Evening star., 1920-04-06
FORMER MEMBER
Of BOARDPRA|SES
THURST0N'S WORK
J. B. Larner Tells Senators
DR.. Van Schaick Interfered
With Superintendent.

vVtIst SNSSs uJSSysNSs'Ss
The character and work of Supt.
Ernest L. Thurston Of the District
schools was warmly praised by John
B. Larner. former member of the
board OF education, at the Senate
school Investigation today.
Mr.. Larner told ths committee that
he had resigned from the board beS
cause he felt that he was no longer
in sympathy with the board. and that
liz had not been 30 aftAr,Dr John Van
Schaick, tr., had become Its preHid dent.
@ DR.. Van Schaick was criticised by
Mr. Larner because OF his interference
with matters which should nave been
left to the superintendent OF schools.
He attacked particularly the action
of DR.. Van Schaick in opening an Of
fee in the Franklin School building,
where complaints were brought to
him which, Mr.. Larner said, should
have gone to Mr.. ThurstOn.
Justices Willing for Change.
Mr.. Larner told the committee he
was authorized by a member OF the
District Supreme Court to say that
the Justices on that bench were
unanimously in favor of having the
bower Of appointing the members Of
the school board taken away from
the court. :.
II understand that Is their feeling"
commented Senator Dillingham;. Il
know they objected when that task
was assigned to them.
Mr. Larner said he thought it would
he fest to have the board appointed
by the President and confirmed by the
Senate.
limited suffrage in the, District. ne
added. II believe we ought to have
the right to cast our vote for Presi-
dent. and that we should have repre-
sentation in Congress. But that is as
far as ] am prepared TO go at !hls
time, and do not believe the board OF
education should De -eaeeted ey a
pointed by the President they might
well be chosen by the District Com
Mr.. Larner also said that the colored
people Of Washington were far in ad-
vance of the average of their race.
and that he believed 1t would be well
to have the white and colored schools
entirely separate, with board of
education and superintendent Tor
each system.
Gives Reasons for ResiGning.
Mr.. Larner, a member of the board
of education from July, 1912. to De-
cember 9, 1919, when he resigned,
opened his testimony by giving his
reasons for leaving the board year
and half before his term would have
expired ,.,,,,. :.
attend the meetings were the primary
reasons for my leaving the board"
said Mr.. Larner. IT felt also that my
services were no longer useful to the
board and that it would be better that
/ should no longer remain on It.. For
several years had felt that I was not
in sympathy with the board with ref
erence to the superintendent and one
or two other matters"
The witness said that he began to
have this feeling about the time DR..
Van Schaick came on the board of
education. He said he had served four
years before DR.. Van Schaick was ap-
pointed.
A"What were the conditions during
those four years?" asked Senator Dill
lingham, acting chairman of the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Larner said that H r. Blair was
president Of the board and that there
was no better man in Washington and
no one who understood the schools bet
ter: His services to the board were
highly acceptable.
1--WE had our troubles. of course,
charges were filed against teachers, etc.
but there was no friction so far as /
knew" he added. I'm reference to the
work of the superintendent and the
progress made by the schools they were
9etting along very well.'
Praises Supt. Thurston.
The witness said that he attributed
1T largely to the he good work Of Mr..
setting along as well as they had during
the last two years. He said that Mr.
Thurston took up the work left undone
bv supt. Davidson. and that he had
been satisfactory. He said that there
should be a business director under the
General direction Of the superintendent.
and there would always be difficulty
until such an arrangement arrangement was made.
soid he believed all educational matters
should rest entirely in the hands of the
superintendent.
s,,perintendent and the board before DR..
Van Schaick became PRESIDENT" asked
Senator Dillingham;:
VERY cordial relations existed, with
slight exceptions"
at has been said that Mr.. Thurston
lacked decision. that he was timid and
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