The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-11
PROBERSQU|z
VAN SCHA|CK
School Executive Admits Com
missioner BrOWnIOW Advised
Against Letter Writing.

- SNoi W DctoIhc
sioner i, should throw my ready
letter writer out OF the window"
In smiling fashion. DR.. John Van
tSchaick. president of the Board of
Education. thus fenced with Senator
Harrison of Mississippi during a
cross-examination before the Senate
investigating today.
Uncover skeletons.
Several sensations came as the
committee proceeded to the work OF
| putting the spotlight on various
skeletons in the closet"
DR.. Van Schaick admitted he had
written n confidential letter relating
: to the attitude of Franklin Peyton,
member OF the board, regarding the
Bruce case. The text of this letter,
written to DIR. II. b. Learned, another
member of the board, was as follows:
II am sorry that Peyton kickao
! over the traces. He did a very stupid
thing for a shrewd fellow. He did
I exactly what he promised he would
not do"
DIR. Van Schaick explained that the
deter referred to the fact that Pey-
| ton had acted more like lawyer and
| less like Judge" when he was placed
| upon the committee investigating
4 Bruce. The board president denied
emphatically that he had extracted
promise from Peyton to vote in favor
of Bruce before the probe began.
ct simply requested him to lay
aside his well.known aggressive quail
fications as lawyer and act in
judicial manner while on the COM
mittee," said Van Schaick. 81 did not
try to influence him In any way"
Letter Brought Attack.
The board president described how
the latter accidentally fell into the
hands of Peyton and how the latter
made bitter attack upon him be-
fore the Senate District committee
which is stamping upon his qualin-
cations to be District Commissioner.
"Peyton turned upon me so sud-
denly and SO savage1y that l haven't
any very kindly feelings toward him
j now" said Van Schaick.
The Bruce case was the big fea-
i. ture of the hearing today. DR.. Van
Schaick declared that the Parents
league, leading the attack on Bruce,
was "a noisy minority, INDUCING in
picketing and all sorts of violence,
trying. to force a verdict In advance
Of the evidence" He freely admitted
! Ahat he and other members of the
board were prejudiced in favor OF
Bruce because of the tactics used
against him.
Van Schaick stated that George E.
Hamilton. then acting president OF
the board, had begged the Parents
league to present it's charges against
Bruce at a board meeting last night.
Request Ignored.
"This request was absolutely ig-
nored because it is not the policy of
The Parents league to present
charges, and / understand that he is
not very high in the counsels of the
Parents league now.
Relating to Superintendent Thurs
ton, DR.. Van Schaick quoted George
j.. Hamilton as saying, Thurston Is
not a fit man to be superintendent.
He Is a good man, but a weak man.
He has to he bolstered up all the
time"
Not Strong, But Safe.
He quoted John b. Larner as say
ing "Thurston is not strong, but safe.
He has only had a few years on the
job and should be given longer
trial"
T.. III. Daniel was quoted as believ-
ing that he didn't think Thurston was
the man for the place. and w. II.
Galliher was declared to nave the
same view as Larner.
Questions from Senator Harrison
elected the fact that the District Su-
preme Court had faIied to reappofnt
various members of the board of edu-
cation who had voted against Van
Schaicll for the presidency. This list
included w. II. Galliher, T.. II. Daniel
and John Il. Larner.
Isn't it a little strange that all OF
these opponents of yours are off the
board now" asked Senator Harrison.
II don't know" replied Van Schaick.
On Tencherp- Unions.
"I would hesitate to attempt to
fstbom the judicial mind. My memo
randum about superintendent Thurs
ton may have had something to do
with it."
he committed on the question of
whether Teachers Unions should be
nermitted to affiliate with the Ameri-
can federation of Labor. He stated
he believed in full liberty of action,
hut that ne did not think any obliga-
ton. should come before teachers
higher than their obligation to the
public.
Van Schaick freely admitted that
members of the Board of Education
sometimes had used influence to get
teachers appointed to the public
schools.
"The day after I was elected presi-
dent, three people were on my door
step before I got up asking for IA
yors," he said.
cone member OF the board, when
Congress granted us nine additional
cbarwomen, suggested that the power
OF appointing them should be divided
I'm among the members OF the board.
or course, II was not done"
Case OF Mrs. Rhodes.
you saw that was loaded with
dvnamite," said Senator Harrison
amid n general laugh. Van Schaick
Joined in II and added that his friend
Ilrownlow had warned him against
the practice OF writing letters which |
5nieht be used In this way. He said
tnat no general policy had ever been |
adopted by the Board of Education |
regarding appointments, but that
there was general agreement not
20 press upon the superintendent
name for appointment.