Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-07
The Sad Plight Of the ~

The deplorable plight of NA'!"
school system Is apparent. In the less CO..
umns of The Star yeste~d' rs N 20
a statement OF the case on ~ eve NJ
school opening. To summar 10
steps have been taken by tho ,r"a-
ent and the board to readjus .ha s,'r' az
according to the new law: three high schoni
principals have been arbitrarily dr.. p.f
from their positions and these vacr'''"s
thus made. with another already cyl; :
by resignation, are to be a led two days
before the opening after a com et,tive ey-
animation Of doubtful legality: two super
yisnE principals have been also dropped
In opposition to the letter and the spirit OF
the statute. and men have been named
for these positions subject to examlna-
tion." a method which the law does not
contemplate; there Is evidence that tnne-
diately before the opening the entire corps
of supervising principals will be r,Es
signed, causing great confusion; the teach
ers have not been assigned nor can they
be until two days before the Opening; the-e
have been no consultations between tie cf-
ers. principals and supervisors as to
courses OF study nor can there be such
discussions in advance Of the school work
Furthermore. every teacher now on the
rolls holds place by virtue Of an appoint
ment for one year only. whereas the .av
distinctly creates the old teaching rorce
into a permanent staff with all the bene-
fits of longevity promotions
Those who know the workings Of the
school system in normal circumstances do
not need to be told that this situation is
decidedly bad and that it makes for Sc
rious reduction of school efficiency
throughout the coming nine months of
work.
1t is to be feared that nothing can now
be done to remedy this condition. 1t Is
the result primarily of the delay in the Sc
lection of a new superintendent Itself
caused by the determination of the boards
committee to choose an incumbent from
outside Of Washington. Had an efficient
local man been named the process of school
organization under the new law could and
doubtless would have gone forward rapid
1y and effectively And II the chosen
superintendent had attacked his new duties
with closer regard for the evident spirit
of the statute and organized his staff upon
the principle plainly established therein.
without radical changes. without dismiss
sails. and concentrated his energies from
the outset upon the task of salary adjust
ment and educational planning, much of
the difficulty now looming up before the
ScnOOl would nave peSn avoided
On the contrary. most of the precious time
elapsing since his appointment has been
consumed in selecting victims for official
decapitation. causing the compete democrat
ization of the entire stan and rendering the
confusion necessarily attendant upon re-
organization infinitely worse.
In these circumstances and without
prospect of an early change of conditions
4 mill 10 to fpSniro the teachers
with confidence now that they have been
confronted with a totally unexpected inter-
probation of the statute which promised
them permanence Of employment upon q
liberal promotion basis. Those who have
survived the process of disappointment"
have seen worthy men and women cast
aside at a time Of year when It Is i'm
possible for them TO find employment else
where, heartlessly rejected upon insult
ficent evidence. without examination or
trial They hold their present positions
only for one year and may at the end Of
that period be similarly discarded. II the
view of the law now entertained by the
board holds good
Still. It is to be believed that the teach
will do their best to render good
account of themselves and their schools.
They deserved the promotions which the
law pioHiScu tHcIn anu tHey Will pTeSuHl-
ably proceed to demonstrate their individ-
ual fitness for further advances under the
automatic system. But with the best in
dividual work in the world. the schools
can not accomplish the good results which
they have yielded in the past as long as
there is lacking spirit of confidence on
the part of the staff and a spirit of law
observance on the part of the administra-
ton.