Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-26
BALLOU CONTROLS
EDUCATION BOARD,
PEYSER TEST|F|ES
Tells House Subcommittee on
GasQue Bill Members Should
Be Elected.
SENSATIONAL CHARGES
OFFERED AT HEARING
Those Who Opposed Superintendent
Lost Membership on Body.
Witness Holds.

Witness Holds.
Charge that five members, or ma
jority, of the Board of Education "are
under the dominating influence" OF
Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superintendent
OF schools, and that any member of the
board who attempts to thwart the
"standpatters'' or who do not think
in the regular channels" has no
chance whatever for reappointment,
were made by Capt. julius l. Peyser,
former member o. the Board of Educa-
ton, at the opening hearing held by a
House subcommittee on the pending
bill OF Representative Allard Gasque
Of South Carolina providing for pop
uiar election of Board of Education
members in the District.
Occupying the witness stand for
nearly an hour while 35 other wit
nesses in attendance appeared con-
tent TO let him champion their cause.
Capt. Peyser informed the members
of the subcommittee at the outset thai
he intended TO tell them some OF tns
inside his ory of the Board OF Educa-
ton" in support of his conviction
that the city will be better served by
board members elected by District
residents.
Two Points Notable.
Two points were brought out by
Capt. Peyser, which appeared 70 in
terest members of the subcommittee,
who made note of them fo~ future in
vestigation. One was a declaration
by Capt. Peyser that rider should
be attached to an appropriation bill
prohibiting any member of the board
to profit with contracts let by the
District government, and the other
prohibiting any one TO he a member
of the board who has relative in an
appointive position in the school sery-
ice.
Capt. Peyser did not deal in general
ties with the subcommittee, giving
names, dates and minute details in
most instances where he made striC-
lures on the present and past admins
tration of the Poard Of Education.
At one time, in making particular
ly sensational bit of testimony, Repre-
sentative William c. Hammer of North
Carolina objected on tde ground that
the remarks were too personal. but
he was overruled b. Chairman Frank
r. Reid OF Illinois, chairman Of the
T.
Peyser to go on and tell all you know
OF the iniquities of the present sys-
tenn
SO intense was the interest of the
members OF the subcommittee at the
time for closing today's hea ing that
it was decided to hold another hearing
tonight at 7.30 in the caucus room of
the House Office Building. Chairman
Reid said toni@hS'S hearing would give
bushes men and the Supreme Court
judges an opportunity to testify.
Before telling of his early conflicts
with ,he. dom na ed card If T-du-
cation Capt. Peyser attacked the star
chamber" proceedings of the board
which he labeled as directly in viola
ton of the law and the policy for the
standing committees TO permit DIR.
Bal!ou to write their reports for them,
their power being practically nil.
Cites Case of Two Members.
To back up his statement that the
board is dominated by DIR. Ballou.
Capt Peyser alleged that Mrs. Laura
Morgan and William L. Houston,
whom he described as particularly
able members of the board, had failed
of appointment because they failed
to line up" He stated that while he
had requested not TO be reappointed,
he doubted very much whether he
would have been reappointed if he
had wanted to-.
DIR. II. IS. Learned, member of the
Board of Education, sat in front
row seat for the major portion of the
hearing and during most of Capt
PeySer's testimony. but when Chair
man Reid asked if DIR. Ballou or any
of his representatives were present he
failed to respond. \ few minutes
later he left the room.
Capt. Peyser said that his first un-
pleasant encounter with his fellow
board members a day or two after his
appointment was when he was called
to a room in the Woodward Building,
where he was informed by three men,
bers that Ernest Greenwood was
not proper man for the presidency
of the Board of Education" Capt.
Peyser said that the next day James
T. Lloyd. a former Congressman. was
elected president Of the Board OF
Education and that he later found
that the statements made to him in
the Woodward Building room con-
cerning Mr.. Greenwood were abso-
lutely false"
Two other complaints of Capt. Pey
ser which he says are examples of
what had happened in the past and in
board members were selected by popu-
lar vote involved alleged carelessness
on the part of DIR. Ballou in the de-
tachment or demotion of teachers and
an alleged clique of the Board of
Education which attempted to take
the vitals" out of the liberal teach
ers' salary bill which later passed
Congress.
Quizzed on Contract Charge.
When Capt. Peyser called atten-
ton that there is need for correction
of the custom of having members
on the Board of Education who profit
by contracts with the District Govern
ment. Mr.. Hammer reused himself
and declared: IF there are any such
members they ought to get off. We
ought to have their names and hold
them up to eternal Storm"
Capt Peyser gave the names and
circumstances involving two or three
teachers whom he said suffered loss
of pay on account of DIR. Ballou
losing certificates" and making
mistakes" but he did not give any
specific fact on members alleged to
have profited by having. contracts
with the District Government.
Throughout today's hearing Chair
man Reid showed a lively interest In