Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-17
'CRAS. :. DR|LLES CHOSEN
To Be Principal Of The Washington
District Public School.

III Dc IfiuUtpal VI tHS washington
District Public School.
A Eittar Fight in the Board OF
Education Last Night-Tne Min
ority Report Recaivsd tho Entire
Vote Of tao Beard WITH the Elk
ception Of Tnoss Signing the Ma
jority Report.
There was bitter fight in the
Board of Education last night over
the selection of principal for Wash
ipgton district public school, to sue
ceed Miss Martha Harper, whose resig-
nation to take effect January LIST, has
Leen offered and accepted. The lccal
commissioners, Messrs. Frank Stanton,
DIR. Birney and Charles Noble, each
had a candidate at their first meeting.
Dr. Birney and Mr.. Noble agreed upon
Prof w. D. Butcher, and presented a
report last night recommending him
for the place. Mr. Stanton presented
a minority report favorIng Prof. Chas.
S. Brilles. The Board adopted the
minority report, Messrs. Birney and
Noble alone voting for their candidate.
When the two reports were read,
Mr.. Buchanan moved to accept the
minority. Mr.. Stanton spoke on the
motion. commencing Mr.. Brilles, and
stating that he would not favor going
elsewhere for a man when thoroughly
competent teachers could be secured
at home.
Mr. Noble called attention to the
law bearing upon the matter. Accord
ing to his construction of it, the local
commissioners alone had the appoint
ing power.
Mr. Buchanan replied. He main
tanned that one local commissioner,
under Mr.. Mobiles construction Of the
law would be non-entity, and he held
that the law contemplated nothing of
the sort. If the three were dead
locked it would be necessary, under
Mr.. Mobiles rule, to close the school,
Mr.. Noble. replied at some length,
and with some feeling. He admitted
that the appointments of local COM
missioners are subject to approval by
the Board, but held that the Board
does not have the appointing power
He told of the meetings of the local
commissioners, and stated that Prof.
Brilles had never made application to
either himself or DR.. Birney. He was
in position to know the sentiment of
the people in Washington district, and
he knew it was against Brilles. He
had acted for what he regarded as the
best interests of the school, and he
warned the Board that the election or
Brilles would precipitate constant
wrangling and would seriously injure
the school. He said everything had
moved smoothly until within ten
hours, when the forces of the oppo-
sition were set at work, and all sorts
of stories were put in circulation He
branded as a falsehood the charge that
he was actuated in the course he pur-
sued, by religious prejudice. He sent
to the desk and had read by the clerk,
number of testimonials Of Prof.
Butcher
Mr.. Stanton took the floor, and
stated that it was sometimes d good
thing to let the Office seek the man.
He was not convinced that any of the
candidates is a more suitable man for
the place than Prof Brilles, and he
had acted throughout from conscien-
tious motives. He read a strong en-
dorsement OF Prof. Brilles, written by
Prof. John M. Birch, and stated that
Prof. Brilles was a graduate Of the
Wheeling public schools, of the Linsly
Institute, and of Wooster, O., Uni
versity.
Mr.. Buchanan assured Mr. Noble that
there would be no contention in Wash
ington school, as Prof. Brilles is a
harmonizer. He was q quiet, unas-
Stunning, and an exemplary young man.
DR.. Birney regretted that the fight
had been brought into the Board. He
had talked to number Of people in
the North End, and found only one
favorable to Brilles-until yesterday,
when a number of persons called to
see him and urged the selection Of
Brilles for political reasons He char
acterized the minority report as a
political dodge. Those who called to
see him (Birney) argued that the Sc
lection of Butcher would injure the
party. He deprecated the fact
that politics had been brought into the
Board CT Education. He had high
estimate Of Brilles, and was surprised
at him permitting himself to be drag
ged into it. To confirm the minority
report, he declared would put the
Board on a level with the pot-house
politicians.
MIR. Noble inquired why Prof. Brilles
was not taken for the Island or the