Evening star., 1920-06-10
SUPT. THURSTON
/. TO Be REPLACED
I AS SCHOOL HEAD
Bpard of Education Disre.
lgards Senate and Votes
{ Not to Retain Him.

i new superintendent will head the
District public school system after
june 80. The board of education, in
one of the most sensational sessions
I'M recent years. yesterday afternoon
disregarded the recommendations OF
the Senate select school investigation
committee, and by vote of ! to
finally notified Supt, Thurston that ne
VIII not be reelected
Before the vote. DIR. Van Schaick, Jr.,
pres dent of the board. resigned as
member of the committee selected 10
nominate 4 successor to Mr InurStol.
and appointed Or. Abram simon IN
his place. Dr. Simon made final ef-
fort to have the board reconsider its
previous action and re-elect Mr..
Thurston. but without success.
Loyal To Board.
After the poll. DIR. Simon stated that
despite his pro-Thurston sentiments,
he would remain loyal to the board
in, its decision. Now the committee,
with DIR. Simon as its chairman, will
nominate Mr.. ThurSton's successor,
and the board will vote on him at the
meeting next Wednesday afternoon
Those who voted against the reten-
tion of the present superintendent are
Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes who attend
ed the meeting yesterday for the first
Mrs Coralie F. Cook and Dr. J. Hay
den Johnson Dr. Simon and Fountain
Peyton voted in favor of retaining
Mr.. Thurston.
After the meeting Supt Thurston
stated that he may have some state
nent to make at a later date
9For the present" said the superin-
tendent. Il can only say this: No man
really worth anything is disturbed by
the loss of his position. While / am
superintendent of schools. the city
have served SO many years, ! am ex-
ceedingly happy in the cordial support
arid the genuine confidence shown me
so, generally by the community and in
the loyalty of the teachers and en-
plbyes of the public schools.
Boardroom Crowded.
The action of the board was taken
before representative of citizens as
sociations and teachers, who crowded
the boardroom- There were no dem
onstrations- So.
The question of whether the board
should consider re-electing Mr..
Thurston was taken up Immediately
after the completion of the routine
matters DIR. Van Schaick opened the
Discussion by asking Dr. Simon II he
would succeed him as chairman of
the committee appointed to nominate
q successor TO Mr.. Thurston-
After DIR. Simon had hesitatingly
accepted DR.. Van Schaick then read to
the board a statement outlining his
reasons why MIR. Thurston should not
beire- e-eIected. This statement was ap-
prbyed by the board as one coming
from that body.
Van Schaick's Statement.
It read:
II The board of education feels
that all will agree that the one con-
sideration of supreme Importance is
the educa tional welfare of the $4,000
school children of the District In
COMPARISON with this fundamental
purpose. for which the schools are
organized and conducted and for
which they are supported by public
taxation. all personal and political
considerations sink into insignificance-
r. The board recognizes that
whatever difference of opinion there
. may be with respect to the best man
} ner of selecting a board of education.
? the board as constituted at the pres
ent time lie the only authority under
the law for the conduct of the schools
off the District. Its members have
taken a solemn oath faithfully to per-
form the duties devolving upon them.
and while they are happy to receive
suggestions regarding the conduct of
the schools. they realize that they
cahnot honorably escape the respon-
sibility placed upon them by law.
Agrees With Senators.
"3. The board most heartily agrees
with the suggestions of the special
committee of the Senate that the
schools of the District should be ele-
waited to the highest attainable stand
ard. modern and efficient in every de-