The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-02
SMITH SCHOOL BILL I
MEETS APPROVAL
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

mending his plan to extricate the WASH
ington schools from their unhappy con-
dition.
Prof. Ballet was called TO Washington
by the present school board last summer
to advise IN regard TO the course to take
at that time. lie then had opportunity
TO make himself familiar with all the
problems with which the board was con-
fronteG, II not with the many more that
have sprung into existence in the interval
since.
The Only Way out.
Prof. Ballet says, in his letter TO Mr.
Smith:
Il am very thoroughly convinced that
the present organization is so defective
that II will be absolutely impossible TO
develop a good system of schools at
Washington under IT, Nothing but a
radical change in the organization Of the
system viii make il possible for any su-
perintendent or commissioner 10 make
the Washington schools what the nation
has right 10 demand that they should
be. 1t seems to me that your bin goes
to the root Of the matter, and is exactly
what the conditions in Washington de-
mand. l have spent most Of my profess
sional life in the administration and su-
perVlsion OF city school systems, and /
believe I am familiar with the problems
/ that confront the administrative officers
holding such a position. Your bin may
sound radical 10 persons not familiar with
the problems Of the Washington schools.
but it Is not more radical than Is neces-
sary 10 create the conditions which viii
make it possible to make these schools
what they should be. I sincerely hope your
bill may pass without amendments which
viii materially change it."
Prof Van Sickle writes that he is not
surprised at the outcome Of the conditions
created by the school law passed last ses-
sion and the various limitations surround
ing The school board. He says that when
ne gave the situation study last summer
be felt that IL was inevitable that there
would be conflicts of authority. because IN
many essential matters IL was not clear
what Congress intended. The confusion
that has ensued does not astonish him in
the least. and with Il thorough knOwl-
edge Of the existing law and the whole
history Of the present situation he ex-
pressed the belief that # is practically
impossible for any superintendent 10 make
any Roadway in improving the schools OF
the city under the law as II stands.
FavOrs Retention of DIR. Chancellor.
Il believe the bin you have prepared
and introduced writes Mr. Van Sickle.
viii, II enacted into law, provide a salts
factory plan for the conduct Of the schools
IN a city governed as Washington is
governed. Under the present law 1 am
sure no one IN the position Of superinten-
dent could accomplish much. Under the
bin proposed by you the superintendent
power viii De commensurate with the re-
sponsibility deyolvlng upon him. yet his
Work Will az all times be subject 10 re-
View By the Senate Of the United States.
1t seems 10 me, however, that the sal
any Of the superintendent should be ar
least $3.50. and / am inclined 20 think
that it would be an Improvement 10
lengthen the term Of office 10 FIVE years.
Three years is rather a short time in
which 10 make good in a difficult posi-
ton.
should your bill become 81 law, and
should DR. Chancellor be made the com
missioner. as he ought to De. I should
have every confidence that the schools of
the District would be put upon the plane
which they ought 10 occupy. The schools
Of Washington should be the model
schools of the United States +"