Evening star., 1920-02-20
REASON FOR ACTION
IN THURST0N CASE
TOPIC OF INQUIRY

Facts Sought Regarding Dis
missaI by Education Board
of School Superintendent.
Interest has been aroused as to the
cause of the precipitation by the board
of education of the decision not to
reappoint Supt. Thurston for another
term. 1t has been known for some
time that opposition to him in the
board. headed by DR.. Van Schaick, was
counting on majority as a result of
recent changes in board personnel. es-
pecially since the retirement of John
b. Larner, who was one of Mr.. Thurs
toms consistent supporters.
Mr.. Learned Opposes Recollection.
Some light is thrown on this mat
ter by the disclosure at the Franklin
School yesterday of telegram re-
ceived February by DR.. Van Schaick
from Henry B. Learned. vice president
of the board, \now giving a series of
lectures at Stanford University. sent
the day previous. 1t would appear
from this telegram that DR.. Van
Mr.. Learned asking his position on
the superintendency, with view to
an early action by the board. Mr.
Learned telegraphed as follows:
Gould not vote for Thurston an
other term under any conditions. My
mind made up last June. Wood case
and Bruce situation largely his re-
sponsivility. Convinced that we can
and must obtain better administrator.
No i'll will toward Thurston. but re-
gard him as impossible in situation.
See letter.
Supt. Thurston's Statement.
Mr.. Thurston was asked this morn
ing regarding his references to the
Wood and Bruce cases. which Mr..
Learned mentions as causes of his op-
position to a reelection. He said:
II do not feel that at this time 1 can
properly discuss special cases and
charges which may be brought up in
connection with the recent action OF
the board of education for the reason
that l expect to present formal
statement to the board at an early
since the telegram is from board
member, l may properly say just a
word.
THE Wood case was never officially
in the hands of the superintendent for
general administration. 1t was first
member, with the request that it be
brought up at the Immediately fol-
lowing board conference. Thereafter
practically every step was taken
under board direction. The decision
reached was based. l believe. largely
on DR.. Learned's own memorandum'
he being chairman of the special COM
mittee assigned to interview Miss
Wood.
Expiaips the Druee Case.
ssThe Bruce case is far too large q
have no doubt" tiiat IN time tie Yuff
facts in this case will become public.
AS to my relations with the board in
connection with this case. can say at
the moment that as understand it
they turned on the fact that a ma
tically complete freedom for the col
ored assistant superintendent to au-
minister the colored schools as he
wished, and to nominate teachers and
officers with only nominal approval
of the superintendent. Under the law,
tain very definite powers of nomina-
tion and approval. 1t is also specif
cally stated in the law that the col
ored assistant superintendent shall
administer the colored schools under
the direction of the superintendent
of schools"
Mr. Thurston's stand Praised.
Jesse c. Suter. chairman of the edu-
cational committee of the Federation
of Citizens Associations. and vice
president of the organization; Will
liam L. Peat. a member Of the commit
tee, and William B. Westlake, presi-
dent of the federation. jointly ex-
pressed themselves regarding the con.
troversy in the following statement
today:
..Mr. Thurston certainly has adopted
the very best course in courting pub
licity regardless of the outcome. Cen
eral satisfaction will result only from
a thorough understanding on the part
of the people, and the future of the
public school system requires that all
suspicious and doubt as to the integ-
rity Of purpose in the schools be re-
moved at once and for all.
1.-The trouble in the Washington
school system is that the school board
is not responsible to the public. and
the board as now constituted IS not
responsive to public opinion.
'There seems to be a determined pur-
pose to disregard the wishes Of the
school patrons, the board apparently
laboring under the impression that
the parents have no right to make
related to the welfare Of their chill
dren.
Indifferent to the Public.
There is responsible testimony that
at least one prominent member Of the
board has said that he did not care
what the public thought: that he was
responsible to his own conscience
only. If a mans conscience were in
fallible that would be good doctrine,
but q mans conscience is a reflection
Of his mental condition. and If. for
instance, a man becomes insane his
conscience will approve of whatever
his brain conceives.
What We want and what we are
going to have in Washington is a
school board that is responsive to
public opinion. The public at times may
be wrong, but il SO it is not within
the province of any appointive Of
ficial to set it's personal judgment
above that of the body Of the people.
THE government of the United
States is based upon this fundamental
principle, and nowhere else within the
domains of this government is this
principle disregarded except here in
the nations capital.
The informal secret conferences
which the school board has held con-
trary to the law creating it create
doubts in the minds of the people, and
there is a general belief that Mr.
Thurston has been seriously hamper
ed in his official duties not only by
the strenuous war conditions, but
perhaps by lack of cooperation and
perhaps by antagonism on the part of
before passing Judgment on tire
question the public doubtless will de-