The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-02
KERN HEADS
SCHOOL BOARD,
ROW Flares
Mrs. SedWiCk, Removed as
instruction Chairman,
LaSheS Foes.
HUGO is REELECTED
New ViCe-PreSident Is
Called Biggest LIAR by
Woman Member.

WIlCll NIldIlS0 w. hCllt 4ACWAy
elected school board president, re-
placed her as chairman of tbs in
struction committee today, Mrs.
Lillian Sedwick, board member, de-
manded that she be removed en-
tirely from the committee, and in
voice that quivered with emotion
at times, engaged In a lively con-
versational tilt with members of the
majority faction.
President Kern removed her. The
incident was the signal for the lln-
leashing of feelings, carefully guard
ed for several months while two
new factions of the school board
were developing. All five members
were backed in the election by the
Ku-Klux Khan, but differences have
developed
Mrs. Sedwick punctuated one OF
her Stinging retorts with the dec
laration that Kern could put that
in his bonnet" Near the close of
the meeting Mrs. Sedwick became
so angry that she shot at Lewis e.
Whiteman, new vice-president:
"You are the biggest liar I ever
saw"
"You being q woman, I can't call
you that" retorted Whiteman.
Elected to 1
AS had been predicted Kern was
elected president over Mrs. Sed-
wick by vote of 4 to l. Mrs. Sed-
wick turned to reporters and re-
marked; 81 want to you to know I
didn't vote for myself"
Whiteman was elected vice.
president. Friedrich Kepner got one
and Mrs. Sedwick one vote. Kepner
and Mrs. Sedwick comprise the new
minority faction.
Martin M. Hugg was unanimously
reelected board attorney at $25OO
year.
After Theodore Vonnegut, out
going president, and Kern had
praised each other, Kern handed
around the list Of committee ap-
pointments. The secretary read
them aloud. Vonnegut replaced
Mrs. Sedwick as head of the in
struction committee. This commit
tee is almost all-powerful in the
selection of the 1900 public school
teachers. Mrs. SedWick had held
the place for several years.
"I would like to be removed from
the instruction committee, If you
please" said Mrs. Sedwick.
Called Low Down" Trick
Kepner put in his oar for his
fellow faction member:
st think it is a very low down trick
to take Mrs. Sedwick off as chair
man."
Mrs. Sedwick remarked: "Since
Mr.. Vonnegut is so very capable, 1t
is all right, but please take me off
that committee"
Membership on the committee,
excluding the chairman, is not so
important" remarked President
Kern, because frequently no one
attends the meeting but the chair
man and he has to do all the work. !"
But l never was called to
buildings and grounds committee
meeting-you put that in your lit
tie bonnet" countered Mrs Sed-
wick Kern has been chairman of
the buildings and grounds commit
tee.
Discuss Coal Contracts
81 called meetings time after time,
but never had the pleasure of the
presence Of more than one mem
ber at a time"
After further passages Kern put
Whiteman on the committee.
At the close of the meeting the
board was discussing coal contracts.
Mrs. Sedwick criticised the quality
of coal that had been bought in past
years. Kepner remarked that he
had found the coal at Arsenal Tech
nical high school not long ago to be
nothing but dirt"
Accused of New Faction
Kern replied that Kepner's opin-
ion on coal was of no value be-
cause he knew so little about it.
Mrs. Sedwick called Kern and
Wniteman to her after adjournment
and accused them of having formed
a new faction after having agreed
a year ago to stand with her and
Kepner. There followed sharp
exchange of accusations between
Whiteman and Mrs. Sedwick about
who had called caucus of White
man, Kepner and Mrs. Sedwick to
select a city Librarian several
months ago.
Mrs. Sedwick said Whiteman
called it. He said she called it.
White with anger. Mrs. Sedwick
calculated:
"You are the biggest liar / ever
saw"
You being a woman can't call
you that, answered Whiteman Mrs.
Sedwick walked rapidly out Of the
room.
Other committee heads appointed
by Kern:
Finance, military instruction and
Gregg bequeSt. Whiteman.
Public library and Seegmiller
scholarship, Mrs, Sedwick.
Thanks and memorial, Kepner.
E1ng.<4>1 $s<r,1