The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-30
Many Favor the Bill Abolish
ing the Present Board.
AUTHOR AN OLD EDUCATOR
Numerous Members of House Ex-
press satisfaction at the Idea of
WIDinE Ont Present Organization
and Beginning with Single school
COmmissioner-Smit Ideas.

of Maryland, TO wipe out the present
school board and the Office of superintend-
ent of schools and substitute a commits
sioner of education. to be appointed by
the President The measure was spoken
of by members as a "GOrdian knot
proposition and new slate" bill. By
some it was said that there would not
be time to pass any school bill. Repre-
sentative Greene. of Massachusetts, a
member OF the District Committee and a
member of the subcommittee on educa-
ton, also the author of the pending bill
to reorganlze the school system of the
| District. was outspoken in support of the
Smith bill He said: 7 have not seen the
printed bin, and only know what it is
| from hearsay. but it strikes me as a
wise bill II hits the nail on the head"
! Representative Smith. who introduced
the bill. has for many years taken an
! interest in educational matters. He came
up as country school teacher, and he
has taught school In Delaware, Mary
| land. and Michigan. For a number Of
years he was school commissioner of his
county, place he resigned when chosen
State senator. He is an old friend OF
/ Prof. Van Sickle. the school superintend-
/ ent of Baltimore, who was considered and
at one time selected for superintendent Of
the Washington schools, and he is a life
long friend of State School Commissioner
Stevens, of Maryland.
Mr.. smith Discusses His Bill.
Discussing the bin which he has in
troduced yesterday. Mr. Smith said: u
hope that this bill Is short enough TO be
distinctly understood. I don't think it
would need 10 be interpreted by court.
believe It would at once settle the diff
Guilty that has thrown the Washington
schools into chaos and lead the way out
to a sound and progressive school system.
The schools Of Washington should be the
best in the country. I think this measure
would set them on the path TO excellence.
I have no choice for commissioner. The
President might, no doubt. well appoint
Dr. Chancellor, who. in a position OF
direct responsibility to the President and
the people and without the hampering
restraint Of the school board. map out
a great success for the schools of Wash
ington.
system a responsible head and TO hold
him to strict responsibility for the eff
cheney and thoroughness of the system
It must be apparent to every citizen or
the District who is interested in a proper
way in the schools, and to every member
of Congress. that it is high time some
radical step was taken to place these
schools on a better plane
4 have no criticism to make Of the
present board. for it is the system which
is AT fault, nor is il TO be wondered at
that an unwieldy. unpaid board. with
divided responsibility. should come to be
an inharmOnious, wrangling body with
nor responsibility at all. The columns Of
the daily newspapers of Washington for
months past, with their reports of the
dOings and misdOings of the board OF
education, make any comment at length
along this line entirely unnecessary. and
l am glad to see that a change in meth
DDS Of administration is demanded
Is II not travesty that the public
school system of Washington, the capital
OF the United States, which has no ex-
cuse whatever for not being the very best
IN this country, or in the whole world.
should to-day stand. and has long stood.
Argument Against SeIf-government.
There are some strong arguments for
self-gOveTnment in the District OF Column
bia, and their weight is admitted by Con
gress. But there is no stronger argument
against it than the scandals and turmoil
which have surrounded the so-caIIed
boards of education. If Washington can
do no better in conducting all its local
affairs than it has IN the instance Of the
schools, it Is to be feared that the day
is far distant when Congress viii listen
TO its plea for self-government.
1t is the money Of the United States
which is being spent in Washington. and
it Is the people Of the United States who
look TO Congress to govern the District.
Washington is unique among cities in
this respect
L am frank to say that not a dollar
too much is now spent on the Washington
schools, and long experience in matters
Of public education convinces me that
even more ought 10 be spent, here as
everywhere In our country 50 long as it !
IS properly and adyantageously spent. /
but not a dollar devoted TO the great
lnisspent or wasted
1t is no longer open TO question that
the rising generation in Washington Is 4
not getting the benefits of the appropria-
tons for school purposes as fully as they 1
should get them, with what should be I
the governing body Of the District system 4
enactinS the disOrderly farceS Of their
meetings" and with the factions now
running the gamut of the courts to de-
termine which is which. The system needs
a head, and an adequate head, and re-
spOnsible head, and this the bin 1 have 4
introduced provides with absolute Ger
tainty. Too many cooks spoil the broth 1
in more meanings than one.
The full text Of the Smith bill is as fol /
lows:
THAT the board of education Of the
District Of Columbia is hepeby abolished. I
and the Office OF superintendent of schools /
Of said District is hereby discontinued
Sec. p That all powers hitherto vested I
In the board Of education and the SUPER 1
intendent of schools of the District of |
Columbia are hereby conveyed to an edu- I
cational commissioner. who shall be nomi- /
mated by the President of the United
States and confirmed by the Senate for a /
term OF three years from the first day of I
july. 1907. at a salary Of 5000 per an
num-
Sec. 3 That this act shall take effect
on the LIST day of July. 1907, and all acts
OF parts of acts in conflict herewith are
hereby repealed"
Representative Morrell withdrew his bin
yesterday for amendment The measure
provides for number Of smaller school
boards in ten or twelve subdivisions Of
the District The aim IN this Is 10 dispose
OF many questions of difference before
they can grow 70 any magnitude and \
cause an upheaval in the general school n
board Representative MorreH found thar 4
there were SOME respects in which the bin II