Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-27

bia, or TO any other quasi-political BODY
UNoUALIFIEDLY IN FAVOR OF THE BILL.
Mr.. s. c. Clarke writes: "As against the fore
Swallowed management Of our schools by the
| Commissioners under existing Law. I am un.
qualifiedly in favor Of the enactment of such
pending bill. as affordiDg more diffusive repre-
sentation OF the people, and as promising q
school board OF much greater aptitude for the
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE OF scHoors
VIM. II. Lee, an ex-trustee OF colored schools,
writes: 81 do not see why q board of school
trustees cannot carry out the laws governing
them and the schools; and not the Commis-
Moners who are not responsible for the present
care Of the same"
THINKS THE COMMISSIONERS SHOULD APPOINT.
MI. B.J. O'Driscoll, ex-trustee, writes: 81 don't
approve Of comforting the appointing or re-
moval power on any body but the Commits.
sioners 30 long as we Of the District of Columbia
are being governed by the Commissioners II
one h or 90 70 have two standards OF authority
another set. The school trustees are them
selves appointed by the Commissioners OF the
give them authority TO appoint or remove
o o,,sa whom the Commissioners themselves
S %,ssion not appoint or remove' The Com,
avail themselves of the advice and counsel
OF wen regulated and happily constituted
can get along without one. but there should be
nothing OF mandatory character in their pro.
ton Wsicb sh see 6aoshing In the present sit1a
interests OF our schools at heart serving on
IN FAVOR OF A SCHOOL BOARD.
Mr.. Geo. c. Henning writes at length in favor
OF the principle of governing the schools by a
school board instead of by the Commissioners.
Mr. Ellis Spear writes in favor of the bill and
says: II DO not see how the scheme of the Com
m missioner Is to put the immensely valuable
properly belonging to the schools in more re-
sponstble hands than the present bill, or how
under the supervision Of agents paid for such
S W1rk, DIVISIONS factions, pickering and scan
oaiS OF every sort, are to be kept out of the
school system, more certainly than under the
plan Which has been tried and is included in
WOULD BE INFINITELY BETTER.
Dr.. Charles Rau, of the Smithsonian Institu.
ton, writes: 81 hold the view that it will be
Infinitely better to intrust the management OF
the public schools of the District of Columbia
to board OF citizens than to leave it to the
board OF Commissioners"
THE UNIFORM CUSTOM IN THE STATES.
Mr.. T. j. COfey says: al am very decidedly
Of opinion that the management Of the public
schools should be entrusted by law to a board,
selected for that purpose, OF citizens of the Dis
trict of Columbia. I think this in harmony
the uniform custom $50 far as know Of our
common-school system In the states"
THE ONLY QUESTION INVOLVED.
Mr.. George w. Dyer an ex-trustee, writes
"This proposition involves only the question
whether board can be selected from the citi-
zens OF washington who collectively shall have
as much regard for the common schools, as
much honesty, as much intelligence and more
leisure than the Commissioners. think such
board can be had"
THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL,
Mr.. o. c. Wight approves the bill, and says:
"The plan OF control and management is, in its
essential features that which prevails in all
parts Of our country where the highest degree
OF success has been obtained"
FAvoRs A BOARD OF CITIZENS.
Ex-Judge Drake writes: ain my opinion 1t is
very far better to intrust the management of
the public schools to q board of citizens speci-
ally selected for the purpose than to the board
OF Com missiOners."
Would PUT AN END TO CONTROVERSY
Mr.. Horatio King writes: at appears to me
that the provisions of the bill, If enacted into
law, would serve TO put an end to controversy
on the subject and secure the best results"
THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CITIES
Prof. j. w. Chickering writes: al most EN-.
phatically indorse the principle contained in
bill No. 1888 as in accord with the universal
experience OF those cities and towns in the
United States where the best educational re-
suits have been obtained"
A PRINCIPLE THAT CoMMENDs ITSELF
Rev. DR.. s. Domer, pastor of the St Paul's
English Lutheran church, writes in favor of the
Cihs auN says tuc pTiuClple Oh which II Is
based is the only one that commends itself as
fitting the situation OF affairs in this city,"
THINKS SCHOOL BOARD THE BEST.
Prof. j. r. Eastman writes: 81 am decidedly
of the opinion that the schools would be best
managed by good board of trustees, and to
that end I heartily approve the bill accom- any-
Ing the circular and letter."
WORTHY OF THE DARKEST AGES
Rev. DR.. Faunce says: "The Commissioners
idea of school management is worthy OF the
darkest period OF the darkest of all the dark
ages. Where have such men lived?"