Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-24
A Dangerous Proposition.

While II is to be deplored that the House
did not yesterday complete its considera-
tiCE of the teachers salary bill and thus
put that deserving measure on the way to
enactment. the failure to reach a final vote
q and the consequent postponement for a
fortnight may be regarded as in one sense
fortunate. For the House will now have
opportunity to reconsider the extraordinary
proposition which has been voted into the
bill, vesting the power of appointment of
the board of education in the District SUI
preme Court instead of In the Commits
soners
This unexpected amendment was given
only a brief and superficial consideration.
While 1t was adopted by a large mar
gin, 1t must be regarded as having been
accepted by the House In a spirit of total
misconceptfon of the conditions. and the
hope today is that when the House resumes
consideration of the bill 1t will restore the
paragraph in question to its original form.
In all OF the discussion OF the school re-
organization propositions there was until
yesterday no mention of any other APP
pointive power than the Commissioners or
the President The opponents of the pres
ent method had In their various bills placed
the responsibility for selecting the trustees
upon the President. While their purpose
was evidently to discredft the Commission
ers. they were accredited with the desire
to improve the character Of the board of
education. The District subcommittee and
full committee gave heed to the practically
unanimous sentiment In favor of home rule
as expressed by the citizens who were ex-
amined, by the committee at the hearings
and rejected all proposals to change the ap-
pointing power while charging the board
and striking out the provision for salaries.
less practicable method of selecting
members of the board of education than
that contemplated by the Foster amend
ment. which was thus hastily adopted,
could not be well devised. The duties of
the judges of the District Supreme Court
do not fit them to pass upon the qualifica-
tons of citizens Tor this purely administra-
tive duty. These six 1urists, highly capa-
BILE men though they are. and admirably
fitted to the duty of Interpreting and ap-
plying the laws. are out of touch with
the currents which make for full under
standing of the public needs in a matter of
such complex detail as the school manage
ment. They are kept exceptionally busy
in their own fields They have no time to
examine into the merits of various candi-
dates. II is unjust TO ask them to assume
this responsibility. so foreign to their rou-
tine Of duty and their methods of work.
With six justices charged with the selec-
ton of nine members of the board of edu-
cation a condition fairly approaching de-
moralizing confusion would surely result.
But all this is apart from the prime con-
siderations of the case. The action of the
House yesterday an unmerited indict-
ment of the Districr Commissioners, whose
conduct of the schools does not warrant
such deliberate rebuke. But setting even
this point aside, It Is unwise and unsafe
thus TO take the schools out of the control
ministration of the municipality. If they
are not TO appoint the members OF the
board of education they will have no juris-
diction whatever over the conduct of the
school system. Such an anomalous situa-
ton Is fraugh: with inca'culabie possibili
ties for confusion, strain and friction. weak
nSss and collapse.
II the House can thus take from the
Commissioners the power of appointment
in the case OF the public schools 1t can
item by item strip them of all power. dis
trfbuting their functions between the Pres
fdent, the members OF the local judiciary.
perhaps the higher departmental officials
and maybe the members of Congress them
selves. The principle OF the Foster amend
ment is vicious and dangerous. and 1t
should be promptly repudiated when the
House reconvenes as the local legislature.