The Washington herald., 1920-03-10

He lacks quickness and posit-
iveness of decision"
He lacks ability to delegate
He lacks courage in difficult
situations.
He is not forceful enough to
| be a leader-and he is too timid
and procrastinating and suspici-
Gus to succeed as a city superin-
tendent."
These are come Of the charges
Ieveled at Superintendent of Schools
Ernest L. Thurston by DR.. John Van
Schaick. president OF the school
board. testifying yesterday before
the special Senate Committee to In
vestigate the school situation in the
District.
I'VE had no desire to wound him
| unnecessarily" said avn Schaick
explaining why the board had not
| called Thurston into conference
when it decided to notify him he
would not De re-electeu-
The hearing yesterday ocupiecd
two hours. from 10 o'clock until
noon. While the committee expects
later to hold hearings both in the
mornings and afternoons, the criti-
cal situation in the Senate in regard
to the peace treaty. renders that
course inadvisable for the present.
members Of the committee said.
Thurston To Testify.
Upon the conclusion OF Van
Schaick's. testimony. other members
of the school board probably will be
called. after which Ernest l. Thurs
ton, superintendt of schools, will be
given a chance to presnt his side of
the story. Senator Henderson, of
Nevada. indicated that he would
urge the calling of predecessors Of
Thurston and of members of the
school board.
At yesterdays hearing, DR.. Van
Schaick read two prepared state
ments dealing with Relations of
the School Board With the Superin-
dent of Schols,' and Needs OF
Washington Public Schools" He
asked which the committee wanted
to hear first. Chairman Sherman
suggested that since the former was
given priority in the resolution pro-
! viding for the investigation, that 1t
be given first attention.
Says He Did Duty Only.
+. Van Schaick Immediately launched
into his reply to the recent criticism
of Superintendent Thurston. What
have done. and what my col
leagues have done in relation to Mr..
! Thurston." he said. lis in the dis
! charge of a duty which devolves
upon US under the law of Congress"
so far as my vote against re-
(, tanning Mr.. Thurston is concerned
1 desire to say that / voted to
/ notify him that he would not be
re-elected for three reasons-that
he Is a poor executive, timid in the
matter of assuming responsibility
and disloyaI to his official chiefs"
The board reached it's conclusion
not. primarily. through any one ac,
or omission, he said. but through
I"ths general color of his work; his
mentality, personality, - character
and methods of work.
I'm our judgment, he lacks quick
ness and positiveness of decision
he asid. He lacks ability to dele
| gate work. He lacks courage in
| difficult situations--and lack of any
of thees things is fatal to an ex-
ecutive.
Must Trust Others.
mo. matter how good a man may
be, however sound his ideas. how
ever hard-working and devoted to
his profession. as head of a great
city school system, he is lost unless
he is quick, courageous and willing
| to trust other people.
Mr.. Thurston is hard-working
| devoted to the schools and has
| many good ideas. But he is not
| forceful enough to be a leader-and
he is too timid and procrastinatine
and suspicious to succeed as a city
superintendent"
! 'Dr. Van Schaick asserted that q
similar situation existed three years
ago. when Thurston's term was
about to expire. He was reelected
by vote of to after one of the
members voting for him had de-
clared she was not satisfied with
his work but wanted to give him
a chance to develop"
''who was that member" asked
Senator Dillingham;.
Mrs. Gerry" replied Van Schaick
Opposed by : Out Of 0.
''Of the present board continued
Van Schaick, 'thereiare seven mem
bers who have been on the board
Throughout his last term of ONCE
lOf these, six are against. him. OF
the nine members of the board al
made up at present. seven are
against him.
Declaring he had no personal
quarrel with Tnurston. and that he
was sorry to see him leave a school
system in which he had done much
good work. Dr.. Van Schaick said
he deemed II his duty to vote
against retaining him.
Replying to Thurston's charges
that the board meeting which had
notified the superintendent that
seven members would vote against
! his reelection, was Illegal. Var
Schaick declared that II did not
lpurport to be legal and was mot
Intended to be.