The Washington times., 1906-06-02
Measure Provides for a
Director of Inter-
mediate Studies.
WOMEN In THE BOARD
Committee CriticiseS En-
plOyment of Teachers for
Special Subjects.

The school bill as amended in the
Senate Committee on the District OF
Columbia was reported to the Senate
this afternoon In essentials II is the
Dill passed by the House. though a num-
Der OF changes have been made by tie
committee
The provision that the members of
the Board Of Education shall be ap-
pointed by the judges Of the District
Supreme Court is retained without
change. OF the nine members OF the
board three are to be women. but there
ds no provision for the appointment Of
colored members. The board is to serve
without compensation. 1t is provided
that no appointment. promotion. trans
fer or dismissal of any director. teach
er, or other subordinate shall be made
by the board except upon the written
recommendation Of the superintendent.
Open Sessions of Board.
The following IS a brief explanation OF
the amendments which the committee
recommends:
When a teachers character is in ques-
tion 1t must be passed upon at open
meetings Of the Board Of Education. or
the committee having the matter ir
charge.
under the direction Of the superintend-
ent shall have general supervision over
me white schools. and is specially charg-
ed with the unification of the educa-
tional work Of the white high schools
and Of the academic and scfentific sub
9ects IN the Mckinley Manual Training
School and the Business High School
Inc col0red assistant superintendent IS
assigned like special duties in the color
ed schools.
Supervision of High Schools.
The committee has added a director Of
intermediate instruction. Under the
bill. supervision of the high schools is
given to the assistant superintendent.
anG the oil director OF high schools VIII
become the director of intermediate in
struction.
There is no provision for a colored
director Of intermediate instruction. The
committee finds that there are only
ABOUT half as many COlOred as white
pupils IN the schools. and considers that
Ine colored assistant superintendent, IN
addition 10 having immediate control of
the COlOred high school, shall also per-
form the duties Of the director Of the
intermediate grades.
Manual Training Duties.
The duties Of director Of manual train
ing are materially curtailed. Under the
provisions of the Senate bill this officer
VIII have direction OF manual training
work only in the grades and viii have
no authority either over the Mckinley
manual training or the Armstrong man
ual training The committee was of the
opinion that the division Of authority
between the director and the principal
was not conducive to efficiency.
The bill creates the office OF super
intendent OF buildings and supplies.
Salaries Not Changed.
The salaries provided for in the bill
are Writ Ially the same as those provided
Tor in the House bill Some criticism
IS made in the report of the employment
of special teachers in the schools.
Washington ranks very high in spe-
ciaI instructions given in its public
schools. IN cooking teachers, for ex-
ample. we rank fourth In sewing teach
ers We rank third, in manual training
fourth. physical training fifth, in music
and drawing teachers we rank second.
That is there is only one other city in
this country that exceeds Washington in
the number Of music and drawing teach
ers- In short, we have 1Gl special teach
ers in the District of Columbia. ami
twelve directors of these special teachers
who are assisting In the teaching Of
music drawing. domestic science, do
mestic art physical culture and kinder
Your committee has no doubt that
these special teachers are doing good
work. However the committee is fully
persuaded that there are more than are
necessary. and the very high showing
that Washington makes as compared
with other cities that are much larger
in this particular demonstrates that
we have gone clear beyond any other
city.
Matter for the Board.
This is a matter that the Board OF
Education and the Superintendent of
Schools should handle as a matter of
detail They should give it attention
with an eve 20 the welfare Of the
Grafton Of the expense 10 the District
Too much OF special subjects is not only
expensive financially but IS also expen-
sive TO the time and energy OF the
pupils.
Passing criticism Is made also on the
double system Of supervision in the
schools, though this is not seriously at
tackled