Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-04
DR.. Chancellor Volunteers Ad-
vice to Congress.
PROF. STUART REFUTES HIM
Appropriations Committee Quizzes
District Educator.
EXPENSES DEEMED TOO HIGH
Too Many Buildings and Cost of
Heating Classrooms Swells
Yearly Bills.

superintendent of schools of the District
of Columbia for a turbulent period sew
eral years ago, is giving the appropria-
tons subcommittee advice in connection
with the school estimate in the District
appropriation bill for the next fiscal year,
which is now being prepared.
When Supt of Schools Stuart was be-
| fore the appropriations committee re-
Gently he was asked questions at some
length concerning supervisory officers in
! the schools. Representative BurlesOn OF
| Texas. a member of the District subcom-
mittee, made the statement that there
are a great many more supervisory OFF,
GERS in the local school system than are
necessary. This was denied by Mr..
| Stuart.
| II want to read letter from DR.. Chan
cellor," said Mr.. Burleson, and then he
| read the following:
lated educational statistics for the Dis
trict Of Columbia with comparison to
other cities. In the fall of 1907, when SUI
perintendent of schools in the District, l
sent to both the Senate and House Dis
trict committees plan whereby eighty
eight supervisors could replace 314 super
visors at a saving Of $134.O0O to the
United States government. There is one
supervisor in the District for every six
class teachers. The educational standard
for the United States is one to every
nineteen"
Asked Prof. Stuart Questions.
After reading this letter Mr.. Burleson
asked DIR. Stuart If he and DR.. Chan
cellor agreed about the supervision Of
the Washington schools.
Not at ALL said DR.. Stuart Nor do
1 consider DR.. Chancellor an authority
on school supervision, particularly in
Washington"
us 1t a fact, as stated by him." Mr.
Burleson inquired, that the education
al standard for the United States is one
THAT is not true Mr.. Stuart declar-
ed. Nor is it true that there are 314
supervisors in Washington. There are
only So in all. DR.. ChancellOr's state
ment is not even approximately correct.
There is one supervisor to every thirty
teachers. Under that head you would count
the principal of a high school as d super
visor. Under that head you would count
every teacher of cooking. sewing, manual
training, music, drawing and physical
culture These are teachers of classes.
The doctor has counted not only the IL
supervisory members who have districts,
not only the principals of high schools,
directors of special studies. but he has
ing and manual training throughout the
city
Cost Of Heating.
While Supt. Stuart was on the stand he
was asked by Representative Gardiner OF
Michigan. the District subcommittee
chairman. if it was true, as stated, that
1t costs more to heat the schools OF
Washington than any other city in the
United States. Mr.. Stuart replied that
he did not know whether this was true or
not. but that it might be.
III 1t is true" said Mr.. Stuart. 81
should say that the explanation is that
most of our school buildings. even the
sixteen-room buildings. are heated by
furnaces instead of by steam''
In answer to a question by Mr. Gardner
14S buildings occupied for school purposes
In the District.
"WHy the necessity of that large num-
Der of buildings asked Mr.. Gardner.
seaoe any r nsssssy for
art. III the school buildings in WASH
ington had been developed according to
some scheme or plan from the first.
I'VE have great many small eight
room buildings located in a neighborhood,
while nearby Is another small eight-room
building, one being for white and the
other for colored children. 1t is perfectly
plain. If you will study it, that if this
community had not been confronted with
the social question of color we would
not have had two small eight-room build
ings practically in the same neighbour
hood. We would have one"
One Just Criticism.
Mr.. Gardner commented that he
just criticism against the town and sys-
tenn
Il do not see how you are going to
remedy it, either he said. ut is the
most expensive system in this country
today"
1T has become so expensive, declared
Mr.. Burleson, that the President has
recommended the abolition of the school
board entirely
The board is not responsible for that, j."
said Mr.. Gardner.
NO" Mr.. Stuart supplemented, 1.-The
board of education has never had the
pose"
Mr. Gardner asked Mr. Stuart if it
| were possible to extricate the school sys-
| tenn from its present unfavorable situa-
ton.
Il should think said Mr.. Stuart, That
1t would take twenty years to get out of
the condition Of 14S school buildings
when we should have 100 or less. That
| was touched upon by the report OF the
schoolhouse commission. which recon-
| mended the tearing down of small build
| ings and the erection of large ones. Bnt
il you will remember, their estimate COW
| cred millions TO do it. In the ODDS DAYS
when we asked for a twelve-room bui,d-
ing we got money enough to build an
eiglt-room building.
And YOU have repeatedly asked for
eight and four room buildings" inter-
rupted Mr.. Gardner.
And have gotten a four-room build
ing" Mr.. Stuart insisted.
There has never been school board
in Washington that has not wanted
larger buildings than they got AS far
as the number Of buildings are concerned
and the necessity Of maintaining them
the system Is expensive"
And will continue to be. in that re-
spect." Mr. Gardner declared. ending dis
cussion of this phase of the subject
WANTS CHARGES PROBED.
r, No11nl fn~ -. III: