The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-24
PUBLIC SCHOOL ENQUIRY
The Senate Committee Reports That
Many Evils Exist.
An Amendment Proposed Creating
Department of Education for
erI, Organized - The Rudiments
NeGIected-ChanEes Recommended.

Mr. Stewart yesterday reported from the
Senate Committee on the District of Co
lumbia the result of the investigation Of
the public school system of the District
As a result OF this investigation the com
mittee recommends that the following
para graph be inserted as an amendment
10 the District Appropriation bill:
That there shall be a department Of
public schools in the government of the
District Of Columbia, and the President OF
the United States is hereby authorized &c
appoint. by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, five persons residing
in the District of Columbia, to constitute
a board of education, whose term of office
shall be five years, except that the terms
OF the persons first appointed shall termi-
nate as follows: One each year, to be de-
iermined by lot among the FIVE members
of the board first appointed. The compen-
sation OF the members Of the board shall
be S20 per capita for personal attendance
al each meeting, but shall not exceed for
any member 81 600 per annum. The board
shall have complete Jurisdiction over all
matters connected with the public schools
of the District of Columbia, including the
administration of the public funds and the
care and management of school buildings,
except construction, and shall make all
needful rules and regulations which may
be proper for the conduct of the business
of the department, and shall submit TO
Congress an annual report of the opera
tions Of the department, together with the
needs of the service, and particularly the
sanitary and structural condition of all
buildings in use as well as those in course
OF construction.
Appoint u Superintendent.
That the board shall have power to ap-
point one superintendent for all the public
schools in the District, secretary dis
bursting officer, who shall give a bond in
the sum OF $4,000 for the faithful dis
charge of his duties, and two clerks, and
10 remove said officers at its pleasure.
The superintendent. by and with the adj
vice and consent of the board, shall have
power TO appoint and remove an assistant
superintendent, all teachers officers. and
other employees. and he shall annually sub
init to the board for approval the course
OF studies, lists OF text books. and other
apparatus to be used in the schools.
That the board shall annually transmit
TO the Commissioners of the District an
estimate OF the money required for the de-
Z
year, and said Commissioners shall include
the same In their annual estimate of ap-
preparations for the District.
That the foregoing provisions under the
head of public schools shall take effect
Immediately upon the passage OF this act,
and all acts and parts OF acts in conflict
Herewith are hereby repealed.
The following salaries shall be paid:
For Officers: For FIVE members of the
I'd Of
not more than $500 OF which shall be used
during the first half of the fiscal year; for
one superintendent Of public schools,
$1,000; for one assistant superintendent,
$1,000; for one secretary, $500; for one
disbursiRg officer. $4,000; for two clerks at
$1,000 each. 81. 900; one messenger $500:
in all, $4,000.
Contradictory Testimony.
The report states that the testimony
taken by the committee is very volumi-
nous. and, at times, contradictory concern
ing the management, method Of instruc-
tion, and condition of the public schools.
A lack Of properly organized system is in
the opinion of the committee. the principal
source Of defects in the existing system
Of public schools in the District
The Board of Trustees, under the present
Law. is appointed by the District Com
missioners. and consists of eleven men,
bers. who receive no compensation. The
Superintendent is also appointed by the
Commissioners, the powers and duties of
neither the trustees nor the Superintend-
ent are clearly defined 1t would be i'm
possible. the report states, to criticise and
decide all or any considerable number of
the disputed questions upon which The
committee has taken testimony, but there
is vast preponderance of evidence tend
ing TO show want of the necessary drill
in spelling, penmanship, arithmetic gram
mar. and geography.
Continuing. the report says: This want
OF drill seems TO arise from the large num-
Der Of matters called nature or science
studies taught in the lower grades. The
use Of object lessons. such as birds, in
seets. flowers fruits. and the like may be
useful and may interest children. but such
object lessons ought not to monopoIize
the time of the schools to the exclusion
of elementary drilling"
THE advocates OF the so-cailed nature
studies very properly contend that some
variation from the old system is necessary
10 interest the pupils and make their school
life agreeable and beneficial, but according
10 the testimony of the teachers. SO much
time IS consumed with these nature
studies that they neglect the necessary
drill in The elements. Many of the teach
complain that they are constantly oc
cupied in investigating these nature
studies TO qualify themselves for teaching.
and that their time and energy are ex-
hausted in studying and teaching nature
studies to such an extent that they are
not able to teach the children the primary
lessons which are indispensable in the or
binary transactions of life.
There is another matter which inter