Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-31
OPPOSE THE PENDING BILL
GEoRGErowtN tIr,zEss D1sAr-
PROVE CHANGEiIN SCHOOL LAW.
Resolutions Adopted RecOmmendinR
Changes In the Measure Before
COngress-Other Matters.

A special meeting u the Georgetown Cit
liens Association was held last evening at
the hall of the First Cooperative Building
Association. 1895 sd street, to consider the
proposed school legislation now before Con-
gress. Action was taken In opposition to
the proposed changes, and resolutions to
that effect will be forwarded to Congress.
The meeting was well attended. and consid-
cradle fnteres. taken in the matter under
discussion.
The meeting was called to order by the
president, Mr.. B. T. Janney, with Mr.. Jas
H. Taylor. the secretary, present The
call for the special meeting, signed by
Messrs. Archibald Greenlees. A. B. Jack
son, Jesse H. Wilson, A. K. Paris and j.
w. Bogley was read.
Mr. Greenlees presented an analysis of
the proposed bill now pending before Con-
gress for the transfer of the management
of the public schools of tie District into
the hands OF a commission to be appointed
by the President.
An editorial from The Star Of March>N
was read, IN which the wisdom OF entrust-
ing the management OF the public scnools
to other than bOna-hde residents OF the CITY
was very much doubted. the best interests
to be secured being obtainable only from
those whose hearts and souls were In the
public school system.
1.-THE parallel proposition in any state in
the Union" said Mr.. Greenless, that the
governor should designate the school trus-
tees for any city of the state would not pc
tolerated for an instant by the people. The
tendency of legislation for some years past
has been to infringe upon the principle or
local government. The proposition that the
President by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate shall appoint the trus-
tees, Is the most radical and far-reaching
effort of such legislation in the past twenty
years The wording OF the biil e9a 1o, nve
bia,' does not insure that trustee will
be identified with the interests OF the city.
1t is not necessary that he be a bona hde
citizen.
MIR. GreenIees, Recommendation.
Mr.. GreenIees recommended that the ap-
pointing power should be vested In the
Commissioners Of the District of Columbia
and not In the President of the United
States, and that the trustees shou.u be
limited to bona fide residents of the Dis
trict. He further recommended that the
pay, IL any, Of the trustees shall not exceed
$3.50 each, IS for each member for per-
sonal attendance at a meeting the larger
sum of $1,000 causing the places to be
sought after for the salary alone. At the
conclusion of his remarks Mr. Greenlees
introduced the resolutions, which were
unanimously adopted, as follows:
II. While the association is strongly OPP
posed to any radical change in the present
school system. If legislation Of this char
acter Is in the opinion of Congress neces-
Sary we recommend the lollOWluS CHduSeS
be made in the proposed measure:
80. That the number of trustees be eleven,
or one for each school division; that the
appointing power should be vested in the
Commissioners and not the President of
the United States; and that the word re
siding should be changed to who have
been citizens of the District Of Columbia
during the five years Immediately preceding
their appointment
IS. That the provision for the compensa-
ton for trustees should not exceed 50 for
each meeting they attend. Experience has
shown that attendance has readily been Sc
cured without compensation. 1t is firmly
believed that better class of men, higher
order Of public service, can be secured when
the duties are honorary rather than FOR a
stipend. 90
"a Such change should be made in the
resolution as will insure proper correlation
of the fiscal responsibilities of the proposed
school department with those of the Com
missoners of the District of Columbia.
). That care Should be taken that the
existing law providing for appointment of
Normal Schoof graduates shall be pre-
served. - 600 -
Commune atiOns Read.
A letter was read from the North Capitol
and lexington Citizens Association asking
the approval Of the pending Senate school
reform bill. Upon notion the secretary
was Instructed to forward to the associa-
ton a copy of the resolutions adopted on
the subject. A letter was also read from
Samuel Ross, requesting representatives of
the Georgetown Citizens Association to at
tend a meeting of the Senate subcommittee
at a hearing on telephones, which will be
held Monday afternoon at o'clock. A
committee, consisting of Messrs. e. P. Ber-
ry, Samuel C. Palmer and j. Hite Miller
was appointed tosattend the meeting.