Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-03
The New School Board.

Promptly obedient to the command of
Congress the Judges of the District Su-
prcne Court have discharged their new
duty and appointed board Of education for
the District of Columbia. The names an
nounced yesterday afternoon give evidence
OF a careful canvass of the field, along GER
tain definite lines of policy. First OF all, the
judges plainly determined to ignore the
action of the House by which the require
ment OF the appointment of a certain num-
Der of colered representatives was stricken
from the law. Next. they decided TO APP
point no person serving on the retiring
board. Finally. Judging from results. they
resolved to ignore sectional lines and to
choose the members of the board without
regard TO their places of residence within
the District In consequence of this third
policy the new board contains no member
from the eastern portion of the city and
none from the southern section. 1t contains
three representatives of the colored race,
result fraught with entertaining reflections
when it is remembered that only by virtue
of the injection of the race question into
the case in the House the Supreme
Court method OF appointment rendered pos
sible
The personnel of the new board will strike
satisfactory. Most of the members are well
and favorably known active participants
in the advancement of the Districts affairs.
Some of the names are strange to many
citizens. but their announcement Is coupled
with assurances OF their qualifications IN
this duty. Judged at this time, in the light
OF all that Is known of the members, this
board ought to prove working body, in
spired by a desire to advance the welfare
of the public schools and to strike out Wig
orously on the new lines laid down by Con-
gress for the rehabilitation OF the teaching
force
This new board thus constituted. will
come into possession of school situation
filled with possibilities for embarrassment.
The retiring board had managed to leave
matters in a difficult shape. with many
Jealousies and factioral troubles in evil
dence. 1t has been for some time plain to
the citizens that the discipline in the schools
had suffeted especially in the higher
branches. because of the failure of the old
board to grapple vigorously and to decide
judiciously the various questions which have
arisen, questions directly affecting the eff
cheney of the schools and the morale of the
teaching force. The first task of the new
board will be to restore public confidence
this most surely by resisting all efforts to
revive the ancient disputes which have given
rise in large part to the deplorable situation
of the last school year.
This board is equipped with a law as to
salaries and promotions which will make 1t
possible to retain the services of the most
efficient teachers. and to restore the CONT
dence of the whole teaching force in the
substantial Justice of the local administra-
ton. 1t is charged at the outset with the
duty of making certain readjustments IN the
executive corps and the Spirit in which it
approaches and accomplishes this task will
serve as the first evidence to the community
OF its qualifications.
The public schools of the District are a
highly responsible charge, and doubtless
every man and woman named by the judges
appreciates this responsibility. The schools
are forming the characters of the children
who are TO become the men and women OF
few years later. and they should be main
tanned on plane of broad-minded equity
and In progressive spirit. The District is
anxiously hoping for the strengthening of
the schools in the fundamental phases OF
education and In the establishment of a
disciplinary standard which will be strict
without undue severity and lenient without
laxity.
Many washingtonians demurred at the
proposition to vest the appointing power in
the Supreme Court judges believing the In
novation to be unsafe. II. however the new
board meets its obligations in a spirit of
constructive wisdom and restores public
confidence In the schools and re-establishes
discipline. the change will be heartily ap-
proved.