The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-29

other cities are committed to the super
intendent of education. We hire a super
intendent 10 teach school. we pay him a
large salary 10 teach school. and We eX-
poet. On Other sections Of the country,
that the school board viii lst him teach
and coBfne themselves to the business OF
the school district But here We take
away from the board Of education their
business functions and capacities, ana
turn them loose as mere meddlers in the
teaching of the schools, which seems 10
nae 10 create the worst possible situation.
Would "Omit" school Board.
II have no acquaintance with any Of
these people. except. I may say, possibly
DIT Stuart. the old superintendent, and I
understand. the present superintendent.
He Is very fine man. so far as ] have
ever known. do not know anything Of
DIT Chancellor. 1 never saw him. and
have no knowledge Of his work here par
ticuiarly except what / have seen IN
the newspapers. 7 know none of these
school directors or school commissioners,
so far as their official activities are con-
cerued. ] have given 1t little or no atten-
ton, except such as has been forced upon
me by the newspapers.
Therefore ] have brought to the con-
siderati0n OF the matter an open mind,
and ! have meditated on the subject Of
simplifying our school situation. Having
absorbed the business affairs of the
schools in the jurisdiction of the District
Comm lssi0neTs. think no harm could be
done and ] believe good wOuld result if
we omitted the school board from the
machinery Of education.
I'm drawing this bin ] was guided large
iy by the terms of a bill which was In
tr0duCed in The House last year and was
introduced again this year by the gentle
man from Texas (1lr- Burlesonl The
/ substance Of the bills is rot materially
different Mine abOishes the board OF
education. as useless part Of the school
system. and proposes that after the end
of this school year the schools shall be
in the hands OF q director of education,
10 be appointed by the Commissioner OF
Education u the United States, and that
the director shall have the responsibility
for tie appointment OF the assistant
directors. seven I'm number. two OF them
colOred. 20 take charge of the actual work
/ of managing the schools that the assist
ants shall respond TO the orders Of their
chief without controversy or debate, and
that they may be removed for cause by
him.
Points Out One Defect.
"I think the bill is defective in not pro-
viding some machinery for the removal
of the director. if he should prove to be
unworthy OF unfit. It aboHshes the Of
/ fees Of assistant superintendent Of white
schools and assistant superintendent of
culored schools. and the Offices Of score
tary TO the board and superintendent Of
education. as we now have them. ] will
say that the intention was not 20 separate
the people who occupy these Offices from
the school service. I do not know any
of them. and I shall be glad TO see them
ali reapponted # they are 1T In fact
I supported. heartily the bill in the last
/ Congress 20 reorganiZe the school sal
aries. with the understanding that these
fine and worthy teachers should be re-
1 tained in the positions. though I read in
{ the newspapers shortly after we had adj
I jOurned that the board had taken our
friendly act. OF protection to the teach
/ ers al sign that we desired all teachers
( 10 be discharged and had proceeded Ia
/ create vacancies everywhere and Ue-e!ect
the school-teaching force.
II will add that have no dogmatic views
about the matter. I do not know even
that YOU could get the Commissioner of
Education to mix up in our troubles. /
am sure that the president OF the Board
of Commissioners Of the District or tie
Commissioners themselves. might not be
available to appoint a superintendent
provided the superintendent were given
these peremptOry powers in respect to the
! school practice within the District. That
would be a matter of detail for your
/ consideration"
No Presidential Appointment.
The Senator said further. in reply to
4 questions. that his reasons for naming
/ the Commissioner Of Education as the
appointing power was that he felt that
that official would be less likely to be
/ affected by local prejudices. and would