National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-02
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICY.

A Letter TO the Ex-Trustees Disposiug
of Their Proposed Bill and Detailing
the Commissioners Plan of Proceed
ing.
The commissioners have addressed the
following letter TO DIR. Robert Reyburn as
chairman of the ex.school trustees com
mttee:
"Your favor Of the Goth ultlmo has been
received and its contents noted. The bill
presented by your committee has been care
fully read and considered, and l am In
structed to say that an answer would have
been transmitted sooner but has been de-
layed by the pressure Of other matters.
1.-THE commissioners are satisfied that the
interests Of the public schools will be much
better subseTved by keeping the control OF
these schools just where the existing law
puts 1t than by the means provided In the
bill referred TO them. The act OF 1873,
which abolishes the board Of school trus-
tees, transfers all the power and duties eX-
ercised by that board to the commissioners,
and authorizes them to employ such
agents and to accept such provisions as
may be necessary to carry into execution
the powers and duties 80 conferred. BY
this same act the appointment OF trustees,
who are to have the powers and per-
form the duties In relation to the care and
management Of the public schools author
lied by law, is confided to the commission
ers. In their letter Of the 3lst Of December
last, addressed to the board Of school trus
tees, the commissioners call attention TO the
provisions Of the act Of 1873, and give II as
their opinion that the terms, care and man
agement have reference to the schools as
complete institutions fully organized and
equipped with teachers, school buildings,
and ianitors.
"When the school Is complete instltu-
ton the care and management Of II is as
signed TO the trustees, under laws existing
In 1878 having relation thereto, and II only
remains to ascertain definitely what laws
are specifically referred to by this language.
"The bill presented to the commissioners
by your committee proposes to establish
board Of school trustees, consisting of
twenty-four, instead Of nine, and confers
larger powers and imposes more engrossIng
duties upon them than does the present
law, without compensation.
"The commissioners do not think that
plan which thus imposes upon unpaid agents
duties so numerous and so difficult, and at the
same time holds them to so great RESPONSE
bility, is good one, and they think also
that the plan proposed IS defective in that
It divides the responsibility for the proper
conduct Of the schools among large num-
Der OF trustees, and so continues system
which for several years past has not worked
successfully.
"As to the number OF trustees IL should
be borne In mind that for four years from
| 1878 to 1882 there were nineteen trustees ;
| that the school authorities concluded that
nineteen were too many, and that with a
view to securing the best results they ad-
| vised that the number should he reduced TO
| eight or nine. So earnestly was this theory
| urged that Congress was persuaded to re-
duce . the number to nine. Why there
should be any change at this time does not
sufficiently appear
"If plan can be devised which will con-
centrate the responsibility for the proper
conduct Of the schools, render patronage
with respect TO the appointment of teach
ers impossible, place the guardianship and
| protection Of the immensely valuable prop
erty represented by and belonging TO the
schools in responsible hands aud under the
supervision OF agents paid for such
work, keep divisions, factious bick-
erings, and scandals of every sort
out OF contact with the school system, and,
| II along with all this, the services Of citi-
zens Of ability and education can he OBJ
tanned as advisers of the commissioners in
their supervision OF educational matters re-
lating to the public schools, the commits
sloners think great work will be accom-
| plished for the good of the public schools.
"The commissioners believe this can be
accomplished without further legislation,
and they intend to devote the means at
their disposal and every force and agency
which they can call to their assistance to
the introduction and perfection of this
plan"