Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-26
SENATE HEARING
=. ON SCHOOL BILL
Teachers and Others Before
the Subcommittee.
AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED
Ali Meetings of Board of Education
Should Be Open.
AGAINST COURTS APPOINTMENT
DR.. Reyburn Spoke Against That Pro-
vision and Proposed There Be
Three Colored Members.
AGAINST COURTS APPOINTMENT

hearing of the school bill pending be-
fore the Senate committee on the District
or Columbia was given and attracted to the
committee room a large number of teach
ers and others interested in the public
schools of this city. The hearing was con-
Quoted by a subcommittee of the Senate
District committee consisting of Senators
Burkett Scott, Blackburn and Gearin The
hearing began at 10 o'clock and lasted un-
III after II, during which time those pres
ent were given an opportunity to express
their views on the pending bill for the re-
organization of the public schools Most of
the suggestions made to the subcommittee
related to the details of the bill general
satisfaction being expressed with it's main
purposes. There were many suggestions of
desirable increases of salaries in addition
to those that have been provided for.
The first speaker was Mr. @ Dax,is
VINO is The principal of the Business High
SGhooi- Mr.. Davis said that as he read the
plii; the heads of the Business High School
ana OF the Manual Training School were
suDordnate to the heads of the classical
hgh school This he objected to- and said
that they should be separate
Mr.. John y. Chamberlain Drincina1 of tho
mckinley Manual Training School. raised a
similar objection to the position of his
The Color Line.
DE- Evans, principal of the Armstrong
manual Training School sroke of MANY cea
lures of the bill. and made reference to the
separation of white and colored teachers.
lie preferred having the manual training
work of his school go along in conjunction
with the manual training work of the high
schooi so far exchange of views and
contact between the teachers wee CON
cerhed He thought that such profes sonal
companionship as would result would he
objectionable to no one. -. ~
Inc representatives of my race" said
oI- Evans without exception, find that we
ineet the White teachers at teachers meet
inSs TO consider professional subjects and
that such meetings are of great benefit IN
us; And have testimony from some high
school teachers that they. too, are benefited
somewhat by such professional contact"
Mr.. William a. Hedrch in charge of the
physics department of the high schools
gave MS views as to the bill. He stated
that in his judgment the separation or
studies of the white and colored schools
was unwise, He said that the purpose of
the Armstrong School and of other schools
OF the same class was simply to make good
citizens He thought that the interest of
both white and colored schools would be
served by having the teachers in these
schools exchange views.
Miss Daly's Suggestions.
Miss Ida NJ Daily. head of the English
department of the Mckinley Manual Train
ing School. commented on details of the
bill. She said if the unfication system was
to prevail in one part of this bill it should
prevail in all parts. She did not approve of
the Increase OF members of the board OF
education from seven to nine, but Chair
man BuTkett interrupted to say that the
subcommittee did not care to go into that
matter at the hearing, but preferred to
have the educational part of the bill dis
cussed
Il think" said Miss DAILY that voice
the sentiment OF teachers when | say that
they prefer all meetings dealing with teach
and Investigations by the board of edu-
cation TO be Open / can understand that in
dealing with appointments of new teachers
IL might be necessary for a member of the
board so say something in relation to the
ability of the applicant that might hurt the
teacher elsewhere. and such discussions
might be behind closed doors"
Miss DAILY said that she thought that
length of service should be acknowledged
In fixing the pay of teachers.
But sometimes teachers are kept when
they are not efficient suggested Senator
Scott
Miss Daily thought that that would require
that some other action should be taken and
did not affect her proposition.
She also thought that post graduate
courses taken by teachers should b.. recog-
nized in a substantial way She said that
many Washington teachers had gone to the
Harvard summer school ana to other sum-
mer schools without any reward and she
felt sure that IL there was to be reward
for such action n great many more of them
would take advantage of such opportuni-
ties
Miss Daily presented an excellent LIST of
suggestions for minor changes in the BILL
ana when she had finished Senator Scott
asked
How long have you been teachlng?"
"IwenrY-three years" replied Miss Daily.
Il should never have though it, said
Senator Scott you don't look old enough
for that"
Senator Scott asked whether It was true
that Latin and Greek classes We're main
tanned with single pupil and Miss Daily
replied that she thought II was. She SAID
that could be corrected by providing that
class should consist of ten, fifteen or
more members.
Miss Mary S Blackwood of the General
Federation of Women's Clubs asked that
the bill be made to provide for three
women members of the board OF education.
Mr.. John NJ. Love Of the NJ Street High
School tcolored) wanted uniformity of
studies in the schools and wanted confer
ences between all the teachers on school
subjects.
Wants "Moral Culture" Provided For.
DR. J. E Gilbert stated that he represent
ed the American Society of Religious Edu-
cation and he wanted moral culture pro-
vided for in the bill. just as physical culture
is provided for
DO you think that is necessary" asked
Senator Scott. Are not the schools already
forces of moral culture? l should hate to
think that the schools are not moral. 1
rather think that you are rejecting on the
schools"
1.-The schools OF this city, said Mr. Gill
bert, ARE on a high moral plane About
that there is question. But there are
several ways of intoxicating morals One is
by example, another is by precept and an
other by inception. and the last method
only makes hgh-grade man.
Mr.. Gilbert was questioned in order to dis
cover whether by moral culture he meant
the teaching of religion. but he disavowed