Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-26
DR.. M. G. BRUMBAUGH
AIDED VITALSCHOOL
CODES ENACTMENT
Worked for Act Which
Revolutionized Govern
m ent of Philadelphia
Schools.

r,smment of the present school CODE
,n,lsr which the Board of Education OF
philadelphia and Pittsburgh levy their
ann taxes. was accomplished through the
,9orts Of a commission of lawyers and
,aucators, of which DR.. Martin g. Brum-
q hourb was one of the foremost workers.
How this revolutionary piece of legisla-
,,or was made a reality was described
,odsy by william II. Shoemaker, who
ras q member Of the local school board
rben Superintendent Brumbaugh made
bts memorable fight for the emanclpa-
,on OF the public school system from
the grip Of politics.
Mr. Shoemaker recounted the history
i ~ the struggle i'm replying to the con-
,entions of Vance C.. Mccormick that
poctor Brumbaugh had never been
mart Of any movement in Pennsylvania
for important civic improvements. Mr..
Shoemaker explained that he had no de-
sire to indulge in political controversy,
but was anxious that Doctor Brumbaugh
receive fair play. He described Doctor
Brmbaugh's activities as he witnessed
thon, while a member of the Board of
Education.
"The act Of Assembly approved April
%. 1905, was the result Of the work of
commission composed of Henry r. Ed
munds. DR.. Edward Brooks, w. w. JUS
tice Martin G. Brumbaugh and other
educators" said Mr. Shoemaker.
RECEIVED NO COMPENSATION.
"The members of this commission re-
ceivei no compensation for their work.
continued Mr.. Shoemaker, land were Sc
lected because of their wide knowledge
AMI experience in successful educational
and other public work
"The act revolutionized the system of
government of the public schools of Phila-
delphia, and since the time of its going
into effect on January I, 1906. the sys-
tenn has advanced, and there is no one
In this city who would be so unrea-
sonable as to assert that the old system
was not vastly improved by the new act.
The school code of 1911 has since super
seded the act of 1905, and in the franz
ing Of this act Doctor Brumbaugh was
an active member of the commission, and
MS experience gulllCO unQeT Ine act OIL
1905 greatly aided the commission in
framing the code which comprehends the
school system of the entire State.
when Doctor Brumbaugh was ap-
pointed to aid in drafting the act of
1905 he was professor of pedagogy in
the University of Pennsylvania, had been
Commissioner of Education to Porto Rico
and had large experience in Louisiana
and in the schools of this State. He was
fad fnr MI In, ha
\commission by DR.. Edward Brookes. the
khen Superintendent of Public Schools of
his county and a former principal of
dhe State Normal School. Politics had
no place in the naming of Doctor Brum-
baugh. It was as an educator and or
ganizer that he was selected by the rep
resentatives of the best educational cir
cles of this Commonwealth.
DOCTOR BRUMBAUGH NEEDED,
Now If it is recalled what the school
system was in Philadelphia it will be
readily seen why men of Doctor Brum-
baugh's character were sought for to
act in passing an act to remedy the evils.
Among the greatest of these was the
lnnuence of politicians in the selection
OF teachers of elementary schools the
selection or school sites and the control
d appropriations for school purposes.
Ihe Board Of Education was composed
OF one representative from each ward of
the city. and as there were some 40 odd
wards IN the city, ii was a large body.
Twelve school directors were elected
ny the people of each ward to compose
2 sectional school board This board
elected all the teachers to the elemen-
tary schools in the ward or section, the !
Board OF Education having no voice in
the selection of any teachers save those |
IN the high schools-about five schools
all told
SCHOOL SITUATION NOTORIOUS.
The manner in which teachers of ele- !
mentary schools were selected was no.
torious, and reached its climax when
school directors in a ward We're indicted
and convicted for taking money to vote
for a candidate.
Councils made such appropriations to |
the Board of Education as they deemed
hit.
Doctor Brumbaugh was prominent in !
the commission which drafted the act of |
100. This act cut this system up by the |
roots, In providing that all elementary |
Seachers should be appointed by the |
Board Of Education from an eligible list |
upon which only qualified candidates
could be placed. and the selection should |
ne confined 10 the three highest on the |
list.
1t was made the duty of Councils to |
appropriate sum equal to at least Ave |
mllls OF the assessed value OF real es-
'ate' and the Board of Education was
gwen control of the money freed from
the Councils.
DOCTOR BRUMBAUGHs SERVICE.
1T is scarcely conceivable that any
one could render a public service more |
beneficial to the people than these men
did and Doctor Brumbaugh was it's
moving spirit
MT McCormick's ideas of public |
service may not recognize as worthy the |
eHorts OF a man to keep out OF politics |
se those things affecting the public to which |
politics are a menace.
Doctor Brumbaugh was a leader In |
taking the public schools of Philadelphia |
CUT OF politics, and as Governor OF Penn |
sylvania he will take some other depart |
Inenls out of the politics which Mr.. Me- |
Cormlck' 1t seems, would keep or place |
mem ln' under, however. different party !
leadership -