Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-03
SCHOOL LEGISLATION
Three Pending Bills Propose
Salary Increases.
REORGANIZATION OF BOARD
Longevity Principle of Promotions
in All.
COMPARISON OF PROVISIONS
Items Of Foster, Goulden and Commits
sioners' Plans Set Side
by Side.

When Congress gets down to business for
the long pull of the session 1t will have an
ample opportunity to do something for the
District schools, as far as suggestions are
essential to action. Three bills are now
pending before the District committees, and
it is not to be doubted that others VIII
be submitted, all having for their object
more or less of a reorganization of the pub
lie educational system and the establish
ment of more generous scale of pay for
the teachers These three bills are known
as the Commissioners bill. introduced by
Representative Babcock in the House; a b,nl
prepared by Representative Foster of Yer
mont, and bill introduced by Representa-
tive Goulden of New York. There Is IN
deed. fourth bill, introduced by Repres sn-
tative Olcott Of New York, but of such
limited scope as to be negligible at present
In a survey of the proposed school egiSIa
ton, especially as its principal proposition
is embraced in two of the other bills.
Broadly stated, these bills agree in pro-
viding that the teachers should be given
better salaries and that they should be
promoted Systematically, on the principle
OF longevity. There are however, materIul
differences In the salary scales set forth in
the three measures.
Administrative Reorganization.
The Foster and Goulden bills propose a
wholesale reorganization of the school ad-
ninistrative system, both of them providing
that the board of education shall con-
sist of nine members, instead of seven rs
as present; that these members shall be
appointed by the President of the United
States instead of by the District Commits
sioners, and that they shall serve with
out compensation instead of being paid at
the rate of $500 a year, now. There is 4
noteworthy difference between The Foster
and Goulden bills, however, in this re-
hot he LOT ctJ,N tIpt = tln,rn
of the nine members of the board snail be
women and three of the colored race, While
the Foster bill makes no reference 10
or race qualifications for membership.
The Foster bill proposes that members Of
the board shall at the time of their appulrt-
ment be bona fide residents and taxpayers
of the District of Columbia, and shall lave
been such for five years Immediately pre-
ceding their appointment. The same re-
quirement is imposed by the present law
The Gou.den bill makes no residential quail
fication.
The Commissioners bill proposes no
change whatever in the organization or
method of appointment of The board OF
educa ton
The Goulden bill, alone of the three. pro-
vides that the sessions of the board shall
always be open 10 the public. It also pro-
vides that all school records shall be open
TO public inspection
Annual Reports and Estimates.
The Goulden bill provides that the board
Of education shall make an annual report
to the President of the United States for
transmittal to Congress, and shall submit
the annual estimates to Congress through
the Secretary of the Treasury. The Foster
bill provides that the board shall report to
the District Commissioners but submit an
nual estimates to Congress through the Sec
rotary of the Treasury. The Babcock or
Commissioners bill does not propose any
change in the existing method of submitting
reports and estimates alike to the Commits
SionerS. The Goulden bill provides that all
bills of the board of education shall be
audited by the auditors of the treasury
Such are the essential differences be-
tween the three measures as regards the
central administrative organization. The
differences as to the school alministrat ton
proper are wider and more difficult to fol-
low.
Office Of Superintendent.
The Commissioners bill proposes no
change in the status of the superintendent
of schools. The Foster bill provides that
the superintendent shall have seat in the
board of education and the right to
speak on all questions, but not the right
to vote. No term is fixed for this official,
The Goulden bill proposes that the super
intendent shall be appointed for six years,
and that he shall have had at least three
years experience as a superintendent of
schools, and shall hold a degree of doctor
of philosophy from an accredited college.
The Goulden bill limits the powers of the
superintendent in that he is to serve with
two others on a board of examiners, one
professional educator and one special eX-
amner certified by the United States civil
service commission, to examine all candi-
dates for appointment and promotion who
may have been designated by the supern-
tendent. The Foster bill does not impose
any qualification IN the case of the super
intendent and empowers him to prescribe
the mode of determining the qualifications
Of applicants for positions as teachers. The
Commissioners bill fixes the salary of the
superintendent at $1,000, the Foster bill at
So coo and the Goulden bill at $1,000. The
present salary is $4,000
Assistant Superintendent.
The Commissioners bill leaves the SUBJ
ordinate organization of the superinten-
dents staff as it now is, with two assistant
spperintendents at $1,000 each, one of them
having special supervision over the colored
schools. 1t has been asserted by critics of
the existing organization that this latter
official Is in practice superintendent of the
colored schools while he remains officially
in the relation to the board of education as
the assistant of the superintendent. 1t Is
urged that the Goulden bill obviates the
possibility of anomalous conditions growing
out of a direct assignment of one of the as
SiStants to serve virtually as superintendent
of colored schools by providing merely that
one of the assistant superintendent shall
be of the colored race. the inference being
that this officer shall be detailed TO perform
such duties in connection with the colored
schools as the superintendent may desire to
delegate to him. The Goulden bill fixes the
salary of the assistant superintendent at
So eco each.
Lateral Supervision.
The Foster bill makes no provision for as
sistant superintendents. substituting there
fore a system of lateral supervision" diff
ering somewhat from the present method
Under this plan there are proposed for SUI
pervision over the white schools one d.
rector of the department of secondary ed
ucation, one director of intermediate in
struction, one director of primary instruc-
tion, including kindergartens; one supervisor
of Industrial instruction, including manual
training, cooking and sewing; one super
visor of drawing in elementary schools. one
of music and one of physical culture and
one principal of normal school. similar
staff is provided for the colored schools.
The directors of intermediate instruction
are new to the school system. In
addition to this staff directly under the SUI
perintendent there are proposed. by the
Foster bill. not to exceed sixteen group
principals in the white schools and eight
group principals in the colored schools, the