Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-24
ACTION IS POSTPONED
School Bill Goes Over to Next
District Day.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Selection Delegated to District Su-
preme Court.
LIVELY DEBATE IN THE HOUSE
Local System of Government Attack
by Champ Clark, but the Schools
and Teachers Praised.
LIVELY DEBATE IN THE HOUSE

After The Stars report closed yesterday
afternoon, consideration of the school bill
by the House of Representatives sitting as
the local board of aldermen. was resumed.
At the close of an interesting and accord
ingly acrimonious debate, the bill. not hav-
Ing been passed, went over until next Dis
trict day, two weeks from yesterday.
The District committee was sat upon
several times yesterday during considera-
ton of the bill. The power of appointing
members of the board of education was
transferred. despite opposition of the Dis
trict committee, from the District Commits
soners to the District Supreme Court Re
strictions as to the personnel Of the board
Of education were removed. The office of
superintendent of buildings and supplies
created by the District committee was
abolished. Various other changes were
made in the committee bill.
Appointment of the Board.
Mr. Morren was in charge of the bill on
the floor. and he had rough time. Talk
ing on the Foster amendment to have the
members of the board of education appoint
ed by the District Supreme Court, Mr.. Nor
rell said:
in answer to the gentleman from Ver-
mont (Mr. FOSTER. may say that the COM
mittee went very carefully into the subject
of who should be the appointing power of
the board of education. If the power OF
appointment was taken out of the hands OF
the Commissioners of the District and
placed in the hands of, first, as was sug-
gested, the President of the United States,
1t would be lifting simply that power one
up, the President of the United States APP
pointing the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia, they in turn appointing the
board of education. The Commissioners
themselves and the people who appeared
before the committee were unanimous In
the desire that the appointing power should
remain In the Commissioners, for the rea-
son. the people argued, that the Commits
sioners were their representatives and that
the Commissioners came closer to the peo-
ple of the District than the President OF
the United States.
They had a better chance of becoming
more intimately connected with the people
residing in the District and of judging as
to whom would give the best service on the
board. Moreover, the many and various
duties of the President seemed to preclude
his being able togive the time requisite
to a careful decision. And Is was for
that reason that the committee did not con-
slider the President as the appointing power.
As far as the appointing power to be placed
in the hands of the justices Of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia Is con-
cerned. that might, from the experience /
have had be advisable, and may say that
! personally made that suggestion before
to the members of the committee, and 1t
was so finally decided and voted that the
appointing power should remain where 1t
Ia, in the hands of the Commissioners Of
the District Of Columbia. Therefore. sin
cerely trust that the amendment offered
by the gentleman from Vermont will not
maintain.
"As>far as the provision of the bill pro-
yiding for certain members of the board
being OF the colored race Is concerned.
may say that the board of education as 1t
is now constituted-with seven members Of
the board-two Of them are Of the colored
race. Every colored educator and every
colored person, and even the superintendent
OF the schools, argued that 1t should be
specifically stated In the bill just what posi-
lions the coiored people were to occupy
and what their duties should be. 1 may
state that 1t was for that reason that those
who framed the bill were 30 specific in MAX
Ing use OF the words 'colored people"
An Alleged Objectionable Principal.
In the course Of the discussion Repre-
sentative Madden OF Illinois referred to "a
principal whose conduct was such as to
make 1t impossible for the children OF the
neighborhood to attend that school
THE way this Information was developed
was from inquiry by members OF the ap-
preparations committee. in which they
sought to ascertain how many children
whom facilities were not afforded. And it
was shown that while there was room for
some seven or eight hundred children in
this particular school, there was not In at
tendance and had not been for q long time
more than 400 / may not have the figures
correct. but it would be in that proportion.
1t was also developed in that investigation
that this principal was tried for miscon-
duct. 1t was developed in the trial of this
man that he so conducted the affairs of the
school that the children could not or would
not attend 1t while under his supervision.
He was reinstated on the promise, as I'M
derstand, that he would behave himself
better in the future
Did he do better?' asked Representative
Lands.
II do not know what he did," replied
Mr. Madden, but he drove all the children
out of school. That Is one thing he did.
Since reinstatement l understand that he
has been conducting himself as he did be-
FORE and that now there Is protest
against his occupying the position filed by
large number of the teachers Of that
school. The Board Of Commissioners Of
the District, If they had the appointing
power, should have had some influence
with the board of education-sufficient in
fiuence, l believed then and believe now, to
compel the discharge of such principal
If the children of the District were obliged
to walk the streets because there was no
room in the schools some action should
afforded an opportunity for attendance In a
building where there was plenty of room"
Has this board declined to try him the
second timer asked Representative John
Wesley Gaines of Tennessee.
II understand So" replied Mr.. Madden
How long has this petition been fled"
continued Mr.. Gaines.
Well" answered Mr.. Madden, within
the last week, perhaps longer than that
My point Is that II such bad condition
exists In the board of education. appointed
by the District Commissioners. some other
appointing power should be created, and
my judgment Is that the best place to put
that appointing power Is in the President of
the United States. To say that he Is not
In as close touch with the people as the
District Commissioners is an absurdity,
for II there Is anybody in this country In
close touch with the American people 1t is
the present occupant of the White House.
Cloud appiause.)
Then Representative Champ Clark of
Missouri was recognized.
Incompetency of Congress.
1.-The situation in this House today" said
Mr.. Clark. demonstrates what have ire
Quently asserted to be the fnct-that the
Congress Of the United States IL utterly In
competent TO conduct the local affairs Of the