Evening star., 1933-01-19
TIE: VOTE IS CAST
ON BOXING REPORT
Board of Education Fails to
Agree as Three Women
Favor Use of Gyms.


boxing, the Board of Education late yes
terday voted itself into a 4-to-4 tie on
the application of Columbus University
for permission to present its boxing
bouts with other universities and col
leges in the Mckinley High School
gymnasium.
So fervently did the three women
favor modern intercollegiate boxing that
Mrs. Philip Sidney Smith, who has been
confined to her home seriously i'll with
a mysterious infection of the eyes, had
herself led into the board room long
enough to cast her vote and thus make
the active feminine support of the sport
unanimous. Mrs. Henry Grafton Doyle
and Mrs. William c. McNeill completed
the trio and all are mothers with sons
in their families.
Gilligan Casts Fourth Vote.
In the voting, the three women, who
comprise the school boards committee
on community use of buildings, had
only one man associates support He
was Henry Gilligan and it was his ef-
forts, in fact, which brought the inter-
collegiate boxing issue into open board
meeting.
The tie vote yesterday was the climax
to period of public discussion that ran
through three school board meetings,
the first of which was held prior to the
Christmas holidays. The ballot itself
was on the unanimous recommendation
of the Committee on Community Use of
Buildings that Columbus University'S
application for use of the Mckinley
gymnasium be approved The vote.
however, came only after a series of
moves which ran the gamut of parlia-
CT 20 fnny oh
when DR.. Hayden johnson, president of
the board, availed himself of the privi-
lege of casting the negative ballot which
brought about the Stalemate.
Mrs. Doyle, acting as chairman for
Mrs. Smith, read the committee report
and Mrs. Smith moved its adoption.
Mr.. Gilligan seconded it and opened the
discussion. He told the board that a
number of protesting letters had ac-
cused him of favoring the granting Of
the knights of Columbus-Sponsored Co.
lumbus University because you are a
Catholic" AS matter of fact the
board member declared, he is Metho-
dist and school board member, citi-
zen and taxpayer who sits on this board
determined to accord justice and fair.
ness to everybody no matter what their
religious convictions may be-" He read
ney Leo A. Rover pronouncing intercol-
legiate boxing as it would be staged in
Mckinley High. School thoroughly
legal" Citing his own experiences in
college athletics, Mr.. Gilligan said he
was convinced that intercollegiate box
ing did far less injury to the psrtici-
pants than either foot ball or basket
ball.
WhifwoII Onnneac Rounrx
George Whitwell member, opposed
the committee report. Citing the fig
ures of the Washington Post poll on in
tercollegiate boxing, taken with respect
to Columbus University's application
and showing 4,129 in favor of the sport
and only SO opposed to it, Mr.. Whitwell.
asserted that such ballot was of little
use He argued that persons who
those who are against it won't bother
to say so.'
Mrs. Doyle entered the discussion to
point out the three points of consid-
Grafton on which the committee acted
First, she said, the committee consid-
cred the school board as the custodian
of public property which recognized
institutions of learning have a right
to use TOR educational, cultural and
recreational activities. Secondly she
continued, it decided boxing was not
a controversial" subject any more than
any college sport, all of which were
mentioned with some acrimony" dur
ing the discussions on boxing. And
the third point Of consideration was
the legality of intercollegiate boxing
1t had the pronouncement of Corpora
ton Counsel w. w. Bride and United
States Attorney Rover, and so the COM
mittee was convinced.
Mr. Whitwell added that since DR..
Ballou and all his associated school
officers were opposed to boxing in the
schools, he believed the school board
should abide by their judgment. Mr..
the superintendent's opinion on strictly
public school matters carries consid-
cradle weight, the question at issue in
wolves not public school curriculum, but
a community recreation and building
that happens to be public property.
The board itself has the greater re-
sponsibility in such matters, he con-
tended.
johnson Loses Point.
President johnson ruled that because
the question was controversial the vote
would be taken under suspension OF
the rules neceSsitating majority OF
the full board, or five votes, since one
member. Rabbi Abram Simon, was alb
sent. The board. by vote of S to 2,
refused to sustain the chair on this
ruling, however, and President johnson
asserted he would cast a vote If his
vote would change the result.
The board was polled. Those voting
for the report, carrying permission to
use the gymnasium. were Mrs. Doyle,
Mrs. McNeill, Mrs. Smith and Mr.. Gllll-
gan. Those opposing it were DR.. j:
Hayden johnson, Mr.. Whitwell and
Rev. F. I. A. Bennett. President john
son then cast the tying vote.
Some discussion centered about Presi-
dent Johnson's parliamentary license
for voting when there was no tie
President johnson cited Roberts Rules
under which the board operates, and
Mr.. Gilligan took exception to the vote.
Later in the meeting however, Mr.. Gill
ligan. who meantime had consulted
Roberts Rules. withdrew his exception
and admitted the chairman was within
his parliamentary rights
After the board meeting, President
johnson explained his vote. He told
The Star he had promised his felloW
members he would vote even before a
definite cleavage had been established.
Hence, he said, he felt obliged TO ao.
here to that promise. He voted no,
y. said. because he was convinced that
intercollegiate boxing violates the
spirit of the law" which definitely
prohibits pugilistic contests in the DIS.
trict. This law, while probably about
to be repealed by the now pending
amateur boxing bill, on which a favor
able report already has been made,
still is ION the books" he said.