Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-30
DiscOnraging Prospect for Reform
ing the school Rules.

Neither parents, pupils nor teachers can
reasonably expect the school-boa after their
discOuragtng action at the last meeting to sat-
isfy the public desire for a reform In the course
of studies. Perhaps unintentlonally, the board
place themselves In the attitude OF re5enting
the idea that 1t Is possible to improve any thing
which they or any part of their number have
permitted to exist. They have not, to be sure,
rejected as yet any specific recommendations
OF the report OF the committee On textbooks,
but they have stricken out the state
ment of facts and general conclusions,
prefacing the recommendations upon which
the latter are based. The fate OF the
recommendations may be guessed when
the facts which justify them are denied. But
have the majority Of the school board any good
reason to be hurt at the suggestion that the
present course OF studies can be improved?
The course was introduced experimentally, and
was conceded to be capable of improvement by
the trustee who drew IL up. The board them
selves have said from year to year In their an
nual reports: at is not expected that this
course Of study will prove to be in every par
ucular perfectly adapted TO the wants
OF our schools, and as experience shall
discover defects they VIII be corrected"
Last November the committee on text
books were instructed to examine the
implication being that there were such. If
then 1t has been generally recognized that the
course can be improved, the old trustees who
remain on the board have no reason to feel ag-
grieved IL committee appointed to suggest
improvements report that they find t1ings to
improve. IL Is only on the ground that the old
board was infallible that proposals to change
the course become reflections upon them Hence
the minority report and the substitute are Insults
OF the same nature as the majorlt. report, less
only in degree. 1t would be comforting to be
assured that the District school board, not
merely the present one but all its predecessors
and, presumably, its successors can introduce
nothing that is faulty into the schools, even
experimentaly, If it were not for the plain
facts which contradict the assurance even
though the school board themselves have said
1t. IL does not seem possible that a
tender consideration for the representative
ness OF some members of the old board
has caused this action. The majority have not
shown that respect for the feelings of others
Is controlling motive with them. On the alb
surd plea OF defending the old board from con-
structiye reflection, they have directly reflected
upon capable and Intelligent gentlemen const1-
tuting the committee on text books, whose
statements OF fact they pronounce to be the
opposite, even In respect to some matters upon
which there can be no dispute, by the indis-
criminate expungement OF them from the re-
port. We are left to infer that a majority Of
the school board are not In sympathy with the
widespread feeling, among those whom they
are appointed to represent, that a change In
the present course Of studies is necessary. The
parents may still do the teaching, the teachers
be limited to catechizing and revising, and the
pupils continue to be crammed. We hope we
are mistaken In this inference from the action
Of the board at the last meeting