Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-03
Proposed School Reorganization.

II Is evident from the number of bills now
pending before Congress that the subject
OF school salaries and reorganization will
be one of the most discussed questions re-
lating to the District at this session. Three
major PROPOSALS are now on file and others
are likely 10 be introduced as the matter
becomes better understood by members OF
the two Houses. One of these bills Is
presented by the District Commissioners, on
the basis of recommendations submitted
by the board Of education. The others, TO
confine the case to the major propositions.
have been introduced by Representatives
Foster and Goulden, by whose names they
are known. with corresponding bills pend
ing in the Senate.
1t is evident from reading OF the bills
that the whole question must be considered
in two aspects First regarding the gen.
eral administrative organization of the
school system, and second, with reference
to the salary scales. All three of the pend
ing measures agree not only in providing
better ray for the teachers but in estab-
fishing the principle of longevity promo
lions. The differences between the meas
ures in this and other respects are indi-
Gated in the course of an article printed
in the news columns OF todays issue Ac-
cording to all Of the bills teachers are TO
be advanced systematically from class to
class of pay as long as their services are
satisfactory by an automatic process. and
the maximum salaries of the various
classes are in two bills literally high.
These are the Commissioners and the
Goulden bills which mere satisfactory
with respect to the salary provisions. than
the Foster bill.
There is radical difference between the
Foster and the GOulden bills in respect to
the supervision over the school work. The
former slightly increases the number of su-
pervisory officials. establishing what is
known as lateral system of adminlstra-
ton. The Goulden bill, on the other hand,
eliminates all the various directors Of spe-
cial departments and groups, saving. it
is estimated, some $4,000 a year. to be
applied to the increases in teachers pay.
The elimination of these directors pro-
posed by the Goulden bill naturally i'm
poses greater responsibility upon the su-
perintendent of schools, and it is con-
slstent provision of this measure that the
superintendent shall receive $1,000 a year,
a higher salary than is proposed by
either of the other measures, and shall have
had three years experience and shall hold
the degree OF Phi. D.
There will be marked difference of opin-
ion as to the wisdom of concentrating re-
sponsibility upon the teachers and the su-
perintendent, just as there will be ques-
ton In some minds as to the wisdom of
increasing the supervisory officials. The
Commissioners bill proposes no changes in
the existing system of school administra-
ton.
a radical departure from the present plan
of organization is proposed by both the Fos-
ter and the Goulden bills, in that each pro-
yldes for board of education consisting
of nine instead of seven members, to be
appointed by the President instead of by
the Commissioners and to serve without
pay instead OF at the rate of $500 a year
The Goulden bill makes no conditions of
eligibility for membership. The Foster bill
is more satisfactory in this respect, requlr-
ing that the members OF the board shall, at
the time of their appointment, have been
bona tide residents and taxpayers of the
District for five years Immediately preced-
ing. This is the present requirement On
these subjects there is also a wide differ
ence Of opinion. If Congress believes that
the present plan is susceptible of improve
ment these measures offer opportunity for
a change. But in any case, it is to be
hoped that a controversy upon these issues
will not proceed so far that the undeniably
desirable reform in the pay scale of the
teachers will be postponed.
Thus as the bills now stand there are
three important points in evidence: the
establishment OF the longevity principle of
teachers pay. upon which all three bills
agree, with minor differences; the reorgan-
ization of the supervisory administration,
on which the Foster and Goulden bills diff
fer radically. with the Commissioners bill
occupying middle ground the reorganiza-
ton of the board of educa ton with the
Foster and Goulden bills agreeing in the
main In favoFtng change and the Com
missioners' bill standing pat on the pres
ent system.
Some form of readjustment for the good
OF the schools, even If il is confined ia
legislation concerning teachers pay and the
principle OF longevity promotions should
surely come out of Congress this year. AS
20 the reorganization of the board. whether
It's members are salaried or not. their quail
ncations should be so stated that local rem
resentative appointments shall be assured
appointments by the District Commission
ers' as al present, instead of by the Presi-
oeht. VIII have tendency In this direction
LN-EL