The Washington times., 1916-01-09
SCHOOL
CHANGE EXPLAINED
Commissioners Newman Wins
Many Opponents to Plan in
Address to CSizens.

Commissioners Newman 10 believed to
have won over many opponents to the
Sroposed plan Of abolishing the Board
Of Education and placing the schools
directly under the control Of the Com
missioners by his address before the
Federation OF Citizens Associations
last night.
A number of members Of citizens as
sociations and others known to have ex-
pressed themselves strongly against
the proposed change shook hands with
Mr.. Newman at the conclusion Of his
address and informed him they had
been convinced their opinions were
wrong and that the change would, in
their belief, be beneficial to the local
school system.
Mr.. Newman answered alb the criti-
cisms OF the proposed change and an
question that might be asked regard
ing the plan.
Would End Dual Conduct.
Replying to the statement that the
change would take the schools out of
the control OF local hands, Mr.. Newman
reminded his hearers that two Of the
Commissioners must be residents of
the District, while there was no such
qualification for members OF the Board
OF Education. He SAID the president OF
the Board Of Education is q native of
New Hampshire and votes in that
state and that another member Is a
Virgtnian and votes in the Ola Domln-
ion. Contrary to taking the schools
out OF local control, he said, the pro-
posed plan would put them in the hands
OF Washingtonians.
Mr.. Newman said Ihe present nlan
was an ideal setting for confusion.
me commissioners have no fault to
ma with the conduct of the schools
ny the Board OF Education, but II mas
a great deal Of fault to find with the
condnct OF the schools by the Board
OF Education and the Board of COM
missioncrs. 1t Is this dual conduct
which we think ought to be changed,
Ihere Is no line OF demarcation be-
tween the authority of the Is "a uf
Education and the Board of Com
mlSSlonerS ana there 10 So,LsS.u,..
always abundant opportunity for
friction and disagreement. Fortu-
nSIeiy, however the present Board
OF Education and Board OF Commits
sioners have gotten along very well.
rms Is due to the personnel of the
TWO bodies and not to the system"
No Politics In 1t.
Mr.. Newman said the members of
the Board of Education arc appoint
ed by the District Supreme Court. n
tribunal composed of men appointed
from various states, and not from
the District. lie indicated strongly
that the Supreme Court would wei
come the proposed change and that
the Judges did not wish to appoint
ton.
Answering the charge that the slIe-
geSted change would put the schools
, IN politics, Mr.. Newman said:
nave heard II said that the COM
missioners wanted to maze this change
so that they could use the positions OF
teachers for political appointments.
would consider 1t a great pleasure to
entertain in my office for one day any
gentleman who suggests that we desire
any such thing. Take It from one who
Knows from bitter experience, that that
is the last thing with which any Com
missioner would Intentionally burden
himself.
"Our path is sufficiently thorny, as
It is' with the large number of en-
ployes now serving under US, and sub
Ject to no protection from removal
save the common sense and common
decency Of the Commissioners without
deliberately increasing the number OF
positions by 1,500 or 1000. That would
be the act OF a mailman, who had no
regard whatever for his nervous sys-
tenn OF for his future.
Address Warmly Applauded.
'" hOdlnB more nor
less than hysteria that would cause
any teacher, or any friend Of any
teacher, to imagine for one instant that
the Commissioners OF the District Of
Columbia would give even a moments
consideration to thing which would
mean nervous prostratioa for the Com
missioners and continuous apprehension
for the teachers"
Following Mr.. Newman's address,
which was warmly applauded and for
which he was thanked by President
Colladay OF the federation, the organ
ization adopted two important resolu-
lions. The first recommended that the
local street railway lines be CONSOLE
dated for the purpose OF relieving the
congestion at various transfer points,
and the second approved the conseruc-
ton in Washington Of a pnblic audi
torium capable Of seating 10000 per-
sons.