Evening star., 1920-03-13
NOT TO NAME HEAD
Of SCHOOLS Until.
INQUIRY CLOSES
DR.. Van Schaick Says Choice
of Supt. Thurston's Sue
cessor Is Deferred.
ADMITS HE PERMITTED
MOENS TO VISIT SCHOOLS
Closely Questioned Regarding the
Privileges Extended to Al
legged German Spy.


Senate committee investigating the
public schools today that no superin-
tendent would be selected to take Mr..
! Thurstons place until the investisa
/ ton had been concluded.
! The investigation Of the public
schools by the Senate committee is
! holding up the selection of Il new
superintendent DR.. Van Schaick tes-
| tilted. He said that he had made a
! trip to several cities in search of 4
new superintendent. but that he had
! rendered the place to no one yet. al
though he had some persons in mind
| whom he had discussed with other
! me emberS of the board.
DR. Van Schaick was cross-eXamined
about the MoenS case and took full re-
sponSibility for the Introduction of
MoenS into the public schools. He said
that he, had made no further investiga-
ton regarding Moens beyond calling up
| the minister of the Netherla ndS and ask
| ing him about the man. II" said that
he did not know whether the minister
of the Netherlands himself had made
any investigation as to charges that
Moens was German spy.
! Asked by Senator Harrison OF Missis-
sippi what would be the attitude of the
/ board of educati ton if the committee
I
of Superintendent Thurston. Or. Van
Schaick replied: ut would give the re-
/ port very serious and prayerful consid-
Grafton" He declined to predict, how
ever. what the action of the board
would be.
| Examination of Witness Near End.
! When the committee adjourned at
| noon until next Tuesday morning it
had practically concluded the exam
ination of DR.. Van Schaick. but Chair
! man Sherman asked him to return
Tuesday to answer few questions.
| A statement by DR.. Henry B. Learned
| a member OF the board of education,
| who is now in California. was inserted
| in the record at the close OF today's
| executive session fonocing the open
meeting.
! Senator Walsh questioned DIR. Van
Schaick at some length as to the ac-
| tivities of the Monday Evening Club.
and DIR. Van Schaick steadfastly
maintained that though the members
| Of that organization individually
had worked to procure the appointment
/ Of public-spirited men to office. the
! club as an organization had never
urged one candidate or another.
! Closely Questioned on Moons Case.
Dr. Van Schaick was closely ques-
toned by Senator Harrison regarding
the Moens case. Referring to a let
ter given to Moens by Dr.. Van
authorizing him to visit the schools.
Senator Harrison said:
| This is the second letter you gave
him. written after he had been termed
a German spy. Did you consult Supt
! Thurston about Moens' visit to the
schools?"
NO" said DR.. Van Schaick. He
added that he had talked possibly
with Assistant Superintendent Bruce,
but that he did not talk to other
members of the board about Moens
visit to the schools.
Senator Harrison asked if Moens'
entrance and investigation in the
| schools were made possible by the
letters given him by DR.. Van Schaick
| II am the responsible agent and am
willing to assume any responsibility
! for his getting into the schools" said
| Dr. Van Schaick.
! Even though it had come to you
that he was charged with being a
spy. you did not investigated" Sena-
tor Harrison asked.
! 81 called up the minister Of the
Netherlands about the charge that
Moens was a German spy" said DR.
Van Schaick. 'The letter that l gave
| Moens on the face Of it says that he
was charged with being a German
spy, The minister of the Neither
lands said that he heard that Moens
had been charged with being a Ger
man spy, and that he had denied it
/ 80 far as you know the minister
of the Netherlands made no inveSti-
| cation of the matter?" asked Senator
Harrison.
THAT is correct" he replied.
Asked About Second Letter.
Then you gave him another letter.
continued Senator Harrison. He
i l., r
spy You asked him if it was so. He
denied it. Do you think it was your
prerogative to give such letter ad-
mitting Moens to the school,?
! Il do"
without the knowledge or conse mt
Of the superintendent this man was
to make an investigation in the
schools" said Senator Harrison.
ITO my mind il was not an investi
CATION, but visit" replied the wit
ness
Don't you think it would be a bet
ter policy for the board that the
visit to the schools by alleged dis
tineuished scientists should be left
to the superintendent" asked Sen
ator Harrison.
DR.. Van Schaick replied that if any
| thing but visit and per1unctory
study of the children was intended
! the matter should go to the superln-
tendent.
THE assistant superintendent should
he consulted instead of the superintend-
ento' suggested Senator Harrison.
DIR. Van Schaick said that it was
/ inaccurate to suggest that the as
sistant superintendent had been con-
, sulted. The teachers of the Arm
strong and Dunbar schools called his
attention to Moens. who was working
at the Smithsonian Institution, and
asked the children to go there to be
| nhotoeraphed DIR. Van Schaick said
that the question of any engagements
outside of the schools was one TO be
decided by the parents.
..Rruce said he was forbidding any
such thing in school hours said DR.
Van Schaick, who added that he did
nor know whether Mr.. Thurston had
any knowledge of Moens' activities
He said. too, in reply to question,
that he had not followed up the mat
tar after Bruce came to him to See
what Moens was doing.
Arrest of MoenS Discussed.
Dr Van Schack said that he did not
know that Moens had been arrested
until he returned to this country in
| NAV, 1919 The case. he said, is still
ncndine in the courts. In reply to
! questions by Senator Harrison, DR.
| Van Schaick said he had neither read
the testimony i'll the Moens case nor
followed it up except in cursory
way.
do you know of anything that
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