Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-10
IN FAVOR OF A SCHOOL BOARD.
A Memorial Prepared for presentation
90 Congress-.

The committee appointed at a meeting OF ex.
school trustees some days ago has prepared q
memorial 10 Congress I'm favor OF the bin which
has been introduced I'm Congress providing fog
the creation OF a school board OF "a members
with specified powers. The memorial calls atten-
ton TO the existing conflict OF opinion between
the Commissioners and the school board re-
speeding the legal powers OF the board and
which, the memorialists say. seems 20 require
legislation for settlement But aside from this
conflict, and independently OF what the law
ought TO be, and upon this question, the memo
rial says, there is likewise a conflict of opin-
ion. The Commissioners" the memorial goes
on, "are understood 20 favor the abolition OF
the school board governing
body OBTAINING IL, il at all. merely to executs
such powers as they may see nj, from time To
time, to delegate To it, aud the transfer of ali its
substantial powers 20 themselves. Their ideal
They would prefer 10 govern the schools as they
govern the police force. through a superin.
tendent. The citizens, on the other hand, OF
the great body OF them, undoubtedly look with
disiavor upon a further Capitalization OF power
in school management. Their recent experiences
of the effects OF practical application of the
one-man-power to school affairs In the separ
rate divisions, is not such as 10 encourage
acquiescence i'm the extension of that power
prefer TO entrust the management of the public
schools to citizens selected and appointed for
that special purpose and In numbers sufiici-
entity large TO be fairly representative of each
school division and Of all classes OF people,
The memorial then goes on To explain the pro-
visions OF the bill and the advantages OF the
system of trustee management 1T would be
unWise, think the memorialists, ito take from
the people, even OF the District of Columbia, the
administration OF their school affairs and turn
IL over TO one man, or three men, holding polti-
cal Office, however uneXccptionable he or they
may be-" The proposed law, the memorialits
say, provides for no new scheme OF school man.
agement, but codifies existing laws and
usages as approved and administered
under the Commissioners until recently. ANY
suggestion, therefore, that this bin is new or
confers unusual powers upon the school board
is not well founded. The memorialists favor
its enactment because IL is a bill OF peace set
thing the disputed construction OF the present
act and preventing future dsagreements be-
tween the Commissioners and the school board;
because IL continues a system Of school man.
agement with which all citizens are familiar
and under which the schools have prospered,
and because IL imposes upon the people them
se,yes through a reasonably large committee,
responsibility for the proper management OF
their own schools. The memorial IL signed by
members Of the committee and a number OF
clergymen. Appended To IL are the letters OF
the District Commissioners respecting the
powers of the school board, and a letter from
Mr.. b. q. Lovejoy, president OF the school
board, giving his views i'm favor OF the bill and
against the position taken by the District Com
missioners.