Evening star., 1908-01-28
ANOTHER CHANGE IN
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Continued from First Page.)

! all over the country come here. he thought
that the local advertisement has been
bad Nearly everywhere, he said. the
old system with large board. has be-
come obsolete all over the country
In the District of Columbia. SAID Sena-
tor Dolliver troubles of municipal govern
ment are avoided and the ordinary en-
thusiasms of self-government are iacR-
ing For this reason the Iowa senator
said he believed A board of education IS
subjected to unusual political pressure, as
a sort of political safety valve.
Here we have created a school boaro
and Shorn it of its functions, giving them
to the Commissioners, so that the hoard
has to meddlc with teaching in schools,
which seems to me to create a very un-
fortunate situation" went on Senator
Dolliver.
Mr. Dollvcr said his mind was open on
the school question. He does not know
DIR. Chancellor and had never seen him,
he said. at is not question of whether
the board has done wrong: 1t has been
noisy" he remarked. 1T has not had a
great work to do. Nobody Will give mucn
attention to little business.
His Bill Not Perfect.
In drawing his bill he said he was
guided largely by the bill introduced by
the gentleman from Texas this year. He
then recited the various provisions OF the
bill. He thought it was defective by not
providing method for removing the su-
perintendent. All the present employees
of the board, he said. ought to be kept In
the system.
Senator Dolliver said it might be better
to have the appointing power in the hands
of District Commissioners, and that was
a matter of detail to be left to the SUD SUP
committee. He said he recognized the diff
ficulty of making the change, and was not
going to pose as an evangelist.
Senator Carter asked Senator Dolliver
whether it was not his idea that the edu-
cational activities should be divorced from
the business and making a model system
for the country. Senator Dolliver replied
in the affirmative.
In reply to question by Senator Mar
tin. MIR. Dolliver said he did not think the
President of the United States should ap-
point the director. as he would have to
rely on advice. but may be wrong He
tod Mr.. Scott he had children attending
the local schools Senator Doilfver said
he believed the commissioner of educa-
ton if he appoints them should have
the power o. removal
At ten minutes to 12 o'clock the SUBJ
committee went into executive session
At 1905 pm. the meeting was over,
and Senator Burkett announced that the
committee had decided unanimously to re-
port favorably tha Dollver bill to the
full committee. The subcommittee con-
siders that it has finished it's hearings and
does not propose to call or grant an audi
CHIC " any oppoiiSito VI eiS 49,
What Capt. Oyster Says.
When told of the action of the sub
committee on schools of the Senate Dis
trict committee in deciding to recon-
mend the Dolliver bill for the reorgani-
zation of the schools. Capt. James +.
Oyster. president of the board of educa-
ton. declared that the system provided
by that bill was Imperialism. He re-
fused to talk at length.
Il am very much surprised at this
action of the subcommittee today" he
declared After an appeal had ben
made by me / received assurances from
the majority of the individual members
of the committee that the board would
be given full chance to be heard during
the hearings on the Doliver bill None
Of the members of the board or repre-
sentativeS of the board was present to-
day nor were they called upon for state
ments.
IF I understand the provisions of the
Dolliver bill correctly. it provides i'm
perialism for the District schools And
l do not think that the people here
IA strong protest. Speaking as a member
of the board and regarding my personal
interests, however, ] will say that / do
not care how soon 1 am legisiated out of
office. But 1 do not like to go out under
fire"
President Oyster was also told of the
statements made at the hearing by Ad-
miral Baird, the ex-president of the
board.
IF Admiral Baird says that several
members of the board got together to
form a balance of power he says what
is not true" stated Mr.. Oyster. or
course, we had our committee meetings
and the members of the board talked
over with each other the general condl-
tions But, so far as / know, members
of the board never went into it's meet
ings with their votes pledged. There
was no agreement among a part of the
board to form balance of power"