Evening star., 1922-04-06

Friction which is reported to have
existed for several months between
some members of the board of edu-
cation and Superintendent of Schools
Frank w. Ballou was evidenced pub
licly for the first time at meeting OF
the school board yesterday afternoon
in the Franklin School.
Strong opposition by DR.. Ballou to
the boards policy of selecting stand
Ing committees precipftated a heated
discussion which bears direct eVi-
dence of resulting in controversy
similar to that which marked the
closing days of the administration OF
Sequel to BnlIou's Efforts
The public clash between the board
and the superintendent was a sequel
to the efforts of DR.. Ballou to have
records ofNa star chamber" session
of the school governing body. at
which committee on rules and by
laws had been appointed, read into
the public record. Declaring that he
was 'unalterably opposed" to stand
ing committees of the board, DR.. Bal
lou asserted that inasmuch as that
body had agreed on committee pot
icy in executive session the record
ing.
Although the board agreed in the
public session to defer settlement of
the dispute until the next meeting,
it convened for the second time be-
hind closed doors and arguments
were heard on the subject for con-
siderable time. Whether any agree
ment was reached in the secret con-
ference was not made known.
(Iash Creets Callahan
The salient feature of the board
meeting was the eact that the clash
between the superintendent and the
board came soon after the oath of Of
flee had been administered TO Daniel
]. Callahan, the new board member
recently appointed to succeed Daniel
A. Edwards. Mr.. Callahan was sworn
in by Secretary Harry o. Hine.
The new member manifested un-
unusual interest in the deliberations OF
the board and several times during
the meeting he injected a bit of his
humor. which provoked the laughter
of the board members.
The disagreement between DIR.
Rallou and the board came after an
announcement by Mrs. Howard L.
Hodgkins, acting president, that she
had appointed a committee on rules
and bylaws. This committee. she an
nounced. was composed of Mrs. Susie
Root Rhodes. chairman: Mrs. Coralie
Franklin Cook, Edwin C. Graham,
James T. Lloyd and William L. Hous-
ton.
Unalterably Opposed, Says Ballou.
Immediately arising from his chair,
DR.. Ballou declared that he was un-
alterably opposed to standing COM
mittees of the board. Il would like
to have it a matter of public record.
he said. that 1 am opposed and I
would like to have placed in the pub
lie record the vote taken on the mat
ter in executive conference"
The superintendent pointed out that
no action had been taken by the board
authorizing committees and empha-
sizing they had not been extant for
years He then asked for the read
ing of the conference record, declar-
ing that there seems to be ten
dency on the part of certain members
Of the board to directly oppose the
Superintendent on this matter. / de-
sire to have it appear in the public
record" he added. who voted for or
against the matter in conference"
Rises to Point OF Order.
At this point William L. Houston
rose to a point of order. asserting that
the votes taken in the executive ses-
sion are not a matter of public record
E. C. Graham expressed the opinion