Evening star., 1952-07-31
Fau|kner Takes
Oath as Member
OF School Board
Family Witnesses
Brief Ceremony
For New Appointee


Robert r. Faulkner, Washington
attorney, was sworn in at noon
today as q new member of the
District Board of Education.
The brief ceremony took place
in the boardroom at the Franklin
School. Thirteenth and K streets
NV.
The oath of Office was admin
istered by Richard Harris, notary
public, who is also director Of
finance for the school system.
Board President C. Melvin
Sharpe participated in the cere-
mony, which was attended by
members of Mr.. Faulkner's family.
They were his wife and two
daughters, Mrs. Robert O'Neill, jr..
|of 1916 Yuma street NV. and
Mrs. Charles F. King of 4001 Ninth
street NE. Both daughters are
graduates of Mckinley High h
School.
Norman j. Nelson. acting super
lintendent of schools. was present
at the ceremony. DR.. Hobart M.
Corning, superintendent, is away
on vacation.
Not Assigned rs Yet.
Mr.. Faulkner replaces DR..
James A. Cannon, who has re-
signed. Announcement of Mr.
Faulkner's appointment was made
yesterday on behalf Of the Dis
trict Court by Chief Judge Bolitha
j. Laws. Mr.. Faulkner has not
lyet been assigned to any COM
mittees on the board, Mr.. Sharpe
said. Mr.. Faulkner said he desires
to study the records in any
controversial school matters be-
fore making up his mind on them.
Mr.. Faulkner will fill the re-
mainder of DR.. Gannon's present
term, which expires June. 1858.
Served Since 1910.
DR.. Cannon has served on the
School Board since 1910. His let
ter of resignation was sent to the
judges early this month but only
a few friends knew of his inten-
tion to leave the School Board.
Officially. DR.. Cannon said no
was resigning because the work
of the School Board had become
so heavy that it was interfering
with his medical practice. He said
he had to decide which deserves
the most attention and his pa
tients won.
At Odds With Sharpe.
Unofficially, DR.. Cannon has
been at odds with Mr.. Sharpe
for some time. AS an ardent sup
porter of DIR. Corning, DR.. Gan
non has opposed other board
members in recent months over
various controversies.
One of DR.. Gannon's biggest
lights was to get DR.. Corning re-
appointed early this year to an
other term as school superintend-
ent. DR.. Corning made it on a
split vote, 6 to 3.
DR.. Cannon was defeated by
EMr. Sharpe for the presidency OF
the board in July. He has been
on the board since 1910 and once
served as vice president. He lost
that job to Adelbert w. Lee, for
mer School Board member who
was leader of the anti-Corning
group.
One of DR.. Gannon's consistent
lcomplaints against fellow School
Board members is that they inter-
fered too often with administra-
tive details which should be left
to DR.. Corning.
Mr.. Faulkner has lived in the
District since 1915. He was ad-
mitted to the bar here in 1920
and has Offices in the Shoreham
Building.
Mr.. Faulkner was born Septem.
ber 18. 1893 in Clifford, Ill. +
Worked i'm Roads Bureau.
F7e came here on his honey
Imuon and became a Stenographer
lin the Bureau of Public Roads.
where he served from 1915 to 1920.
During that time, he attended
George Washington University
Law School at night. He was
graduated in 1919 and then went
out to pratice in 1920.
Now he specializes in tax work.
One of his clients Is the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad.
Practical Viewpoint.
Mr.. Faulkner told reporters:
II am really very proud that the
judges of District Court have con-
fidence enough in me to appoint
me to the Board of Education. Yet
I accept the job with humility.
Being the parent of children who
attended the schools in the Dis
trict, I can bring to the board a
practical. objective viewpoint, both
for the parents and children"
Asked how he stood on school
problems, Mr.. Faulkner said: II
have no positive ideas on segrega-
ton. I would have tc see what
the facts are before can make
up my mind. That is the only
sensible way"