The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-19
hot FIGHT COMING IN
BOARD OF EDUCATION
President Churchill May BE OPP
posed by DR.. Abraham
Flexner.
TWO FORCES WILL LINE UP
"Progressives" and "ReactiOn.
aries" Would Shape Policies
Outside Influence.

The annual meeting Of the Board Of
Educa ton will be held two weeks from
to-day and test OF the comparative
strength Of the progressives and the re.
dictionaries IN the board will take place
when the members vote for president OF
the board. the position now occupied by
Thomas w Churchill. The probable can
didates Will be Mr.. Churchill and Or.
Abraham Flexner. recently appointed a
member OF the board.
Around Mr. Churchill are gathered
those members OF the board who stand
for what is characterized as progress In
the public school system. That was tho
slogan OF the school campaign year
ago when Mr.. Churchill ran for president
In opposition 10 Eserton L. Winthrop.
who had held the position for seven years
The progressives won then by small
majority.
The same issue is az the front this
year, accumulated by the outside attack
upon the school administration.
II has been pointed out by one OF the
school commissioners that most OF the
outside critics were we'll paid for their
labors by checks on the city treasury.
There was at leas. one point on which
the critics agreed and that was that the
school system OF tho city is all wrong
they advise a reconstruction In many de-
partments Of educational work Who will
dominate the work of reconstruction?
The selection OF a president Is expected
to determine that. The partisans of
Mr.. Churchill take great comfort from
this View OF the pressing necessity of I'm
proving the service. ms they say that they
| stand for progress In the educational
work of the department. as opposed 10
reactionaries who hold fast to the pro-
visions OF the city Charter that went into
effect when the Ave boroughs were con-
solidated.
Mr.. Churchill hopes through tho ballots
OF his fellow members TO be indicated of
the savage attack made upon his admin
istration. His reelection would also show
| that the progressive idea has obtained a
permanent foothold among the members
! Of the board.
On November Is last petition was
| sent TO Mayor Kline asking him not 20 re-
| appoint Thomas w. Churchill. whose term
expired at the end OF the year. This Pc
tition was signed by Seth Low, Presiden-
| Nicholas Murray Butler OF Counl bia, DR.
Abraham Flexner. Henry w. TAFT. Prof
| Felix Adler. Felix Warburg. Frederic X
Coudert, Otto Barnard and seven othe,
, prominent men.
An odd feature OF the present campaign
| Is the faCt that Abraham Flexner. who
signed the petition for Mr.. Churchill,
elimination. IL now a member OF the
Board Of Education. having been ap
pointed last month. He was present al
the meeting last week but took no part 4r
the debates.
1t Is reported that the opposition to tn,
election of the present chairman will pu
forward DR.. F1exner as Il rival candidat,
| at the election. So far as has been dis
closed these will he the only candidates.
The chairman has the selection OF IN.
various committees among which IL di
vided the various activities such az tn.
selection OF school sites. the purchase u
supplies. the construction OF buildings anl
other important affairs. The chairman
ships OF some OF the committees are mucl
| sought after.