Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-22
REPORT IS ADVERSE
Plan for Mckinley School Dis
approved by Commissioners.
WILEY BILL Is OPPOSED
Objections to Use of Morrill, Fund
for Public System.
WOULD INCREASE EXPENSES
Suggestion That University Be Es-
tablished al Best Means Of Sup
plying Higher Education.
WILEY BILL IS OPPOSED
WOULD INCREASE EXPENSES

Disappearing Of the Wiley bill to create
a college OF the District of Columbia out
OF the present Mckinley Manual Training
School, the Commissioners sent to Con-
gress today a report which leaves no
doubt as to their sentiments In regard to
receiving the benefit of the Morrill, acts
for any part Of the public school system
The Commissioners believe there Is no
demand to convert Mckinley Manual
Training School into a District uni
versity teaching such branches OF agri-
culture and mechanic arts as would en-
title it alone out OF the entire system 10
receive the dement's Of the Morrill, act.
They also emphasize the fact that .he
board of education does not want the
legislation proposed In the whey DILL
Bills Before Congress.
Attention is called to the fact tnat the
Boutell bill, granting the dement's OF THESE
appropriations to the District OF Celum-
bia and naming George washington OHl-
versity as the fundamentally by which
the District will follow tardily in the
Eara of the states and territories in this
respect has already been favoraDiy re-
ported to the House of Represent@uves
by the committee on agriculture OF tnst
branch Of Congress: a s gen ssnsts :, Ths
Wiley bill would. 1t is declared, requirs
hat the District spend large amount OF
money in putting the Mckinley Scnool
into such shape that IT would pc COZ
Iege ready to receive the grants under
the so-calied Morrill, acts. This the Com
missioners believe would burden the tax
payers without giving proportionate re-
turn.
Text of Commissioners' Report.
The report Of the Commissioners is as
follows:
1.-THE Commissioners OF the District OF
Columbia have the honor to recommend
adverse action upon H. R. 245O4, "A bill
to establish a college In the District of
Columbia, the |, aiding object OF which
shall be, without excluding other sc1en-
tific and classical studies. and including
military tactics, to teach such branches
of learning as are related to agriculture
and the mechanic arts In order to pro-
of the industrial classes which was
referred to them at your instance for ex-
animation and report.
THE passage of this bill would in
crease the cost or education nsn IN 'ns r JaS,
upon the taxpayer for which there could
be no adequate return There seems to
be no general demand along the lines OF
higher education in the public schools
and the board Of education OF the Dis
trict 10 opposed to that policy.
Appropriation insufficient.
The bill proposes to establish col
Iege Of the mechanic arts In connection
with the Mckinley Manual. Training
School. appropriating $4,000 a year. to-
gether with the whole Of the Morrill, act
annual appropriation. for its establish
ment and maintenance.
The proposed appropriation would be
much too small to establish and maintain
an independent college Of the mechanic
arts Such an institution would require in
the first place building for administra
lion and class rooms and some equipment
beyond that furnished by the Mckinley
Manual Training School. assuming that
il be used. Other bills which have been
introduced with like design have pro-
~ided for initial appropriation, OF
500, 900. and 1t is fair to estimate that to
I.,ovide the ground and building for such
II college a like amount would be re-
quired. The new Mckinley Manual Train
ing School has cost nearly that sum. In
addition to the above an annual expendi-
ture for the maintenance Of administra-
ton and faculty and its share OF the
maintenance Of the Mckinley laboratories
would be necessary. If the laboratories
were wholly maintained at the expense
of the public school system II would
thereby reduce the efficiency Of the labo-
ratories for the public school students
1t must therefore be assumed that the
proposed college must maintain it's own
use of the laboratories.
Would Create Other Demands.
'If such a college were provided for
the Mckinley Manual Training School an
immediate demand would be made for q
college for the Armstrong School for col
ored students. as they would be entitled
to the same facilities. Under our system
of separate schools for the races this
would double the initial expense and also
the cost of maintenance. II colleges for
The mechanic arts are provided at public
expense, those who wish like educational
facilities In the liberal arts would have