The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-02-26
Present Methods Praised
Before the House Sub
committee.
GIVE MUCH SATISFACTION
Changes Suggested in Sew
eral Ellis Before Congress
Severely Criticised.


/ Education. personally and as an official
body. and a ringing plea for better pay
| for the local teachers. were the feat
ures o. remarks made today before the
House District Committees school sub
committee BY Commissioner Macfar-
/ land Dr. Needham. representing the
I Board OF Education. and a 7. Stuart.
! superintendent. Of Schools.
! These gentlemen addressed the sub
committee. OF which Mr. MorrelI OF
| Pennsylvania is chairman. in champion
/ ing the Commissioners bill TO raise
| teachers salaries and TO keep the gov
ernment OF the school system un-
| changed. They objected TO the other
/ six bills introduced by Representatives
Oicott, Foster. and Goulden. giving the
President instead Of the District Com
missioners. power to appoint the mem
| bers of the Board Of Education.
| MIR. MacfarIand objected emphatically
to the proposition TO separate the gov
eminent Of the schools from the Dis
| tTict government" and contended that
/ the Commissioners should be allowed
/ to continue to name those who shall
| serve on the Board Of Education.
Regarding the Olcott bill 10 increase
the membership of the Board of Educa-
/ ton from seven 10 nine. Dir. Macfar-
| land said this is contrary 10 the gen
eral course everywhere to have a mem
bership small as possible. This, hs
said, is to insure better administrative
work, small board acting in closer
| sympathy and unity. He had no OBJ
! lection to the provision in the Olcott
/ bill that the members OF the board
/ shall act without compensation.
Against Organic Act.
Mr.. MacfarIand here said he would
make the general remark that the
Commissioners think il wise to allow
the board to make ali rules and regula-
| tons affecting the detail of the admin
istration OF the schools, instead Of Con-
gress putting them in an organic act
Taking up the Foster and Gouiden
bills. Mr.. Macfarland said the under
lying principles of these measures is to
put the government of the schools be-
yond the District OF Columbia. He
thought the Commissioners should be-
allowed to name the Board OF Educa-
ton as an indication that the people
Of the District have a voice in their
school government
The measure of seIf-government the
people have here" he continued. SHOULD
be preserved, 1 think, as far as pos
siole. They cling to it. and especially
IS this true IN regard to their schools.
think l may say the people of the
District are satisfied with the present
administration Of the schools.
1t has been shown, / think. bevond
dispute that there has been no tndorsa-
ment Of any of these outside bills by
any citizens association. except thar
Soiored association at HillsdaIe has
lndorsed the proposition to create
coIored superintendent of schools
This Commissioner said he was ro+
competent 10 pass finally on the prop
osition TO give he superintendent Of
planned, however, that if Congresz
thinks ii wise. the Board OF Education
is so constituted that il can easiiv give
thority.
In regard to this very obvious at
tempt 70 Ieglslate the Board OF Educa-
tlon out of existence" he said Il vriu
say that no distinct charge has ever
been brought to the Commissioners
against any member of the board. A
few individuals have criticised the
board. but there has never been any
general public opinion against IL,
Praise for tie Board.
mo more respectable or representa-
tive set of people could be gotten to-
gether in the District of Columbia
than the present board Whoever had
the appointing power would have to
appoint to the board the same sort Of
people"
The Commissioner then paid high
tribute TO each individual member OF
the board, J. Holdsworth Gordon, DR..
Needham, f Southland Parker. Dr.
kingsman, James Bundy, Mrs. H l.
West and Mrs John r. Francis
But even If II were the case" he
said, that the present board should be
discharged il would be no warrant for
such revolutionary proposition as that
contained in these bills to put the con-
troll of the school system beyond and
out of the District system There has
never been anything like graft in this
system, as has been charged against the
Philadelphia system
There has been nothing to give cause
for this separation Of school government
from the District government.
THE Commissioners hope the commit
tee viii act favorably on their bill 10 In
crease salaries and give promotions to
the District teachers"
Mr.. Macfarland compared the salaries
here with those in other cities, saying:
Principals of high schools get $1,000
a year in Philadelphia and other cities
while here they get 81. $50. Similarly, it
can be seen salaries elsewhere in other
grades are mucl higher than they are
here.
IT have found that, in proportion to
its size, Washington has more school
buildings and school rooms than many
other places In this respect, the Dis
cities. With a few more buildings We
Will be able TO house all pupils comfor-
tably.
I'VE have many of our teachers who
go to other cities for better pay. The
low scale of pay also discourages boys
and girls from training themselves TO
become teachers. You must remember
that living Is very expensive in Wash
for have been enthusiastically indorsed
by the whole District of Columbia
Dr. Needham here addressed the sub