Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-12
House, as Committee of the
Whole. Adopts Amendment
to District Bill.
FREE EDUCATION OF ALL
BLIND CHILDREN DEFEATED
Canvassing Only for School Athlet-
les and Commencement Exer.
cises to Be Permitted.

After an hours discussion the House OF
Representatives, sitting as a committee
of the whole. today adopted an amend
ment to the District bill prohibiting the
general solicitation of funds in the pub
lie schools for any purpose outside of
school athletics and commencement ex-
ercises.
This was the subject which was pend
ing when the House started its recess
TWO days before Christmas.
The bill as adopted today contains the
limitation on Subscriptions reading as
follows:
No part of any money appropriated
by this act shall be paid to any person
employed or in connection with the pub
lie schools of the District of Columbia
Mho shall solicit receive permit to
be solicited or received on any public
school premises any subscriptions do
nation of money other thing of value
from pupils enrolled in such public schools
FOR the presentation of testimonials, or
for any other purposes other than the
promotion of school athletics and COM
uencement exercises OF high schools.
Representative Roberts of Massachu-
setts endeavored to amend the District
bill SO as to provide for the free educa-
ton of all blind children III the District.
The present practice is to provide for the
education of INDECENT blind children by
sending them to a Maryland institution.
Mr. Roberts efforts We're not accepted
by the House.
The House. sitting as committee of
the whole. resumed consideration of
the District appropriation bill as soon
as the journal had been read. The
amendment allowing subscriptions to
be taken in the public schools for
school gardens and other strictly school
purposes. pending before the recess,
started off the House on one of its
regular noisy wrangles.
Representative Madden of Illinois
and Representative Bryan of Wash
ington opposed the amendment Rep
resentative Bryan said that the board
of education ought to regulate col
lections. etc. and that Congress ought
not to attempt to burden federal
statutes with school regulations.
IF we regulate teachers. why not pre-
vent firemen and policemen from taking
coilections?' asked member.
Representative Page. chairman of the
subcommittee. opposed the Mccoy sub
stitute for the District bills provision
that subscriptions shall be taken up in
the schools for athletic and similar pur-
poses
Willis Had Amendment.
Representative Willis had an amend
ment pending to permit school garden
subscriptions. Representative Sherley of
Kentucky said that there is nothing in
the proposed law that would prevent
school pupils from contributing to ath-
letic funds. etc. but that absolutely no
funds should be solicited by teachers or
organizations.
Representative Page said that there
has been great abuse in the subscriptions
in public schools.
--Subscript ons have been taken up in
the schools for charitable PURPOSES he
said. money being asked for charity
from children who in some instances are
objects OF charity themselves.
The subscriptions in the schools have
been real abuse" said Representative
Slayden of Texas.
Representative Roberts OF Massa-
chusetts said that the way the bill is
now framed it would prevent the run
ming of high school magazines. Repre-
sentative Page said any one could volun-
.ari1y subscribe.
But II is necessary to solicit to get
descriptions" said Mr.. Roberts.
Many Children Humiliated.
Representative Mondell OF Wyoming
said that subscriptions i'll public schools
had been made for many proper objects.
but that the most serious objection to the
idea is that many children are Inundated
because their parents cstnno: afford to
respond to every one of the demands
made upon them by school subscriptions
Why doesn't the board of education
stop this prsicti.e2 asked Representative
MuTdock of Kansas
Il don't know but we have the right to
do SO as the town council of the District
OF Columbia.
The Mccoy proposition was defeated
6s to 16. the committee favorins the
proposition that school subscriptions in
the District of Columbia schools are
becoming burdensomc- After the vote
Representative Mccoy warned the
House that if the bill is enacted with
out his substitute not one penny ever
could be passed from hand to hand on
any school premises for any purpose
except for strictly educational matters
Bill "Cruel and Unusual
Should any teacher ever permit any
pupil to solicit for a school newspaper
or for any of the 101 things usual in
schools. that teacher. under this bill
would lose year salary. 1t is cruel
and unusual
Representative Aswell sneered at the
amount of time Congress was spending
matter referring to teachers
Why don't you extend this to ali
branches of the government in the Dis
trict?' he asked.
Representative Sisson of Mississippi
said:
Members OF Congress are protected
from solicitation. and children In the
school ought To be protected. The Page
amendment. which provided that sub
scriptions for purely educational matters
may be taken UP, was adopted. This
would allow for certain high school sub.
Scriptions in connection with commence
mcnts.
Would Provide for Blind
Representative Roberts offered ar
amendment making it public duty t,
provide for the education of the blinG
children of the District. The bill i.
framed to provide 5000 for the instruc
ton Of '-indigent blind children only"
He said that the stigma of pauperism'
should not be attached to a certain por
ton Of the blind children.
Representative Page objected to tn,
amendment, which was lost, and Mr.
Roberts offered another amendment pro
Hfding $1,000 for the education of tht
blind i'll public schools
Every one of US is in sympathy Will
this spirit. said Representative Page, tr
opposition. but in my judgment, tn,
amendment does not meet the necessitie:
OF the case, SO ] will have to make I
point of order against it,
Discussion on the subject was suspend
cd temporarily.
Representative Mondell took the op
CONTINUED on Second Pa2el