Evening star., 1920-03-23
new ORGANIZATION
BACKS VAN SCHA|CK
Association for improved
Public Schools in D. c.
Formed.


noting progressive education" fifty
two prominent business men. educa-
tors and public school teachers. all
professed friends Of DR.. John Van
Schaick, jr. president Of the board of
education. at a meeting last night In
the home Of Henry Calver, 1871 P
street, formally inaugurated another
school betterment organization, which
took as it's name, 'The Association
for Improved Schools in the District
of Columbia" Incidentally, the or
ganization was formed to foster pub
llc opinion in favor of Dr. Van
Schaick and other members OF the
school board.
immediately after Arthur c. Moses
had been elected chairman of the new
organization. he specifically explained
that 1t was not entering any fac
tional fight"
II am not against Supt. Thurston."
he said. but for progress and bet
made It clear. however. that II Mr..
lThurston Is not capable of heading
the public school system. Il and the
committee will fight him."
Scores Alleged Propaganda.
Previous to the organization steps p
quartet Of speakers arraigned several
! members of the Federation of Citizens
Associations for supplying the Senate
] school investigating committee with
| propaganda about members OF the
! school board" and referred to so
| called clique among the various civic
associations which. 1t was charged. Is
conducting campaign against MEM
Among these speakers were DR.. Charles
P. Neill. member Of the school board:
Charles F. Nesbit. Thomas ]. Donovan
and Paul e. Lesh.
| One of the strongest supporters of
DR.. Van Schatck was Rev. Roland Cot
! ton Smith, who asserted that he had
known the school board head for many
years. and praised him as "a Christian
gentleman. who, II he fails at all. will
fall over backward before he does any
| thing dishonest"
| Charges Unfair Statements.
DR.. Neill severely criticised persons
and organizations" which, he claimed.
| have fmpugned members Of the board
with tnsidfous propaganda before tax
I ing the trouble to inquire into the
boards side" In opening his address.
DR.. Neill asserted he appeared before
the organization with extreme reluc-
tance. However" he added" I know
| one hundred times more than the va
| r1ous civic bodies which have taken
| action on the school controversy"
DR.. Neill related how propaganda
had been disseminated about DR.. H. B.
q,
who left the city before the Senate
school investigation to lecture in Cali
fornia- DIR. Learned, the speaker said
was charged by these propagandists
with being afraid to face the investi-
cation. They Also" he continued,
my residence here by calling my wife
and secretary on the telephone, and, in
addition, have used indefensible meth
DDS In slandering Mrs. Margarita S.
Gerry, another member Of the school
board All this has been done without
first consulting the person concerned"
Cites Need for Improvement.
Dr. Neill also told of the need for
a large school building program and
the vital necessity for increasing the
salaries of school teachers. The first
thing necessary to save the schools"
teachers. Personally, I would rather
see the District stay upon a basis of
shacks for school buildings and see
the teachers wages increased" He
advocated the levying of q special tax
on the residents of the District to
school needs.
Mrs. Giles Scott Rafter. president Of
the District Congress of Mothers and
lParent-Teachers Association. told the
Gerry had been "crucified on the wit
ness stand before the Senate investi-
eating committee" While attending
the hearing when Mrs. Gerry testi-
fed. Mrs. Rafter said THAI tears ran
down her face" Mrs. Rafter urged
the organization to request a larger
room for the hearings so that every
citizen of the District could attend
at least one of the hearings"
Unsatfshed With Conditions.
Mrs. Ernest W. Roberts said that
because of the school conditions she
is not satisfied with the education
ing fault with the teachers" she ex-
claimed. but the system is radically
wrong" Mrs. Roberts pointed out
that she was proud of members of
the board who give their services
gratllitously and stand up as targets
for slander and innuendo. If we want
people to serve on the school board"
cent"
of the people of Washington" said
Paul f. Lesh. for giving the Senate
committee material for investigation"
He also characterized Supt. Thurston
as an example OF man who will
practice bolshevism rather than
preach it,
Higher Qualifications Urged.
Higher qualifications for school
| teachers were urged by Miss Alice
Deal. president Of the High School
Teachers Union. and Miss Maude
Alton. president of the Grade School
Teachers Union. Miss Deal also ex-
pressed the belief that 1t is time for
the teachers to speak. Some of the
teachers. Miss Deal asserted. are
afraid Of a horrible scandal and have
hesitated about making known their
needs.
Neither DIR. Van Schaick nor Supt.
Thurston attended the meeting, which
! adjourned 10 the call of Chairman
Moses. The next meeting of the as
| ably will be in the form of a public
mass meeting. In which all parents
will be asked to participate.
PROTEST MINIMlJM WAGE