Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-21
SCHOOL STATISTICS
REPORT OF HOUSE sUBcoMMIT-
TEE MADE PUBLIC.
Increase Of Salaries Necessary to
Bring the District Schools to .
State Of Efficiency.

Representative Morreli OF Pennsylvania,
chairman OF the school subcommittee OF
the House District committee, made public
this afternoon the report on the school bill
increasing the teachers salaries In the Dis
trict and making a number Of changes In
the educational system. The report shows
evidence OF having been most carefully
prepared. 1t contains comparative statis-
tics which should prove of value to the
members of the House In enabling them to
see Just how Washington stands as con-
Germs the expense of various branches OF
the public school system with reference to
other cities. Moreover. the report of the
committee, which was prepared by Repre-
sentative Morrell, contains many COM
ments on the school system which should
prove of interest to the citizens of the Dis
trict.
The report says that while at first the
committee was of the opinion that radical
reform in the school system was necessary,
yet as the hearings advanced and the com
mittee became better acquainted with the
school system as it is now maintained. the
conclusion was reached that the organiza-
ton and teaching system should not be dis
rupted. but should be retained, at least for
the present, as now constituted with the
few. alterations contained In the bill in re-
gard to management.
Increase of Salaries Necessary.
The committee points out that among the
various things which were developed the
increase of salaries for the teaching and
executive force seemed absolutely necessary
to bring the school system of the District
to a state of efficiency commensurate with
what the public school system of the
tional capital ought to be.
1t is further pointed out that inasmuch
the hearings developed that there were 500
children above the second grade at the pres
ent time receiving only a halliday session, it
was deemed necessary to provide in the bill
that after July l. 1896 all children in the
public schools above the second grade shall
be given a whole days session.
The report continues:
I'm view of the fact that Washington Is
the only city where the members of the
board of education have terms of service as
long a S seven years, the committee provided
that the term of service should be three
years, three members to be appointed an
nually, but permitting reappointment The
committee Increases the number to nine So
that three new -rhers should come in
each year. That elton also provides that
of the entire board not more than three
shall be women. and that three members of
the board shall be of the colored race the
proportion of population in Washington be-
ing, on the basis Of two to one Strong
reasons were presented that no salaries
should be paid to members of the board. and
this was provided
Meetings to Be Public.
The report suggests that 1t was con-
sldered desirable in view of the strong
protests made to the committee that all
meetings of the committee, either general
or of subcommittee, should hereafter be
open to the public except meetings deal
ing with the character or appointment of
teachers.
The report also says that 1t was con-
sidered wise to leave the appointment of
members OF the board in the hands of the
District Commissioners.
The duties of the board of education and
the duties and power of the superintendent
were more clearly defined in the bill for
the reason that intimations were made by
those appearing before the committee that
often the board fnterfered In the man
agement o. schools with the result that
teachers would go over the head of the
superintendent and appeal directly to
members OF the board of education. The
report continues: