Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-27
The Capitals School Needs.

Washington wants and should have a
model public school system. Ideally serving
the people IN all respects. maintaining
high educational standard and so organized
as most perfectly to meet the convenience
OF the public. II should have broad range,
from the kindergartens to the high schools.
with an equipment enabling them to give
to all the children of school age in the Dis
trtct a preparation for the work of life
equivalent, in the last case, to the work
done by minor college. There should be
not only grade teachers. but special teach
ers. whose work, it has been found in all
cities, effectively supplements that of the
Instructors In the rudiments. 1t should have
buildings so planned and located as to yield
the maximum of sanitary fitness and con-
venienCe of emplacement Above all, its
teachers should be paid on wisely liberal
scale and assured of promotion from year
to year as they maintain their efficiency.
In many respects the local school system
serves as model today. In other respects
IL Is deficient. In many points of the gem
erai organization of the work. 1t is regarded
by educators as close to the ideal OF mu-
niclpal educational system. IN the matter of
the pay of its teachers it is undeniably de-
fcient, 1t needs but a reference to the fire.
HA'~iAt iNoA6Aeltib4iS htiiiilS tic past low
years to demonstrate that other cities hold
out more attractions to the teachers than
does Washington, despite the fact that the
local Instructors would naturally prefer to
remain here
me latest answer to the demand for a
more adequate pay scale for the teachers is
that this cannot be granted until economies
are Dracticed in other directions Changes
OF rpVolntfO OprIy
be first effected. The schools must be low
cred from their high standard in certain re-
spects in order to bring them up to the de-
sired standard in this one particular The
present system of comparatively small
buildings must be abandoned in favor of a.
new plan of large buildings, less convenient
In location, and-it is to be noted in passing
-iniually more expensive There must be
10 more free text books There must be
no more special teachers. There must he
loss supervision. The pruning knife must
be applied at all points if the teachers are
to be given more pay and assured of auto
matte promotion
In other words, the gains of the mas,
twenty-five years must be sacrificed If this
single act Of Justice and wise administra-
ton Is to be granted. This is not the WAY
10 puiid up and to maintain a model public
school system for the capital CITY of the
thlted States Let 1t be for the moment
granted that the local system Is expensive
as compared with some others, II Is the
judgment or educators that this percentages
OF expense is justified by the character or
the city ana the function of the schools
ne oest always costs more than an in
ieFlor article. 1t is undeniably possible TO
pruhe and cut ard trim In certain details OF
the local school system. Cheaper buildings
could be erected. larger ones substituted for
the existing ones widely scattered to en-
brace the greatest possible percentage of
pupus or given area. School rooms could
"e maze larger, the burden on the fndiyId-
"a' tedcher being thereby increased and the
"Aoie range OF educational eult,nment
stripped to the basis of the three RS"
but such process would assuredlv he
RAD management, short-sighted no,tcv
IL would be retrogressive If there were
urgent reason for economy there might he
shadow of excuse. But there is no s,,cb
reason The District is able TO maintain
an IDEAL system In all respects 1t Is he
sue the mark that Congress has adopted n
podcy OF local financing which rates with
current expenditures the cost Of great mar
hiahent works, and thereby cuts down the
FUNDS available for the running of the
necessary municipal departments On a
proper basis. This question must be an
preached in an equitable spirit. II must
De assumed (Which is the fact that the To-
cal tax revenues II fairly handled and an
pied by Congress are sufficient for tba
establishment Of a decent range of taacb-
cfs salaries without skimping In other si-
rections