miss J. E. Brooks from seventh to eighth grade; Miss R. B. Wilkinson from teacher second grade, to teacher domestic art; Miss M. F. Quander from the fourth to sixth; Miss M. F. Tyson from second to third; J. P. Gillem from fourth to seventh; T. R. Holmes from second to third; W. D. Nixon, teacher of drawing in the M Street High School, from class four to class five; Miss S. C. Ulrich from teacher eighth, to teacher of German and English in Central High; Miss B. D. Randall from teacher of music in graded schools to teacher of music in Normal School No. 1. Extend of leave of absence of Miss Blanch Street for one month on account of illness. Accept resignation of S. L. Tatspaugh, janitor, Toner; transfer J. H. Swain, janitor, from Eaton to Toner, and appoint P. G. Sweet janitor of Eaton. Accept resignation of Miss C. I. Dunn, and appoint Miss M. E. Coggins as teacher of the first grade at Gage. Grant leave of absence to Mrs. D. S. Colson, teacher of drawing in the graded schools. Transfer Miss D. B. Kalb from teacher third grade, Ross School, to teacher of drawing in graded schools. Appoint Miss J. H. Cornell as substitute teacher elementary and high schools.