The Washington times., 1916-01-20
Mod q Statement.

never have made nny such state.nc
and never authorized any such state
ment,' sold Mr. Newman.
Now YOU have answered as TO
whether YOU made the statement Will
YOU tell us whether II is true or not?"
Does the committee want to go into
that? / am willing II you are" re-
marked Mr.. Newman.
IF 1t is done good naturedly. I don't
mind one Bit" said Chairman johnson.
CONGRESSMAN Lloyd laughlngly re-
marked, Everyone knows that Demo-
Gratis are anxious to get Jobs in the Dis
trict. so why not let II 60 at that"
son.
Then. he is derelict to his party"
said Mr., Focht
Congressman Lloyd asked Mr.. Harr
whether. since he admitted that the
Commissioners were acting in good
faith. he did not believe they would be
derelict in their duty IL they had not
made the suggestion.
If any evil is to be remedied. I would
say they were," replied Mr.. Harr, but
the only evil they cite Is an imaginary
ONE
Outlined the Duties.
Mr. Harr then outlined the duties of
the board and of the Commissioners in
an effort to show that they did not con-
flict
Had the Commissioners been identl-
fled with District affairs and been in
touch with Washington people they
would have consulted business men.
members of the Board of Education, bo-
foore they formed the theoretic plan for
which there is no public demand, and
urged 1t upon Congress-" said Mr.. Harr.
Mr.. Harr charged the Commissioners
with formulating "piece-mcal legtsla-
tion,' and said each of the three school
bills, by which they tried to get control
of the schools, omitted one or more inn
portant provisions, and that even the
third draft did not include 1.-The provis-
ion that no transfers, dismlssals4 or ap-
pointments shall be made except on
written order of the superintendent"
w. II. Klopfer, another Board of
Trade member, said that mo sooner is
one method devised here of running the
schools than another is introduced to
upset it,
DR.. Richard Kingsman. OF the oBard
Of Trade, protested briefly against the
change.
Mrs. A. ]. Driscoll, who asked per-
mission to speak, on behalf OF the
mothers, said that the present system
made coaching of high school pupils
necessary. She said this placed an
additional financial burden on parents
who already had to pay heavily for
high-school text books. She charged
that some children whose parents had
prestige and pull were allowed to
enter schools they wished, while others
w ]. Wallis, president of the High
School Teachers Association, pre-
sented brief opposing the change
and giving statistics in regard to
man Johnson, remarking that he
wished to make an announcement,
halted the proceedings, and with
copy of letter. from the Northwest
Suburban Citizens Association, which
attacked the Commissioners. said he
wished 1t understood that the COM
mittee would not print that letter in
its records.
Nor will we publish any OTHER COM
munications that contain insults to
the Commissioners, the Board of Ed
ucation, or to members Ok Congress-"
he added.
Crandall Mackey said he appeared as
citizen of Virginia which helped to
ed to the support of schools. He quoted
one member of the District Supreme
Court as saying, 1T is deplorable that
judges should have anything to do with
making appointments"
1T went to everyone of the judges TO
land my man on the Board of Educa-
tion and ether politicians went to them
too. Under the present system the
but they subserve good government by
dragging Federal judges into politics,
Mr.. Mackey said.
Julius Peyser Drefaced his remarks by
saying. II am not politicien; | was
born and raised in Washington" He
said five out of six of the present judges
were not natives of Washington. and he
believed the Commissioners are in q
better position to Judge the school needs
than are the judges"
Offers a Compromise.
Chairman Lloyd's suggestion of a COM
promise in the school board controversy
preceded the hearing OF witnesses at to-
days session. Soon after the committee
was called to order, Mr.. Lloyd asked
the attention Of Commissioner Newman
and said:
Il am glad to note that the hearings
so far have been on a high plane, and
there has developed no friction OF any
kind between the school board and
the Commissioners. The issue here
seems to be that the Commissioners de-
sire change in the present system,
while the Board OF Education NNd the
people seem to be content with the ex-
listing system, and do not want it dis
turbed.
Il want to know how you wSuld feel
about an amendment 1 am about to sug-
Eest to the present law. think it would
meet with the approval OF the Board OF
Education and also the people of the
o about It, At any rate, 1 present for
the consideration of all interested a
proposal that the present law shall be
amended To read that instead of the
Board of Education being appointed by
the judges Of the Supreme Court:
The Board of Education shall be
appointed by the President of the
United States
That gives the 'one head to which
the Commissioners have referred The
Commissioners are appointed by the
President and the Board of Education
would be so appointed, and both bodies
would be responsible to the Chief
Executive.
To Think It Over.
II do not ask that the Commits.
sioners shall give immediate answer
TO this suggestion. but I present it SO
they may think 1t over. 1t looks like
10 me this might be a solution of this
question, for such an amendment to
the existing school laws would not
interfere with the Board of Educa-
tion, hut it would carry out the idea
of a central head for the school sys.
TEN. What do you think, Commits
sioner Newman
IT believe that for the present 1 will
avail myself OF your offer and think
the matter over before making an.
swer for the Commissioners" sad Mr.
Newman.
Frederick A. Fennlng. chairman o.