Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-17
A Local Man Should Lead.

For several years the pubic Schooi suS-
tenn of the District has suffered by reason
of the tendency OF the best teachers to drift
away. seeking more remunerative and In
some cases more congenfal engagements
elsewhere. but chiefly driven away by the
low pay. Those best acquainted with the
local situation have been striving earnestly
10 offset this tendency by working with
Congress to establish a more equitable and
liberal pay scale. with assurances OF pro-
motion. After strenuous efforts this end
WAS ACCOMPLISHED at the recent session or
Congress and for the first time in the his
tory of the public school system the teach
ers are now placed upon proper financial
basis The prime consideration In that
movement was to hold fast to the excellent
pedagogic materials which the local schools
themselves had developed. The people of
Washington had been all the more proud
of their schools because of the fact that
they have been maintained almost exclu-
siyely by the young men and women Of
Washington who have made teaching their
life work.
The new board of education. whose very
existence is a result of the legislation for
the announcement of home talent. now
faces the necessity OF selecting a superin-
tendent of schools. A committee Is at work
fnquirlng into the availability of the men
whose names have been and are being pre-
scented It's chief task lies IN deciding
whether to appoint local man or one from
outside of the District. The overwhelming
sentiment of the community Is that a local
man should be selected. The citizens be-
1ieve that a man can be found here to meet
every requirement of the position They be-
lieve furthermore that. other things being
70 wb
IS already familiar with the field But
above all. they feel that the principle under
lying the recent salary legislation, aimed at
the encourag cement of the teaching staff of
the District school system, should operate
to give the benefit Of any doubt that may
arise to a local man.
It would be discouraging to the teachers
and supervising principals of the District
II. in the face of this new law, which was
framed primarily for the purpose of hold
ing them to the work in Washington. the
new board should veer off to one of the
states for a Superintendent They would
have reason to feel that the promotion prin-
ciple had been disregarded. and that there
was no incentive for continuous effort to
improve themselves and prepare for higher
responsibilities.
The new board of education will be judged
by the community largely by the manner
in which it discharges this initial duty. 1t
IS composed of men and women who doubt
less take a keen pride in their city and the
local institutions. They are probably we'll
aware of the fact that the District school
system Is regarded by educators as In many
respects model. 1t was, indeed. rated by
the members of the Moseley commission
from England as one of the best In the
United States The members of the board
will, presumably. be very slow about
stamping the local schools as inefficient in
the prime essential of producing men of the
superintendent caliber and character. If
the schools have failed to develop a man
who In this emergency Is not fitted to step
forward and administer the system harmo-
niously and skillfuly they have indeed
fallen into low estate. While 1t Is not be-
1ieved that this is true. the very sug
gestion arouses a feeling of earnest protest
The citizens of the District still confidently
expect the new board to chose as superin-
tendent a local man who. from his long IA
miliarity with the system. can enter with
out delay or hesitation into full and harmo-
nious relations with the teaching body. and
whose abstention from the quarrels of the
past insures a constructive, progressive ad-
ynnistra ton.