New-York tribune., 1918-04-16
Education Board
alks 3 Hours, but
Can't Pick Nominee
No Definite Action on Su.
perintendent, Says
Somers

After spending more than three
hours and half in executive session
discussing educators qualified to fill the
] position of Superintendent of Schools
tor New York City the Board of Edu-
cation adjourned last night with the
announcement that no definite action
had been taken.
President Arthur S. Somers, speak
ing for the board, said no action could
be taken, as no candidates had been
nominated. The matter of selecting q
superintendent was still in the pre-
llminary stages, he declared, and sew
eral meetings might be held before an
election was reached
But we discussed the qualification
OF nearly every candidate that has been
mentioned" said Mr.. Somers Several
OF the members of the board had copies
OF The Sunday Tribune before them,
looking over the list of men picke d
there for the superintendency by lead
ing educators"
Mr. Somers said no particular man
IN the llsJ of possible candidates re-
ce!ved any preferential mention. He
was asked if William T. Ettinger and
Edward B. Shallow were still the
favored candidates. Mr. Somers re-
Piled that he did not know either of
them had ever been a favored choice.
He said DR.. John H. Finley, state COM
missioner Of education, and William R.
hearst received no special attention
from board members.
The meeting itself was alright. Onlv
the seven members of the board were
stenographer was permitted in the
chamber
When Mr.. Somcrs was told that the
public was deeply interested in what
the members of the board were doing,
he said the board had to discuss candi-
dates in private, and that the city had
lntrusted the board with the task Of
picking he best man available. This
he said, the board was earnestly trying
to do.
Other members of the board would
give US no details. Mrs. Isaac Russell,
of Brooklyn, said the members had
agreed to say nothing further than that
they had been talking over the qualifi-
cations of educators.
We have mighty serious question
before u.s. said Frank D. Wilsey, mem
Der from The Bronx. eve are going to
take our time about selecting a super
AA'SS1NSA4e SAA'N P4Nh viz DSo1 man we
can get. l might say that to-day we
discussed policies of education as much
as the men for the position"
"But why does the board have to
handle such matters in executive ses-
sion ?" Mr.. Wilsey was aked. "You are
selecting a man for public Office. Why
can't you discuss the candidates in the
oren just as political candidates are
discussed before election"
"In the first place, don't know that
there is single candidate for the
Office of superintendent of schools" f"
said Mr.. Wilsey. eve may offer the
position to man who may refuse it..
We can't discuss men in responsible
public positions as educators in the
open. advertise them before the pub
lic."
The board meets again tomorrow,
but, according to Mr.. Somers, no nomi-
nations will be made then nor at the
meeting on Friday, which has been
called for the special purpose of dis
cussng teachers salaries. Mr.. Somers
said that according to parliamentary
rules notice of forty eight hours had
to be given to members before nomi-
nations were made at regular meet
ing. Following the nomination the
board. sitting as a committee Of the
whole, will recommend choice to the
board itself, which will then take the
final vote on a superintendent.