The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-06-24
The School Board.
Qualifications Which Should Govern
Appointments to It.

appointments 10 1t.
Commissioner Macfarland was
credited with saying, the other day,
that he had In view the appointment
OF representative business man" as
a member of the Board Of Education.
We have no means Of knowing who
the representative business man" is
whom the Commissioner has in view
Tor this important appointment, but
assume, as a matter of course, that he
Is IN every respect what Mr.. Macfar-
land claims him to be-a representa-
tive business man." We may even
eoncede, for the sake of argument.
that he represents in his person the
very highest type of what "business
man" can, or, perhaps, should be.
But are these the only qualifications
those possessed by a Representative
business man" which should govern
the selection of a member of the
Board of Education7 Are there not
others besides those who have contrib
uted TO make a successful man of bust
ness-or a business man." which, we
take it, is not altogether the same
thing-are there not. other qualifca-
tons required TO enable a man to be
an efficient factor in the direction Of
educational matters7
There is too much Of disposition,
we fear, on the part Of many people
who have not given the subject the at
tention 1t deserves, to assume that the
education of youth is little more than
q plain business proposition. In TAX
ing this view people are often inclined
to think that the functions Of a school
board are similar to those performed
by laymen in the management of a
hospital or a charitable institution.
Yet, this Is far from being the case :
for, while in the direction of hospital
affairs the functions Of the layman are
largely confined to experimenting the
financial operations Of the institution,
and rarely, if ever, encroach upon the
field of professional activity, the
duties of member of board of ed
ucation, here and elsewhere, are prin-
cipally those for which previous train
ing, and, TO some extent, even expert
knowledge, should have fitted the man
selected for such a place
The education of youth is a verJ
serious matter. Those engaged in it
from the president Of the board down
to the humblest teacher in the mos
obscure Of kindergartens, are charged
with grave responsibilities. They may
not always realize it, but it is a fact
nevertheless. Theirs it Is to form the
character Of future generations
theirs to make or unmake the hear
and mind of human beings. Exis
there parents, we may well ask, who
would entrust the bodily welfare Of
their children to layInan rather thar
q trained physician, in case of lines.
or during the all-important period OF
early Development And yet, whel
the infinitely more difficult problem OF
how to guide the development Of
child's mind IN the right direction
confronts us, we seem deliberately {,
violate a rule Of conduct which We fol
low IN almost every other phase o.
life by placing layman in a position
where an expert should be put. Il
other words, the education of youth
in our opinion, should be profession
1t should not be exposed to the va
carries Of dilettantes, or be made tn
football of politics. It should be con
sidered one Of the most serious ques
tons engaging the attention of th
Commissioners.
Now, the gentleman whom Mr.. Mac
farland and his associates have il
mind may, or may not, possess, III ad
dition to being a representative bust
ness man." some, and perhaps all, o
the qualifications Of an ideal mernbe
Of the Board of Education. 1t goe
without saying, probably, that he !
in every way a most useful and high
ly esteemed member Of the com
munity. But that, we think, does no
suffice. He must be something els
besides a Representative bushes
man." He should know something o
the business In hand. lie should hav