Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-05
home RULE IN SCHOOL AFFAIRS
DEMAND MADE BY CITIZENS OF
BETHESDA, MD.
Changes in State Laws Suggested.
Agitation Resulting From Recent
Dismissal of Principal.

The committee appointed by a mass
meeting of the citizens of the Bethesda,
Md. district to draft an amendment to
the school laws of Maryland met last
night at Bethesda and took favorable
action on amendment that had been
prepared. The committee also decided to
obtain, If possible. the views of the can
didates for the legislature on the Mont
gomery county school question and report
back to a meeting of the Citizens Asso-
citation Of Bethesda to be held in No
vember.
The agitation of the school question
came as the result of the removal by the
county school board. some time ago. of
Miss Ida Dove, principal of the Bethesda
School.
The school commissioners of Bethesda
district rebelled against this action and
We're removed by the county board. A
mass meeting was called and the people
of Bethesda came cut for home rule.
Power of County Board.
Under the present law. the people OF
Bethesda maintain. the single school
power is the county board. appointed by
the governor, with no political accounta-
bility Of the board to the people either
property it taxes and over whose chill
dren IL exercises authority. 1t alone
assesses the property of the county. sub
ject to confirmation by the county COM
miSsioners when over a certain limit, and
distributes the proceeds in whatever part
of the county it sees fit. 1t appoints
all assistant teachers and confirms APP
potntmentS of the district boards of
principal teachers, and discharges or may
coerce the discharge of any teacher.
solutely all school matters without re-
gard to the wishes Of and without re-
sponsibility to the people of the county,
and much less of the districts.
THE proposed law" says the committee
in its report, differs from the present law
in allowing the people of each district to
choose their own school officials, who as
sess their property, to spend their school
taxes within their own district. furnish
thei- children the school facilities
with direct accountability for all their
official acts to the people who elect them.
Matter of Salaries.
''The present law fixing salaries is not
affected by the proposed change, the dis
trict- board fixing such salaries only as are
not specifically fixed by law. Their school
taxes are spent at home. except where the
county board. acting as a representative
legislative assembly. votes a general coun-
~ tax to equaliZe school facilities.
Matters and courses of instruction are
not affected. teachers being appointed
only from those determined by the county
board to be legally qualified. and all In
struction being subject to the county
board. acting under the state board and
the general law.
While women may not vote. it is be-
lieved. without constitutional amend
ment they may at least. by legislative
authority. be eligible to hold office, as
herein provided.
This measure sets forth no new. novel
or untred scheme. The laws of all the
fortysix states have been examined. Of
these thirty-seven now elect. by direct
vote. the local district boards. In four
others such boards are appointed by
elected county OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
a county board, as in Florida and West
Virginia, or a county superintendent. as
in Alabama. or a county board elected
by the grand. jury. as in Georgia-thus
making forty-one states in which the
local district boards are elective directly
or through elect county representatives.
distinctly home rllle,''