Evening star., 1916-01-13
FIND FLAW IN ARGUMENT
FOR SCHOOL LAW CHANGE
Connecticut Avenue Citizens Go on
Record as Opposed to Proposition
of. D. C. Commissioners.
Plan Is Characterized as Vicious by
D. L. Selke and Several
Other Members.

Strenuous opposition was expressed
nv the Connecticut Avenue Citizens
Association to the proposal of the Dis
trict Commissioners to abolish the
board of education and to place the
administration of the school system
directly under the Commissioners Inc
association passed a resolution placing
itself on record as against the change
and ordered copies sent to the District
committees in Congress, the Commis-
sioners, the board of education and the
Federation of Citizens Associations
The association met last week in the
assembly hall of the Army and Navy
Preparatory School, at Connecticut
avenue and Upton streets northwest
The matter was brought to the atten-
tion of the association by Pro1. Il:
Swavely, who suggested that the school
committee should be instructed to make
an investigation of the matter and re-
port to the association at the next
meeting. Several speakers, however,
expressed the belief that there was no
time to wait, and that the association
should put itself on record Immediately
as against the change.
Arguments Not Convincing.
D. L. Selke declared that the argu-
ments advanced by Commissioner New
man before the federation were unsat-
isfactory, and not convincing as to the
need of a change.
The scheme" he said, "is vicious
one. 1t destroys the whole public
school system. 1t robs the school sys-
tenn of the non-political character
which it now has. 1t puts in the hands
of the Commissioners the powers of
appointment that will work great in
jury to the school and permits wire
pulling against which we ought to pro-
test strenuously.
Approval of the action of the Com
missioners in following the will OF the
people of the Park View section in the
selection of the site for school was
expressed in a resolution proposed by
DR.. A. E. Bryant and favorably acted
upon by the body. The same resolution
also asked the Commissioners to re-
scind their action in remaining the
Chevy Chase School the Elizabeth v.
name. which has a real value In des-
ignating it's geographical location
Powers of Health Office.
A letter from DIR. Woodward, health
officer of the District, replying to one
from the association asking that men,
bers of that body be appointed sanitary
officers TO inspect the schools and other
places in the section. was read. DR..
Woodward quoted a law which prohib
tied the acceptance by the District of
gratuitous services DR.. Woodward's s
letter said that his force was too
small to make inspections of the
school oftener than once every three
months, and even then. he said, if in
sanitary conditions were found the
health Office could not order but could
only suggest a remedy.
The request of the association was
sent as a result of certain insanitary
conditions said to have been found al
the Elizabeth V. Brown School. The
association decided to ask the board of
education to appoint members of the
association sanitary officers. Then,
II was proposed last night, il that
board is powerless TO remedy the situa
tion. the association will go before
Congress with the facts.