Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-22
VAN SCiAICK GIVES SCHOOL
VIEWS TO INVESTIGATORS

Dr. Van Schaick. jr.. in his supple
mentary statement today before the
Senate committee investigating tho pub
lie schools. said in part:
mo appeal by q subordinate OF the
board to the Senate can stand for a
end of boards. the end OF all disci-
end of efficient government under Con-
gress in the District OF Columbia.
The best type of people would never
accept appointment upon the boards:
The worst type of people in the school
system would resist the authority OF
riors would be weakened In doing the
hard disagreeable but necessary duty
Of Kidding the school system Of the in
competent.
Future Status Cannot Enter.
I'm passing upon the good faith and
efficiency of the present board of ed
ucation and in proposing legislation
to make a better school system in the
District of Columbia, no question as
to the future status of Mr.. Thurston
and Mr.. Bruce can enter. These are
matters for the executive and not the
Legislative arm of the government
In making this assertion. DR.. Van
sSCIdlCR quoted tTdt part VI SA0
hearing in which Chairman sherman
said that Congress creates the places,
and ordinarily some other authority
usually in the executive department..
appoints the officers. Congress does
not undertake administrative func-
tons. 1t is purely a Legislative body"
Reply to Capt. Oyster.
Taking up the testimony of Capt
Oyster, DR.. Van Schaick said:
loI h1f 10
memory is defective.
Il do not deny talking with Oyster
about going back on the board. The
talk was purely informal. 1t was due
to oyster telling me how well he al
ways handled the negro problem
how he would have them down some
times thirty-five or fifty a day to his
bic with them.
Il told him laughingly we needed
him back on the board and asked him
if he would come back. He said he
would. He said, moreover, he was
most interested in Bruce-whatever I
did or didn't do with Thurston should
back up Bruce-that the crowd fight
ing Bruce was bad crowd. mainly
crooks, and I'd never go wrong IL l
supported Bruce's recommendations.
He said, moreover, he was disap-
pointed in Thurston-that Thurston
had no CUTS and he understood how l
felt about Thurston.
Il have not the slightest recollec-
ton of saying the public be damned
This much is absolutely sure. No
where in the realm of fact or fancy
could he have found an utterance
more foreign to my nature. more OPP
posed to my economic, political and
religious views than the public be
damned
My faith in the people, my trust
in them rather than in coteries like
that represented by Oyster, consti-
tutes the deep underlying objection
they have to me In any capacity.
Congratulated Capt. Oyster.
1T met Capt. Oyster on the street
not long ago. He had just been ap-
pointed as rent commissioner. Know
ing that he had been q candidate for
the position of District Commissioner,
knowing the disappointment which he
and his friends felt at his failure to
become Commissioner and also public
utilities commissioner, l fastened to
extend congratulations on his being
at any rate rent comm issioner.
Capt. Oyster held me talking some
ten minutes. He said he wanted me
confirmed-was for me--there was no
doubt / would be conflrmed-and as
soon as 1t happened he would have
me down to meet the members of the
Board of Trade-that they might
know what an able, fine fellow I was"
aFunAanentals 0sestieas."
DIR. Van Schaick said there are two
fundamental questions for decision
before the Senate committee. They
are. he said:
Il. Has the board Of education been
honest and efficient in the discharge
of its duty?
"2. Is the law under which 1t ope-
rates 4 wise law"
TN the opinion of the committee"
continued DR.. Van Schaick, "are the
members of the board who have APP
peared before them strong or weak
characters, interested in their du-
ties or uninterested?
IF they are strong people who have
been careless or indifferent and have
left everything to the president to
decide. or II they have been weak
characters dominated by him, then
the board as such has been incom-
petent.
Il rest this phase of the matter con-
fidenty upon the personalities of the
board members who have appeared
before this committee.
Refers to Direct Charges.
"A direct charge has been made af-
fecting the honesty of the president
VI the DodTu. 4Hdt H6 hCSeQ not from
considerations of the public good or
with desire to decide the question of
Mr.. Thurston's efficiency upon its
merits. but to punish Mr.. Thurston for
opposing legislation proposed by the
Commissioners.
Consider for q moment what is in
volved in this charge: That I aban-
don now my role of dictator and be-
come a tool; that for selfish personal
considerations. politics, or friendship,
or revenge, seek to discredit an able
public official, and jeopardize the
welfare of all the school children OF
Washington.
But that is not the most serious
phase of the matter. The charge is
made that ! came on the board for
that purpose. This involves the JUS
tees of the Supreme Court OF the
District of Columbia.
Mr.. Blair stated that in his opin-
ion he was not reappointed because
of opposition to legislation proposed
by the Commissioners. I succeeded
Mr.. Blair.
Makes Positive Statement.
II now desire to put into the rec
ord this statement: That neither any
i,,Stice nor Con-, jaafopar nor eY-fuz,