Evening star., 1920-02-20

them to express an opinion on the
controversy.
Miss Maude Alton. head of the
Grade Teachers Union, agreed with
| Miss Deal that the teachers should
not be asked to sign such petitions.
Miss Alton said. however. she had
not heard that any are being circu-
lated, and she does not anticipate
any action by the Grade Teachers
Union on the controversy.
Mr.. ThurstOn's Statement.
After he had been informed yes
terday of the action of the board.
which held secret conference" for
| an hour and half in the office of
the secretary and a f1ve-minute open
session in the board assembly room
Mr.. Thurston issued the following
statement:
Il have just read the statement
OF the formal action of the board OF
education taken at a meeting today,
! making regular and official the re-
cent informal and irregular action
OF some of the members. While no
details are given. it is evident that
! the reasons advanced for precipitate
action are my weakness as an ad-
ministrator and the existence of diff
ferences between myself and the
| board. Having. therefore, basis for
| reply, I shall submit a formal state
! ment at the next regular meeting Of
the board dealing with certain of my
| relations with it.
This is not my first experience in
being judged by the board in alb
sentia. I have also been aware Of
the intense personal opposition. OF
| the present officers of the board since
their membership on the board began
l have been aware of other individual
opposition from time to tiIn.. Yet !
feel can positively say that / have
been consistently fair and courteous
n off oio1 To- xrytfh
board. | have given my reasons for
professional action frankly and fully
and have participated in conferences
with the sole thought of the best in
terests of the schools. This board
has never taken up with me any
frank and open discussion of my re.
1ations with it, nor as q board has 1t
shown that it considered such rela-
tions to be serious. l was entitled
to this consideration.
Calls Administration Taxing.
The administration of the schools
during the last few years has been
exceedingly taxing: AS superin-
tion for the sake of the schools.
have not shirked responsibility, hu'
rather have sought of the board the
opportunity to assume that full re.
sponSibility to which under the law
l am entitled. I have no fear Of the
facts are more generally known.
Il desire to say also that SO far as
l can recall every official act of mine
has been taken utterly regardless OF
any personal feeling shown against
me, and with sincere thought only for
the best interests of the schools and
of the community they serve"
Van Schaick Memorandum.
The following memorandum was re-
ceived by The Star today from DIR.
Van Schaick: =
''Dr. John Van Schaick, jr. left
Washington last night for Chicago
and Cleveland. He will be gone
week. He said:
II am going on public business,
but / am not able to go into details
now
ASKED If he would visit schools. he
said, Yes Asked il he intended to
attend the national convention Of vo-
cational education at Chicago. and
the Department of superintendent of
the National Educational Association
at Cleveland. he said that he hoped to
get into some of the sessions of each.
but that this was not the main object
of the trip.
ASKED If he was looking for a sue
cessor to Mr.. Thurston, he replied:
- regret that l cannot discuss that
matter