Evening star., 1920-05-27

ia the hlgheSC terms OF MS QudilhSd-
I ticns special fitness and splendid
service. as superintendent
But almost from the entrance OF
/ Vam Sch aick on the board\a concerted
! a nd com;tant opposition to- the super
| intendeut arose and from L916 down
! to the present day those members of
! the boaEd who had supported the
policies on Thurston and had voted for
his recollection were opposen by tne
dominating influence of Dr. van
Schaick. denied reappointment ana
\ others more in harmony with the
views and\ policies of Van Schalck
were appointed in their stead Thus'
by the process of elimination IN tne
| course Of four years the personnel OF
a board that was formerly practically
united. working inn harmony and CO.
operation with the superintendent, is
changed to one of dominating factlon,
which encroaches upon the authority
( of the superintendent, refuses TO work
Tin harmony and opposes his re-elec-
/ tion. The hearings disclosed the TACT
that many of those members VINO op-
| pfNsetf the elecz ion of Van Schaick as
president and voted for the re-e,ec
tom. of Thurston as superin'enoen.
| wereS attacked by Van Scfnaick in
| writtn and oral communications 10
| the appointing power ana names were
suggested by the same Van ScnalcK
1 to the same appointing power 10 MI
/ their places.
Vf11A1;e ParSOnsS POSAf1On.
| "In, history, in fiction and on the
| screen we have been delighted to
read and see. the village parson in
| his modest. simple way preaching the
word of theelowly Nazarene. and ex-
erting every influence in bringing con-
| tentment to his community ana
working constantly for the upn1t ana
moral betterment of humanity. That
character impresses and inspires us!
SO different is he from the storm
center of this school row:
For years he exercised the good
influence of his high and noble
position impressing. on his congre-
CATION and friends the imprint of his
strong character. Frightening the
world and making humanity better.
! but dissatisfied with this command
| ing and righteous position. 1nocu-.
! Ia ted with the political virus. we, see
him first emerging from the quiet,
and secluded pulpit to enter the more
active and. apparently to him. more
| interesting place on the school board
I'VE see him first becoming so much
Nabsorbed in his new duties tnat out
1nf his own pocket he employs sub
st.tute in. his church and finally de-
| sSrting the holy place to engage In
the<-eal activities OF. political life.
| "TH those of us who understand his
peculiAr characteristics, his. domina-
ting deposition. his impulsive tenn
l nera menhsl lity, his strong intellect
and ambshous proclivities comes the
! lrealization%that he would not have
| been contenA to have remained
modest menAb,r of the board. but
would have desired to be it's presi-
dent.
either as a membe. OF the Doaro OF
iitical position in. thA District of Co
i lumbia; was revealed t,hroughout the
hearing. Let me cits some of the
instances.
/ search for New SchooA Head.
Although he stated that when he
| went on the board, so far as hurston
l was concerned. he Approximately WIN
1 an open mind and friendly dispcs, tlon.
yet 1t was only within a few mh'ths
after becoming member of the boa~d.
\ in the early part of 1917, that withoAt
any authority from the board he waSs
seeking new superfntendent at the
] National Educators Association con-
4 vention in Kansas City. and wrote to
the Supreme Court judges touching the
lre-election of Mr.. Thurston.
! His action in giving letters to
| Moens. that impostor. and, as the evil
dence disclosed in his trial, moral per-
lvert and degenerate to visit the schools
of Washington so that he'might carry
| on hfs nefarious work in the pretended
study of anthropofogy. that eliminated
Ill Ills pHOlOSTdpHfIlS SCuOOi CHlIQTeH
and casting suspicion on some of the
teaching force and shame on the
schools of the District. was a reflection
on his good judgment and an iIiustra-
tion of his -usurpation of power. Moth
ing could have happened in the colored
1 schools more calculated to arouse the
best class of the negro population,
cause resentment and dignation upon
their part. than the revelations in the
1 Moens investigation and trial touch
inn Uroc ,, inn tan 0in
Il Action In Bruce- Case.
His, appointment Of subcommittee
of theS board to investigate Bruce.
preferred, and his attempt to influence
the action of the board by comforting
with the chairman Of the committee
making the investigation, finding fault
with certain witnesses. criticising the.
testimony and the actions of certain
members of the committee, reflects
upon his sense of justice, and is indie
ative of his dominating disposition"
Senator Harrison discussed various
other members of the board. Mrs. Ger
ry he described as DR.. Van Schaick's
"chief lieutenant" who looked after
his interests while he was in Europe.
Mrs. Cook. Senator Harrison said, had
joined with Van Schaick against
Thurston in osder to obtain greater
authority for Bruce, the assistant su-
iperintendent for the colored schools
Van Schaick had but to whistle;
isaid Senator Harrison, land from
every hedge and thorn there started
, up his followers like those of Rod
; erick Dhu."
Mrs Susie Root Rhodes, Senator
, Harrison said. he had known for
. seven years and highly respected. but
III she was ,prejudiced. against Thurston
Il He quoted letter from Van Schaiclc
to former Commissioner Newman. in
which the president of the board said !:
Her venom against Thurston em.
the important matter of Thurston as
superintendent"
DIR. J. Hayden J6lhnSon. SAnaYor
Harrison described as .another foIIow-
err on the board of Van Schaick. Sen.
ri ator Harrison said that johnson knarr
3 no more about the school system of The
District than he knew of tthe neh,IIa :
! hypothesis.
DR.. Lenrned's Position,
5 "Dr. Learned. member of the
I board. was but tool in the hands of
ell Van Schaick." continued Senator Har-
: irison. He charged that Learned. as
: an agent of the Departm emf of JUS
\ Itice. had known more about the Moens
and Charlotte Hunter cases than anv
other man except the disSrict attor-
I !ney and that Learned had been re-
lsponsible for the retention of Char
< lotte Hunter SO long as THE teacher
e in the colored schools, after it was
d known that she was aiding Moens
TO obtain subjects for photofyEaphing,
g Learned, he said, had atteEnptesf to
h shift the blame to Thurston..
Il Learned said it was thei Moens
e Icase that turned him against sThurus
hSton." said Senator Harrison
: The stormy petrol of the $.entire