Evening star., 1920-03-17

mittee of the board appointed to select
a successor to Supt. Thurston.
mo member Of the board so far as
know ever considered Gov Brumbaugh.
| In view Of the political complications /
know that this appointment was out Of
the question. I was told that this state
ment was being repeated over and over
to prejudice members of Congress-
Asked His Wife.
| The witness said that certain per
| sons apparently questioning his quail
| fications as member of the board had
called up his wife on the telephone
and asked her If he had ever attended
the public schools, instead of asking
him. That's the way, he said, this
campaign against the board is being
! DR.. Neill said that his children at
| tended the public schools. and that he
himself, owing to the force of circum-
stances. had been able to attend school
only two years while he was boy.
He said that another statement had
been made, though he did not believe
it had been published, challenging the
honor OF a woman member of the
| board.
| II was asked If Mrs. derry was un-
able to vote her honest conviction as
member Of the board because DR..
| Van Schaick held q mottgage on her
house This is absolutely untrue.
This eommittee Of ro-operation."
1 p.
| cute the board OF education"
Query m to Retaining Thursten.
In going into the qu estion of the
advisability Of retaining Mr.. Thurston
pr Neill made it plain that he
thought Mr.. Thurston should leave
| because he was not in harmony with
] the board. He said he was not well
enough acquainted with the superin-
| tendent to pass on his qualifications
[ as a school official
] What if you had thought that a
, majority Of the patrons of the schools
wanted him retained. or that the
board was dominated BY persons op-
posed to Mr.. Thurston?f' asked SEN
! ator Harrison.
II would still have the responsibility
of discharging my duty in a manner
consistent with the law" said Dr.
Neill. '"The law does not provide for
any referendum. and there is no way
! now that we can find what the will
of the majority is, even if we wished
to be guided by it,"
DO you think some method of TAX
ing referendum on the question of
superintendent ought to be pro-
NO, think it is bette / as it is now
You cannot have a board and a super
intendent with equal authority The
where"
You recognize that the superin-
tendent now has large authority and
act only on his recommendation? ?'
asked Senator Walsh DO you think
that good plan?"
Absolutely. And If the superin-
| tendent cannot meet his duties the
board should get a new superin-
tendent."
Schools "GoinE ON Rocks" He Says.
DR.. Neill told the committee sm-
phatically that the schools Of the
District of Columbia are going on
the rocks" and that no superintend-
ent or no board of education can save
them unless the entire system IL re-
organised.
"The teachers in the schools hero
are grossly underpaid." slid tho wit
ness The older teachers will stay,
largely through love Of the work and
loyalty to the service. but at the pres
ent salaries you are getting mostly
second or third rate teachers to continue
the work.
III you wait to remedy this condi-
ton you will find you will have to
keep them. as it would be unfair to
throw them out after years Of service.
when they bore the brunt Of the hard
times. Every year this continues you
are adding so much dead weight to
the school system"
High School Conditions.
DIR. Nein added that the high school
classes were becoming q laughting
stock because of lack of teachers and
substitutes. He mentioned instances
where teachers too i'll to work had
substitute was available. and had
tainted in the schoolroom in conses
Quence. He pointed out that over
crowded classes. where the teacher
could not give proper attention to in
dividual pupils. and incompetent teach
work. were certain to result in trag-
edies because Of improperly trained
or undertrained men and women in
| the next generation.
Il have suggestion TO make, and
do not expect to make myself popular
ness. Il believe there should be a
new tax levied in the District for the
maintenance of the schools. 1t should
be an adequate tax and should be en-
! to the present rate Of taxes. 1t should
be held inviolate. So that no matter
what the situation, you could only
touch that fund for school purposes"
Questioned az to his opinion on
| school administration DR.. Neill said
he believed there should be a school
business administrator, whose work
would be entirely separate from that
| of the school superintendent. but that
both ought to be responsible to the
board Of education. He also said that
1t might be wise in the matter Of
choosing school sites. erecting school
buildings, maintaining them and look
ing after the janitor service, to take
such responsibility out of the hands
of the school board. though he had
never given such q suggestion much
! thought.
In concluding his testimony the
witness said that, with all respect to
the committee. he wished to say that
while he remained member of the
| school board he would vote only Ills
| the Senate committee or the Senate
itself recommended. Referring to a
question asked Of DR.. Van Schaick by
the committee. as to what his action
would be If the committee recon-
! mended the retention Of Mr.. Thurs
ton DR.. Neill said:
IF hold a position Of responsible
| ity. placed on me by proper author
ity-a position where I WAS called on
! to use my own best Judgment could
any other judgment. If l and the
| committee differ 1 would follow my
own judgment In the last analysis I
! would use whatever judgment the
Lord gave me-"
Mrs. Gerry on stand.
Mrs Gerry. who was on the stand
| for but ten minutes before adjourn
| ment, asked that fullest publicity be
given her financial standing. as it had
been the subject of SO much rumor.
She read letter from the Washing
| tAh Loan and Trust Company. show
ing the status Of the deed of trust on
her home up to August 6. 1918. She
| said she had not had the record in
J vestigated any further because of the
expense, but that she would have it
| brought up to date If the committee
SO desired She also read the letter