Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-24
THE DISTRICT BUDGET
Appropriation BillStill Under
Consideration.
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
BY REPRESENTATIVE
FOSTER OF VERMONT.
Plea for an Increase in the Pay Of
Teachers All Along the
Line. (
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

| with Mr.. Mann of Illinois in the chair.
| Mr.. Davis of Minnesota raised a point of
| order against the item for completing the
| opening of 14th street from Lydecker ave-
| nue. to Piney Branch road. Mr. Davis said
| that authority for this appropriation had
| been "smuggled" into law in the first place.
| Mr.. Davis said there was apparently no
| reason why untold sums of money might
not be expended under this original au-
| thority, which authority. he thought was
| doubtful. Mr.. Babcock said that the propo-
| sition was once before the District commit
| tee and had been rejected.
Mr.. McCleary protested against the term
''smuggled," and said that the authority
| had been put IN the bin by the Senate
under the rules. Therefore MI Davis
withdrew the word "smuggled,' but added
| that he would like to be informed of n
| substitute word to describe the proceed
| ings.
| Mr.. Davis point of order was overruled
and the item remained in the bill.
Anacostia Bridge Item Stricken Off.
| Mr.. Davis then directed a point of order
| against the Item for the reconstruction
of the Anacostia bridge. Mr.. McCleary
| made a strong appeal for the retention Of
| the item, saying that the bridge was in
a very dangerous condition. Mr.. Davis.
| however, insisted on his point of order
i
| Representative Cowherd of Missouri a
| member of the House District of Coum-
| bia committee, raised a point of order
| against that section of the bill providing
| that the Commissioners may purchase,
| erect and maintain posts, lanterns signs
| and futures for street designation purposes
| in addition to those mentioned in the bill.
! He claimed that this was in effect new leg
lSlation, but Mr.. McCleary explained mat
| ters to Mr. Cowherd's satisfaction, and
| the point of order was withdrawn.
Representative Burton Harrison of New
| York had a few words to say in connection
| with the appropriation for the care and
| maintenance of Rock Creek Park. He said
| he did not object to the appropriation but
| he wanted to go on record as saying that
| the park was cared for very inefficiently.
| Ice and snow remained in dangerous places
| on the roads Of the park long after it had
disappeared from other roads In the vicin-
| ity, and one time last winter his family
while out driving in the park had had
narrow escape from possibly fatal acci-
dent, the horses having slipped as they were
passing these dangerous ice-covered spots
and the carriage had gone over the banks.
the occupants escaping only through their
agility in jumping. He interjeoted these re-
marks into the serious consideration of the
bill in order that the sentiments of of
| the minority members of the House may
percolate into the halo of divinity worn by
| the gentlemen in charge of the park.
The Public Schools.
When the item providing for the MAIN
tenance of the public schools Of Washing
ton was read Representative Foster of
Vermont secured the permission of the
chair to continue his remarks this SUBJ
| ject beyond the tive-minute limit.
II want to plead the cause of the boys
and girls of Washington said Mr.. Foster.
II want to plead the cause of the public
schools of the District of Columbia. 1t
goes without saying that the public school
system is the very keystone of our repub-
lican institutions, and yet, although this
is true, it is fact that only In the last
generation have We had efficient school
system, in former years the instruction of
the child being left entirely to the parents
At the present time, Mr.. Foster said the
various states Of the Union vie with one
another in maintaining their public school
systems up to the very highest standard Of
excellence, and he thought that the federal
government, when it responsible for
an educational system, it is in the case
Of the District of Columbia, should main
tain 1T in the most ideal manner
The federal government in dealing with
the school system of the District of CO.
lumbia should give the states an object
lesson in the Inauguration and management
of perfect school system.
Mr. Foster then took up the question of
the salaries OF school teachers. The profess
sion OF the school teacher is a most exact
ing one he said, requiring careful prcpara-
ton, industry. patience and continuous
work from year to year.
Not an Ideal System Here
I'VE, as representatives of the people have
fallen far short of our duty in maintaining
an Ideal school system In the District OF
Columbia he said I'VE treat the PUBLIC
schools and the public school teachers Just
as in years gone by We treated the poorly
paid and overworked clerks in some of the
departments of the government
Mr.. Foster thought that instead OF doing
out money in the way it does at present
for the payment of specific salaries to
specific positions the management of the
school system should be in the hands Of
the board of education and the compensa-
ton of teachers be arranged on a merit
basis At present. he said. the principals
OF the high schools of Washington receive
81 800, and they might remain in their pres
ent positions for forty years and not have
another dollar added 10 their annual COM
pensation. In the states he said the law
levieS tax that does not become part
of the regular treasury fund.- but is set
aside for the purposes of education alone
In discussing model system or systems
that were at least vastly better~than that
of Washington. Mr. Foster mentioned that
in Detroit the principal of high school re-
ceives $1,000.
Other teachers are paid 500 the first
year, $3.50 the second year. $500 the third
Year, SSJo the fourth year, $500 the fifth
year. $3.50 the sixth year. $1,000 the seveath
year and $1,000 the tenth year.
In Providence, X. l.. the principal of
high school receives $500 His assistant
is paid 81 900 the first year, ST. 700 the Sec
end year and S1.sGo the third year The
same system of service promotion also oo-
tains In the regular graded schools in that
city.
New York Has Better.
Mr.. Foster said that people We're wont
to speak OF New York as ''Tammany rid
den" and to infer from that that educa-
tional matters were not considered in the
first rank of municipal necessities. But az
q matter of fact he considered that New
York had very fine school system, inn
measurably better than that of the Dis
trict of Columbia, where the federal gov
ernment ran things.
In New York the principals of schools are
paid 5000 a year: first assistant principals
from 81 600 to $500 the first year; FROM
81, 100 to $500 the second year, and thei