Evening star., 1900-04-07
Public school Legislation.

Washington is very much interested in
the Senate amendment to the District ap-
preparation bill which deals with the re-
organization of public school authority.
Few things can be of much Importance
to any civilized community as its public
school system and no municipal department
should be more devoid of politics or more
impregnabIe to the spokesman. The Star
has consistently and steadily urged con-
sentative readjustment of local school con-
ditions which would place the responsible
fty for success or failure. and it therefore
welcomes without reserve the legislative
proposition to grant to the new board of
education well-deined rights and powers.
which should always have been vested in
the board of trustees. The general idea of
the amendment is praisewOrthy, but there
is weakness of detail which should and
doubtless will, receive congressional atten-
tiOn. 1t Is not enought to provide that
members of the board of education shall
be bona fide residents and taxpayers of
the District of Columbia. and who have
been such for five years Immediately pre-
ceding their appointment" The act should
say citizens of and taxpayers in the Dis
trict of Columbia. Sc To the average un-
instructed mind the distinction may appear
to be unimportant. but the thoughtful
WashingtOnian knows the difference; has
learned it to his sorrow and humiliation;
has acquired his knowledge through great
tribulation- Again and again has he seen
the smashing of hOme-rule planks in both
democratic and republican platforms, and
he knows that faith invested in party
promises will yield little or no interest He
has seen the honOrs and emoluments of
local office-postmaster. marshal judge re-
d. -
and measures-showered upon those who
had neither legal or other claim upon the
places or the people. Therefore, the quail
fications for membership in the board of
education should be Loyalty local and un-
questionahly precise.
It is provided that the appointments to the
board shall he by the President of the
United States. by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. If the spirit which
seems to have actuated that proviso shall
he kept alive then there will he no difficulty
in preventing any effort that may be made
to Tammanyize our schools. Nomination
and appointment by the President and con-
hrmation by the Senate will give to the Of
flee great dignity just as the other pro-
visions of the amendment burden it with
heavy responsibility. 1t is for the Pres
iient to do his work we'll. Let him nom
mate citizens of such high standing in the
community as will make any possible po-
lltical criticism of no moment. There is here
abundance Of good material: not doctrin-
aries or faddists, but people of sound judg-
ment and much discretion: people who
know what our schools should be and who
will. if they have opportunity. make them
models for the entire country.
Apprehension is expressed by some be-
cause the plan does not provide for col
ored superintendent of colored schools.
There need be no disturbance over that de-
tail one OF the two assistant superinten-
dents will surely be colored and will have
all necessary authority to make the colpred
schools all they ought to be
The new plan-with some revision-win
doubtless become law. When that is ac-
complished the community will look TO the
President for superlative and politically un-
tainted nominations.