The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-03-10
School Superintendent
Denies Charge of an
OverexpenSe.
FIGURES HIS AUTHORITY
Answers Statements Made
by Mrs. Gittern1an in Edu-
cation Board Hearing.

Superintendent of Schools stuart made
a long statement today before the school
subcommittee OF the House District
Committee, to show that the cost OF
school supervision in the District Of Co
lImbia is low, as compared with such
cost IN other large cities Of the United
States.
He spoke IN reply 10 a contention by
Mrs. a. 8. Gitternap, of the Public Edu-
cation Association, that the District
public school system is topheavy, bur
dened with TOO much superintendence
and high officials.
James E West, representing the
Alumni Association of the Business
High School. spoke in defense Of the
local high school system, saying its
graduates are well equipped for work
and have no trouble IL, securing posi-
tions.
Mrs. Gitterman began by saying she
knew the deliberations OF the commit
tee which investigated the charge Of =
pupils cheating in an examination at
Eastern High School resulted in no
action against the guilty party, owing
10 his popularity "on the hill
Have you any proof Of this?" asked
Mr. Morrell.
nuSneS mas TnS HIcoI.
7 can tell you where you can sc.
proof" replied Mrs GitteTman. Go to
Mr. Hughes. He has the proof OF it
Replying to a contention by Mrs.
Gitterman that Washington has too
much supervision 10 her school system.
superintendent of Schools Stuart said.
this city has less supervision than
most other places This is explained.
-
principals OF buildings here. class
teachers acting in that capacity.
You will notice" he said that
many Of these bills plead for more
supervision, for a man who will go
UP on the roof and down into the
cellar Would IL not be better 10 have
more supervision OF the teaching it
self IN the interests Of efficiency?
In other cities building principals
do not teach. They supervise and di-
rect the work in twelve Or fifteen, or
twenty schooIrooms. Here they do
double duty teach and act as pripci-
pals. This is not the ideal supervision.
but it is economical.
LAS for the thirteen men who act as
supervising principals of groups OF
schools-not each to a school, mind you,
but each TO many buildings-they are
this college degree Of which so much
has been said here. These men get only
81, 600 a year each In other cities
principal of a single building gets So
500 a year.
In reply to a suggestion from sfT
Morren that IL might be advlsa' ie % do
away with the two assistant surerin-
tendentS of schools and nave larger
number of group principals, Mr.. Stuart
contended that II would under no cir
cumstances be advisable 10 do away
1I.3 Of Il
schools. He thought such al, nffiCrr
necessary in the District OF Colunbi3.
For More Group Principals.
Il do think" added Mr.. Stuart. that
ii would be wei to increa Sc the number
of group principals. giving them each
fewer buildings to be responsible fcF =
Mr.. Goulden's bill" interrupted Mrs
GitteTman. docs away with aII sup4I-
vising OF group principals. directing u
diviGuaI building principals TO report
/ directly TO the Superintendent or
Schools
''Ycu don't mean that?" queried Nj.
Stuart.
Mrs Gitterman said she did and sh.
could understand how such a system
would work satisfactorily,
1T would be Gripping our schools,
Mr.. Chairman, TO take away all our
/ SuperNlSiOns SalO MI stuart win
great emphasis. 1T is very clear to me
that 1t would cripple the efficiency OF
| the schools to put on a building princi-
| pal all duties of supervision without
proportionately increasing her salary. Il
would have this effect, anyway.
please understand what a woman has
| to do who is a building principal, pre-
pairing forty-eight children for the high
school. She has on her shoulders a
| mountain of responsibility. She may
| have 500 children in her building and
she is responsible for the maintenance
of the discipline of the building in ad-
dition to teaching her class all day.
II make the point again that there il
more SUPERVISION In other city school
systems than there is here. This should
/ be realized Here We have group super
| vision, which is good system. The
District OF Columpla schoOiS are "o~
| top heavy. ,.
ton is lowest in a list OF thirty OF the
! largest cities of the country. The per
| school systems cost in Washington ls
onIv 7. while in Atlanta IL is lo1Y,
J in Providence Is Is. and Minneapolis
/ 10" - -. 60.
/ from the report Of the National Educa-
/ tion Associations committee on TAXA
! ton as related to public education, made
- ..The condition in Washington" he de
elared. ''is unique inasmueh as We have
! no real principals of buildings, but
| teachers who act, incidentally, as pr1n-
| cipals of buildings
Now, the Babcock bin provides for
/ thirty-two supervisors, and the Goulden
To Baltimore and Return, sI.a5,