Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-18
AFTER SCHOOL HEAD
Mayor of Baltimore Demands
Superintendent to Resign.
SYSTEM Is DEM0RALIZED
Takes Stand That It Is Only Course
Which Will Restore Harmony.
POLITICS." SAYS OPPOSITION
Declare Executive and His Followers
Seek Control to Swing Into
Old Spells System.
,ccial DIsnafch 70 The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
BALTIMORE, Nd, June 1T.-Mayor
Preston has decided to bring about har-
mony in the school system of Baltimore
city, and with this end in view has made
demand upon the school board that
Supt. James H. Van Sickle be removed.
The majority of the members OF the
board held meeting last night and de-
cided to resist the effort of the mayor
to Dust Van Sickle.
Wednesday last the mayor had a con-
ference with the school commissioners
and made II plain that the conditions ex-
listing and which have prevailed in the
schools here for some time are intol-
cradle, in his judgment, and tend to de-
morahZe children and teachers. He Is
disposed 10 give the superintendent credit
for much good work, but he is convinced
that harmony between the teachers and
the supervisory officers must exist, and.
in his opinion, the relations are SO
strained that 1t is a forlorn hope to eX-
pect that this condition can be brought
about with the present officials.
Hint to Seek New Job.
Mayor Preston gave the commissioners
a hint that now the summer recess Is at
hand IL would be well for Mr.. Van Sickle
to seek another job. Whether the super
intendent was right or wrong In his
viewpoint of the Baltimore school situa-
ton, the mayor made 1t clear that Mr..
Van Sickle was the bone of contention.
and that conditions in the school system
could not be materially improved with
Mr.. Van Sickle at its head.
The mayor also indicated that il posi-
BILE to find the right man he would prefer
Baltimorean to be the successor to
Supt. Van Sickle.
Commissioner Robert NJ. Rother at
tackled the motives OF Mayor Preston.
It's an attempt to seize the Baltimore
school system for political ends. and to
swing in the old spells system" he said
Van Sickle is only the scapegoat to
cover former blunders by man sup
posed to be his friend The mayor gave
us two weeks to answer-and he'll get
1t before that.
ITS nothing but politics. Don't you
suppose we see It? They--the mayor and
the politicians-want to bring back the
old system. The good old days." Mr.
Rother continued, when things were
wide open and went by spoils. The
teachers are being used only as blind"
won't Be Any designations"
Mr.. Rother def1ed the mayor and stated
that he would not resign. There won't
be any designations, he added.
There is hardly any doubt but that the
fight in the schools will come to
crisis soon after the receipt of the re-
port OF the experts appointed to probe
the school system. The report will be
here next week. and the opinion prevails
in some circles that 1t will call attention
to the strained relations between the
teachers and the supervisory officers
and recommend that efforts be made to
bring about harmony.
Soon after the receipt of this report,
1t is understood. the mayor will call an
other meeting of the members of the
board and force them to take the only
logical step. In his judgment, to bring
about this state of affairs.
It Is an open question whether Mr..
Van Sickle and his friends on the board
and elsewhere Will make a fight for re-
tention. The superintendent refuses to
discuss the case and has given no one
any inklng of what his future course
will be.