Evening star., 1934-11-09
Decision Comes at Close of
4-Hour Hearing Marked
by Daniels Charges.
HINTS COERCION CAUSED
VOTE TO CANCEL GAMES
Police Mingle With Students to
Seek Communists and Guard
Against Trouble.
BULLETIN.

The Board of Education upheld
this afternoon the order discon-
tinuing the remainder of this years
inter-high school foot ball series.
The decision came after a four
hour public hearing before the
Board of Education.
Assistant Supt. Of Schools Stephen
E. Kramer was charged with limiting
the Board of High School Principals
to the choice of disbarring Mckinley
and Western High Schools from inter-
high school foot ball or cancelling the
remainder of their series, in a state
ment by Principal Frank c. Daniel of
Mckinley, to the Board Of Education,
at public hearing today. DR.. Elmer
S. Newton, principal of Western. later
bore out Daniels statement. but said
his vote was not Influenced by this
action.
The meeting, called by the board
to take testimony on the free -for-an
fight among players in the Mckinley
Western foot ball game at Central
Stadium last Friday, which resulted
in cancellation of the series, was at
tended by approximately 100 students
and by police on the lookout for Com
munist agitators.
Alarmed by rumors Of a student
strike if the series is not resumed,
board members urged strong disci-
plinary action.
Quinn Defies Students.
$50 far as am concerned they can
strike til kingdom come" said Henry
I. Quinn, a member of the board.
They won't influence my decision"
Meanwhile. Mckinley students con-
tinued today to discuss walkout,
many of them threatening to quit
classes Monday morning unless the
board accedes to their wishes.
Police of the Crime Prevention Bu-
reau visited various high schools this
morning in the belief that Communist
organizations and sympathizers are
fomenting trouble.
Confronted with Daniels accusation
that he did not give the Board Of
Principals a free choice in determin-
! ing what disciplinary step to take in
regard to the foot ball fight, DR..
Kramer leaped to his feet and asked
permission Of the board to question
the Mckinley principal, the first wit
| ness.
Insists Coercion Hinted.
Did I not ask all the principals.
Are we all agreed?'" DR.. Kramer in
quired. WAS there any compulsion
on you as an independent principal
to accept either alternative? Were
you not sure that If you voted against
both alternatives that your vote would
be transmitted to the superintendent
of schools?"
Daniel agreed with the implica-
tions of each question. but insisted
that DR.. Kramer had led the Board
of Principals to believe that unless the
board took one of the alternatives its
recommendation would not be ap-
pre- sr by the assistant superintendent
anA wNeNintendent of schools.
Daniel testified he had proposed
| that the principals of the three schools
not involved in the controversy be
allowed to decide what should be done.
| Mr.. Kramer would not listen to
my proposal" he declared. II want
to point out definitely we were given
a choice of two propositions, either
cancel the series or disbar Tech and
Western. I proposed the motion to
cancel the series because I did not
intend to see my school or my team
smeared."
Newton Confirms Choice.
| Dr. Newton, the second witness.
confirmed the statement Of Daniel
| that DR.. Kramer presented two al
| tentative courses of action. He did
not agree with Daniel, however, in
the latters statement that he would
not have voted as he did but for DR..
Kramer'S action.
II voted for discontinuance Of the
series not SO much because of the
fight between the foot ball players as
because of our apparent inability dur
ing this and other games to control
the spectators" the Western principal
testified.
Daniel. on the other hand, de-
| scribed his vote as the choice OF
lesser of two evils put up to U.s."
Daniel was cross-examined at length
by Quinn and George NJ. Whitwell,
another board member.
Quinn quoted to Daniel the Board
OF Education regulation which puts
high school athletics under the super
vision of the board of principals.
composed of the principals of the five
white high schools. He croSs-exam-
ined the Mckinley official as to
whether he considered himself as
coerced.
Daniel said: ct would not call it
coercion" but insisted he considered
that he had only the two alternatives
put up to him by Kramer.
Kramer Wouldn't Listen"
THE Board of Education had not
given you any choice" Quinn de-
clared you knew that If any action
of which you did not approve was
taken you could come directly to the
board"
Daniel made no direct reply to this,
but said, ''Mr. Kramer would not lis
ten to my proposal"
Whitwell then took up the cross
examination
[ Don't you feel it was your duty
as a man to voice your objection?"
he asked Daniel.
'I did" the Tech principal replied.
IF he had objected his vote would
CONTINUED on Page 8, Column 4.)
|