The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-12-12
DUSHANE TO
Reject CITY
SCHOOL POST
Special Meeting of Board
Called for Friday
by Kern.
ACTING CHIEF is NEEDED
Present Official Is Favored
to Obtain Job as
Superintendent.
BY LOWELL B. NussBAuM

BY LOWELL Il. NUSSBAUM
Special meeting of the Indianap-
oils school board today was called
for IL a. m. Friday by President
Charles w. Kern to name an acting
school superintendent, to succeed
Charles F. Miller, deposed uncere-
moniously by the board Tuesday
night.
Donald DuShane, Columbus
Ind) school superintendent, who
was named for the Indianapolis
superintendency by the board Tues
day night, told newspaper men to-
day he would not accept the post.
His decision, however, had not been
transmitted to the board.
He said he could not make a for
NAL statement until he had received
formal notice of his Appointment.
appointment Illegal
Delay in notifying DuShane, it
was learned, was due to discovery
that his appointment Tuesday night
was illegal, the law requiring delay
until the next regular meeting after
dismissal Of superintendent before
naming a successor.
Kern said he favored naming of
c. G. Underwood, elementary edu-
cation director, or some other present
school official, as acting superin-
tendent and permitting the newly
elected board members, who take
Office Jan. 1, to name the new
superintendent.
II feel this is the fair thing to
do" e said.
D )very of the ilIegality of elect
ing a new superintendent the same
night the former superintendent
was dismissed was discovered by
Kern and Commissioner Theodore
Vonnegut, Wednesday.
Next Meeting Dec. 81
IT had planned to call special
meeting of the board regardless of
whether Or not DuShane accepted"
Kern said, "aS we would have had
to name some one, possibly Du-
Shane, acting superintendent until
the next regular board meeting,
Dec. 81"
Kern was of the opinion Tuesday
night the naming of a superintend-
ent was illegal at that time, but
was unable to find the law on the
matter until "Wednesday.
DuShane declined to state his
reasons for refusing the post, but
admitted he had conferred with
some of the new board members
He did not make public the results
of the conference. He said he die
not talk to any present board mem
berS.
II could not possibly accept until
I had talked to my own board here
at Columbus, as I am under con-
tract for another two years." he
stated.
No Contract Used
The Indianapolis school superin-
tendent is the only superintendent
in the state not employed under
contract, no legal provision being
made for a contract,
Summary dismissal of Miller on
Tuesday night came as surprise,
all board members except Mrs. Lii
lian G.. Sedwick voting to oust him.
Kern and Vonnegut had sought to
depose Miller for several months, but
Lewis F. Whiteman and Fred KEEP
ner had, until Tuesday night,
aligned themselves with Mrs. Sed-
wick in supporting Miller.
Conditions under which an Indi-
annapolis school superintendent must
work were criticised by Miller today.
The manner in which I was dis
missed was not only unethical and
unprofessional, but unfair" he said.
"The superintendent should be given
sufficient time to get his work in
proper shape to turn over to his SIC
ceSSor.
by this method his job is merely
a job from one board meeting to
the next, ana school man who ex-
poets to make a success of his work
must have assurance of some lit
tie term of Office in order to carry
out his policies.
Indianapolis schools are in good
condition at this time, but present
conditions do not tend to better
them"