The Washington times., 1908-01-31
Abolish School Board,
SAYS Senate Committee;
.DOlliVer Bill Adopted
Chickering's and DISCRIMINATION in System Claimed
by Burkett Subcommittee-SeekS to
Eliminate fractional Fighting.

The DoIliver bill to abolish the Board
Of Education and provide for q. direct
or to have sole authority over the
school system, was ordered favorably
reported by the Senate District Com
mittee today.
The bill was later reported to the
Senate by Senator Burkctt. chairman
Of the subcommittee III charge OF the
school inquiry. TO which the bill was
referred. The bill, as reported. stipu-
lates that its provisions shall go into
effect July ], 1898.
No change was made in the bill by
the fun committee from the form in
which the subcommittee favored it.
Senator. BuTkett explained the bill at
length and the reasons that led to the
subcommittee action. Other Senators
also discussed the bill. n the end it
was ordered reported by u nearly uuan-
imOus vote.
Board Not Represented.
No one appeared for the school board.
Many requests had come 10 Senator
Burkett for hearings, but the commit
tee concluded to have none.
The action Of the full committee dis
I = %
Senator Carter was authorized to report
a resolution TO the Senate setting forth
that under the circumstances an inquiry
was unwise, and asking that the Dis
trict Committee be discharged from
conducting an inquiry.
Committees Report.
| The report Of the subcommittee which
/ had charge of the Dolliver BILL this re-
/ port being adopted By the full commit
tee as d part Of its report, follows:
I'm support of this bill the committee
would say that the present situation
! in the public schools OF the District Of
Columbia IS unsatisfactory TO every
/ body, and IL is the opinion Of your COM
mittee that unless some legislation is
had to remove the schools entirely from
! certain local influences that now sur
round them, the agitation viii continue
The teachers are IN a nervous con-
dltion. the community IS aroused over
/ the situation. and the Ill effects OF the
| controversy in school matters that have
I been pending for several years have
/ reached even 10 the students. Your
| committee is thoroughly Of the OpI.-'on
| that under such d condition of affairs
!
! in the schools, and that the school sys-
/ TEN cannot attain a high degree Of per
/ lection.
/ Your committee has no thought Il
! best 10 go into a general hearing OF the
. rum0Ted charges OF all sorts that have
/ been made by the Board and against
J the Board, and by the teachers and
I against the teachers. or BIZ the former
/ superintendent or against him such
an investigation would require Elucl
/ time and IN the end could result III
D no great good, and would only be pro
motive Of aCrim0ny and scandal
Teachers Lack Loyalty.
In the District Of Columbia. as Il
most other places, perhaps, there arr
factions among the people and the furZ
Of these factions here seems 10 be spen
in the public school system Charges
have been made that teachers haye beer
hired and discharged, as one side or II,
other Of these factions has been In con
troll OF the Board. The recent hear
ings in the trial OF the superintendent
and the events surrounding the circu
latiOu OF a petition IN support or tn
Board and school officers. has disclosed
a lack Of harmony and a lack of loyalt
between the school management ant
the teachers.
line them I'D IN matters outside OF thel
province and beyond the proprietles OF
their position Many nave the oplnlol
that their security Of position depeno'
lupon their subseryienCy 10 the Board o.
Education, rather than quahncauoI
land success as teachers This cOndi
ton does not pertain 70 the presen
! School Board alone, but has. peTtalned
as your committee IS best informed 10
a great number of years.
Turmoil for Ten Years.
During the last ten years there hav
been thirty-four different school board
lin the District of Columbia. during tina
time forty-two different individuals hay
served as members of the board, enJ
throughout all that time there has beel
constant turmoil In the schools.
AT the time Of the enactment OF Tn
law under which the SchooIs are nov
operating. il was hoped mat oy PUTIN
/, the appointment Of the board III IN
hands Of the judges Of the SupreTn
Court Of the District Of Columbia, ratE
er than in the hands Of the GsIlc
= Commissioners as II was be1or
very possibly a board might be Oh
: tanned outside Of and above any of tn
+ local factions. However, il seems tha
! the hope was not realized. and tn
l career of the new board appointed b
the judges has been as turbulent d
that Of its predecessors.
5 Boards Sphere Limited.
soThe functions Of the Board Of Edu
e cation in the District Of Columbia ar
70 so limited and OF such a nature tina
> there is very little, If any, necessity 70
: its existence. The financial affairs c
q the schools, the expenditure OF money
= the purchase Of supplies, the eZamina
/ ton Of teachers, the erection of build
, inEs, and all matters of a fiscal natur,
= are all in the hands Of the Commission
- ers of the District, and are regulate
q in amount from time 70 time by ap
q propriation bills, and there is Teall
e nothing left for the Board of EdUCaiO
p to do except 70 act as a sort OF han
/ mOItiZer or balance wheel upon The 81
perintendent Of schools IN matters c
. educational work.
4 Having no other functions to DEL
form. they have devoted taemselve
with much energy to the eGucauons
phase of the school system. ana Yer
!. naturally. where sO.many have had 1uris
dictioa, there has been conflict. VIVA
books should be used, what subject
, Should be taught, what system of teacl
Z ing should be employed, what teacher
= are worthy Of promotion, have been sui
/ iects of controversy in the board.
Favors Single Responsibility.
\ sYour committee believes that
h would be better to impose the respOI