The Washington times., 1910-03-14
M a S S a chusettS Member
Charges Schools of District
Are Much Too Costly.
MAKES PLEA FOR
GENERALIZATION
Favors Investing Proposed Officials
With Authority Over Educa-
ton and Charities.

Charging evtravagant educational eN-
penditure" in the District. and ''unbusi-
ness-like" methods. Representative Pc
ters Of Massachusetts today introduced
a nm IN the House OF Representatives
which. If passed. will place the admin
lstration Of schools and charity boards
in the District under a director OF
schools and a director OF charities re-
spectively.
Representative Peters wants the Board
OF Education abolished and would have
the director answeratle TO the Commits
sioners. y similar plan is proposed by
which the director Of charities would be
subordinate TO the Commissioners.
No topic spruI 8 in educational circles
since the Charceler muddle which re-
suited in a proposal FOR a similar sys-
TEN has created so much stir as the
proposal Of Representative Peters.
Suggestion a Surprise.
The proposition 10 appoint a Director
Of Charities came out Of the same clear
talk in phildnthropic circles II hasn't
the same novelty. though. as the edu-
catiOnal proposition, as the administra-
ton Of charity funds formerly was un-
der such a director.
The Washington school system is un-
necessarily COSTLY" was one Of the
charges preferred by the Representa-
tive
The Board of Education recommend
ed this year" he said, that 50 per cent
Of the tax revenue Of the District be
spent upon schools, which amounted TO
the lXtravagant eou~ations1- expendi-
ture Of 81 per capita.
other cities Will public school sys-
tens quite as gooJ as Washington 3
pay from three to six dollars per capi-
IA. The Commissioners demonstrated
with the Board Of Education. but the
board refused 20 modify fits demands.
Consequently, the Commissioners we're
forced tJ make the necessary reduc-
tions without ncIp or advice from the
board. II rs maniGcstly impossible that
the commissioners. with no special
knowledge Of the conditions. cOuId Dpr-
form this duty to the best advantage,
out ~ their appropriation total was
limited It had TO be done"
Changes Suggested
The plan advocated by Representa-
tive Peters Is to make the secretaries
OF the two boards chief clerks TO the
directors one CT the principal changes
in the methods Of administration, If the
bill is made a law, viii be that the
Commissioners viii make all appoint
mentS upon the recommendation Of the
Director OF Education. and not upon that
o. the superintendent OF SChOOls,aS is row
the custom. The superintendent would
be put I'm charge only OF the scholastic
details Of school instruction. The es-
Inmates and expenditures will be made
throuSn the Commissioners.
In the case Of the director Of cnari-
ties, the bin provides that no money
shal be disbursed without the order OF
the Auditor of the District
Mr.. Oysters Opinion.
Capt. James p. Oyster, presfden. or
the Board Of Education Of the District
said that as he had not seen the pro.
posed bill and did not know its pro-
visions he must refuse to discuss il.
Although" ne said. If the bill has
anything 70 do with taking awav my
position as president OF the board. Won
may say that they may have il when
ever they want IT, I am perfectly will
ing 10 Quit AZ any time
District Commissioner RudoIpb and
George II. Wilson, secretary Of the
Board Of Charities. also refused To have
anything to say about the bin.