Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-27
Expenditures Advised by Experts.

Expenditures Advised by Experts.
Acting upon the advice of experts in
educational administration, our lay board
of education prepares estimates for each
fiscal year; these estimates the Com
missioners are in the habit Of transmit
ting to Congress with such changes as
mates as run as gantlet of the hear
ings held by the subcommittee of the
House OF Representatives and the Senate
and OF the debates upon the floors of
bursement of the appropriations is in the
hands Of the Commissioners themselves.
At what point in this process does ex-
travagance creep in? When and where
has extravaganza been shown. in fact?
Upon what evidence could the most ILL
natured OF critics assert that the board
of education has been guilty of extrava-
gance? If the board has not been ex-
travagant in fact, why all this talk about
extravaganza?
surely the Commissioners cannot I'M
dertake to charge the board of educa-
ton with extravaganza for its earnest
and systematic effort to carry out the
recommendations of the schoolhouse
were based upon the most thorough
study of the physical equipment Of
school systems here and in other Amer
lean cities. The schoolhouse commits
sion was authorized by Congress in the
organic school law; it consisted Of the
supervising architect of the United
States Treasury, the Engineer Commits
sioner of the District of Columbia and
the superintendent of public schools.
On page % of the commissions care
fully considered report are these words:
1.-The commission believes that an
authorization in new school buildings
and grounds for the fiscal year 1909 Of
about 100000 should be made, and
that the same sum should be appropri-
ated for each Of the three or four sue
ceeding years, after which q normal
basis will be reached of about 100000
per year for new buildings and from
100000 to $4,000 year for repairs
to buildings. to plumbing and to heat
ing and ventilating apparatus
1.-The board of education is not culpable
because the comprehensive program adj
vised by the experts of this commission
has up to the date failed of enactment
into law. If this is extravaganza. let the
board of Commissioners make the most
of it!
ficult in Washington than elsewhere to
procure the service of the best men in
the community for the board of education
tends to the discredit of this great COM
munity and to the discredit Of the able
served us upon the board. Service upon
an unpaid board Of education here, as
elsewhere, calls for ability and public
spirit Is the capital of the nation lack
ing in men and women Of such quality
and character? What possible justiflca-
ton could the Commissioners have-'our
own COMMISSIONER our city fathers
for such an insult to the people of Wash
ington? The honorable judges of the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia
are Entrusted with the responsible task Of
appointing the members Of the board of
education. Have the judges ever found
difficulty in securing the consent of our
best men and women to serve upon the
board? Have not the judges deserved
we'll of Washingtonians by their appoint
ments to the board? Would the Commits
sioners impugn the judgment of the court !?
A List Of Honor.
'.The list of persons who since July
1, 1905, have served upon the board OF
education is a list Of honor. There is
Mrs. Elizabeth Hoeke. a woman Of pene-
trating insight and great heart, whom
all the people love. There is William v.
Cox, banker and publicist, a man who
brought to the board the same high
abilities and the same industry that he
puts in his business. There Is the late
There is Henry p Blair. an acknowl-
edged leader of the local bar. There is
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey. lawyer,
philanthropist, patriot. There Is William
d. Hoover, the embodiment of business
sagacity. alert. devoted, efficient. These
are some Of the names upon that roll of
honor And yet. in the face Of the SUBJ
stantial public service of such men and
women upon the board of education. the
Commissioners of the District of Column
bia so far forget themselves and the
evident facts as to say to Congress that
1t is more difficult in Washington than
elsewhere to procure the services of the
best men for the board OF education!
Where. l pray you, are better men and
women to be found than those whose
services have been given to our local
board Of education? Ii these are not the
best men and women in the community
where are better?
Because the present board Of edu-
cation has vigorously maintained the
merit system, because 1t has acted upon
sound expert advice In its recommended
tions for the expenditure of public
funds and because its personnel has