The Washington times., 1919-12-10
CONTINUED from First Page.)

opinions and rights of others which,
l do not imagine, are called for, to
the same degree, in administering
the affairs of your congregation.
Naturally, it might be feared that
preacher, as Commissioner, might
be too straight-laced, too narrow. In
his views as to how the public con-
ducts itself; that he might attempt
to force upon>the community code
or set of principals governing per-
sonal conduct which he believed
proper, or which were conceded to
be proper for church, but which the
community (or a vast majority
thereof) might find decidedly repug-
nant.
In a nutshell, isn't that the train
of thought that arises in the average
mind when the news is flashed that
DR.. Van Schaick, formerly a preach
er, is to be appointed District COM
missioner?
In discussing that question I'm
going to take you behind the scenes
for minute or two. Several years
ago there was a vacancy on the
Board of Charities of the District Of
Columbia. That is board, appoint
ed by the President, which serves as
advisory to the District Commits
sioners on all matters pertaining to
charities and corrections, hospitals,
jails, reformatories, etc. The Presi-
dent asked the Commissioners to
suggest some one to put on that
board, and after a thorough canvas
of the town we suggested DR.. Van
Schaick.
The other members Of the Board
of Charities were very skeptical
about having a preacher on that
kind of job, which called for broad
mindedness, common sense, compass
sion, tolerance, judgment, diplomacy
and business ability.
Pretty Good Testimonial.
At the end of six months they de-
clared Van Schaick the best qualified
man for the job they had ever seen.
Time went on and vacancy came
on the Board of Education. The
Commissioners and the members of
the Board of Charities other than
DR.. Van Schaick, all Of whom had
seen Van Schaick- in operation and
discovered his boundless energy,
observation-disclosures, tact and business
acumen, joined in recommendation
to the Judge of the Supreme Court
of the District of Columbia that Van
Schaick be appointed on the School
Board.
The judges were skeptical, be-
cause they feared a preacher would
be too narrow for that kind of a job,
but they accepted our judgment, and
within a few months were stronger
in their praise of DR.. Van Schaick
than we had been.
Few men are fortunate enough to
possess such large number of the
important qualifications that Dis
trict Commissioner ought to have as
are possessed by DR.. Van Schaick.
First, there is his long residence in
Washington. He Came here in 1900
and from the very first dug into
civic affairs and gave, and gave, and
gave, of time, energy and money in
the service of his city, on any hard
job that was put up to him, no mat
ter how difficult or how discouraging.
He knows the town up one side
and down the other, northwest, north
east, southwest and southeast. He
knows the business interests Of the
city; who is who and what is what.
He is thoroughly familiar with the
little groups and combinations of all
kind; social, civic, commercial and
political.
He knows the geography Of his
town like he knows his own yard
of his comfortable old home on High
land Terrace, No. 1417 (Which he
has owned and lived in for years.
in that row of interesting looking,
brown houses on the north side of
Massachusetts avenue between Four
teenth and Fifteenth, where Sena-
tors Cullom and Dolliver lived and
died.
A Washington Man.
Van Schaick is thoroughly and COM
pletely local; grounded and rooted in
the soil of the District. He is slated
for membership in the Association OF
Oldest Inhabitants eventually. He
knows everybody in Washington, rel
atively speaking. He knows the citi-
zens' associations and the leaders in
them-all of them, white and black.
from Reno to Congress Heights and
from West End to Piney Branch.
He knows the Board of Trade and
the Chamber of Commerce, and every
department head in the District build
ing, as well as msIy of the subordi-