Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-07
HAMILTON DENIES
HE EVER TOLD
THURSTON "WEAK"

| IHUKSIUN WEAK
Continued from First Page.)
the school system were oppressiv,
during the war period. he said.
The witness told the committee tina
Dr. Van Schaick's work on the boart
Of charities had been excellent. ant
that so far as he knew there hat
never been any friction on that board
Il was elected, contrary to my de
| sire. vice president of the board a
the first meeting which l attended II
July. 1917" said Mr.. Hamilton. -
thought that Mr.. Larner should have
| been elected vice president"
Were you ever elected PRESIDENT
yes. in February. 1919. l served a.
vice president after my first election
and at the organization meeting II
| 1918. DIR. Van Schaick not having re-
turned. in executive conference ten.
tntive agreement was made that
should be elected president There
| seemed to be no opposition. In the
| opening meeting that followed AIR
Larner asked that a unanimous ballo
| should be cast declaring me elected
president l saw one of the members
of the board move her head In dis.
| sent. and l told MIR. Larner that there
! was objection to that course"
0ueot1OneO uos 10 MrYs UeTrys
who was chat MEMBER
ut was Mrs. Gerry She then nom.
mated DR.. Van Schaick. ] refused to
enter contest against an absent mar
or to be elected unless by the unanimous
faction of the board. ! did not want the
place. ! do not think that Mrs. Gerry
| was animated by any hostility toward
me. l think her deep friendship for Dr.
Van Schaick led her to take this course
Then DR.. Van Schaick was elected presi-
dent. and l moved the election of Mrs
Gerry as vice president
| THAT was very gracious thing to
do" suggested Senator Harrison.
The witness said that DIR. Van
Schaick did not return to this country
until the spring of 1919. In February
| 1919, Mrs. Gerry. who had taken on
additional work, found that she could not
fulfill the duties which had devolved upon
her as acting president of the board.
She resigned as vice president and Mr..
| Hamilton was elected president. DR..
Van Schaick's resignation was presented
at the same meeting, the witness said
when DR.. Van Schaick returned did
| he ask you to remain as president
| of the board?" asked Senator Har-
rison.
DIR. Van SchaicI<'s Attitude.
The witness replied that DR.. Van
Schaick said he was perfectly willing
that he should remain as president.
Mr.. Hamilton said that he told DR..
Van Schaick he was going to leave
the board not later than the follow =
| ing October. because he had assumed
new duties which would begin shortly
after that
"Dr. Van Schaick said he would be
sorry to see me go off the board
said Mr.. Hamilton.
The witness said that DR.. Van
Schaick had gone to his Office in June.
1919. and asked him If his decision to
retire from the board was flxed.
II told him 1t was. and. as near as
can recollent. he said. he had been
spoken of by members of the board
as probable to be reelected president
He said he was tired out. that he was
down in health. and asked if l could
not act until October. 1 agreed. He
said his friends on the board would
be pleased If I would do So"
"Who were his friends on the
board?"
Names Friends ON Board.
II knew that some of the members
of the board were very friendly to
him. AS / recall they were Mrs. Gerry
Mrs. Rhodes. DR.. johnson. Mrs. Cook
and Mr.. Peyton."
MIR. Peyton. though. finally kicked
over the traces. didn't her
anything about" said Mr.. Hamilton
II saw nothing improper in his seeing
his friends on the board"
did you. observe that DR.. Van
Schaick through this friendship was
able to dominate the board and to
put through certain policiesy'
| Mr.. Hamilton said that he had been
at very few board meetings with Or
| Van Schaick. II think that Or. Van
| Schaick was a dominating man in
| temperament and had a good follow.
| ing on the board" said Mr.. Hamilton
Taking the two together. his dom
mating disposition and his following
| on the board. wouldn't It amount to
, domination when II came to putting
| through policies"
II think = majority of the members
OF the board would be Influenced by
DR.. Van Schaick. They had confidence
| In him."
The witness said that during the first
year of the eighteen months he had
been on the board things had run
along smoothly enough, though there
| had not been entire harmony. War
conditions helped to keep the board
! together
Had Good Opinion Of Thurston.
Mr.. Hamilton said that his observa-
ton Of Supt. Thurston led him to be-
Iieve that he was al most excellent
school man; that he had grown up with
| the system iinu WIS ucNciOluHS every
day. I did not know Mr. Thurston until
l met him 1T the first meeting / attend
ed in 1917. Knew that Mr.. Thurston
felt had come on the board as a friend
Of DR.. Van Scllaick. felt that 1t was
better TO hayc-X frank talk with him.
and sent for him to come to my Office
1 said to him, You have probably heard
that I am on the board at the sugges-
ton of DIR. Van Schaick. and that 1t was
at his desire | was elected vice presi-
| dent OF the board. You may think
therefore, that I may perpetuate the
| feeling which 1t is alleged DR.. Van
Schaick has against you. 1 am entirely
without prejudice. If you do good work
you will have my support and co-opera
ton
4 IL found Mr.. Thurston an excellent
man as superintendent Of the schools
with a great amount of energy"
Were you prejudiced against Mr.
Thurston at all when you went on tn,
board"
The witness said that he had heart
| DR.. Van Scha!ck speak Of Mr.. Thurs
/ ton and that he was inclined to bt
somewhat prejudiced.
WAS that prejudice entirely re-
moved"
| Didn't Call Thurston Weak,
Yes. I desire to say that have
never said that Mr.. Thurston wa,
weak. although 1t has been said here
that did. What did say was tina
! he needed strong cooperation OF the
! board of education. 1t has been said
that Mr.. Thurston has been weak ir
business matters. I said he was over.
| crowded with work.