Evening star., 1920-03-04
DR., NELL replies
TO MR. TRuRSToN:
Makes Personal Answer to
Charges of Illegal
Board Sessions.

personal reply to the accusations
Of Illegal sessions and of efforts to
hamper the administration of the su-
perfntendent of schools. made in a
statement yesterday by Ernest l..
.Thurston, superintendent. against the
board of education. was made today
by Dr. Charles p. Neill, the newest
member of the school governing body.
DR.. Neill sets forth in the follow
Ing statement why he. who has been
on the board but few weeks, voted
against Mr.. Thurston's reappofnt-
ment:
$50 far as I was concerned the issue
was not at all complicated. Six out
or the seven members of the board.
who had been members through the
three-year term of the Superintend-
ent which was drawing to "A close, and
some OF whom had been members OF
the board during his preceding term,
were unwilling to vote for his reap
pertinent for another three years
The. superintendent had been in
formally advised of this situation by
the president of the board in a cour-
teous letter, and had been further ad-
viseal that no formal action would be
taken until some period late in the
session.
Considered Matter Open.
az considered that the matter was
etf1l open ana that the superintendent
was, free to talk to any members OF
the board whom he knew well enough
to find out whe ther the Situa ton was
one that could be harmonized and
whether any understanding could be
reached that would enable the board
to continue him and bring about har-
mony in the management of the
schools. / had hoped and even ex-
pected that this was the course he
would take when he received the let
ter: and in that event / had intended
to do whatever l could to bring about
an Understanding and prevent a rup-
ture which. for the time being. Couli
not fail to produce an unfortunate
effect on the schools. But within a
day or two after receiving this private
and informal advice as to the attitude
OF the Older members of the board
the superintendent read the letter into
the record at one of the meetings OF
the board and public notified the
board that he proposed to appeal over
t4eir heads to the public and open a
carpalSn to compel his reappoint-
mfnt as superintendent of schools
f.As the board is by law authorized
10 control the schools. to formulate
matters <pt general policy affecting
thy %sesocss. Hrd TO appoint as. su,.f~-
infendent whatsoever in the Judg-
ment of its members would best
fgfther the interests of the schools. l
felt that an impossible situation had
been created by the deliberate action OF
the superintendent and. therefore that
1t was hopeless to expec. that the
interests of the schools could be
furthered by the continuance of a su-
perintendent who was beginning a
campaign of attack on the members
OF the board and was fighting the
board in the exercise of its unques-
toned legal functions.
3 :: School Interests Suffer.
II felt in view of the situation thus
croated that II was impossible to con-
Time Mr.. Thurston as superintendent,
as there could not be any further CO.
operation between him and the board.
and as result that tr interests Of
the schools and of the children in the
schools would inevitably suffer.
had personal knowledge of the
fact that the superintendent had been
openly opposing the policies of the
was vested by law in the board. and
while I felt this was an unfortunate
situation, 1t was mot determining
factor in my action in voting against
the Feappointment Of the superin-
teudent. However unfortunate it
might be that the superintendent was
following the course of opposing the
policy of the board. I had still felt
that this was a matter that might be
1roned out and a better understand
Z Ing TedCneQ nau not tne SUpeFlnIenO.
ent precipftated a situation In which
his continuance as superintendent
became impossible.
Il have refrained up to this time
from taking any part In the public
controversy over this matter. The
Senate has created a committee to
investigate the whole situation and
to fix the responsibility where 1t
properly belongs for existing condi-'
tions. have felt that that was the
proper place in which, to have the
issues tried out. and I have felt that
It would only be right and fair for
the citizens to suspend judgment and
wait until a fair hearing could be
given to both Sides of the contro-
versy. I still feel that the daily agi-
tation of this matter is. not helping
the situation in the schools. and /
only make this statement in response
to your query in order that no one
may have grounds for the belief that
i do not recognize the right of the
citizens of tire District to know the
attitude of the members of the board
and the considerations that Influenced
their judgment in this matter