The Washington times., 1916-01-18
CHANGE IN SCHOOL
RULE DEFENDED BY
DISTRICT OFFICIALS
Corporation Counsel Syme and
Commissioner BroWnloW An
sWer Critics OF Proposal.

The proposed change in the manage
mcnt of tho public school system was
defended in addresses last night py
Commissioner Brownlow and Corpora
ton Council Conrad Syme.
Citing an alleged deficiency IN inc
present school system in every other
sentence, Mr.. Syme championed the
change in the administration or lhe
schools, before the Central Labor Union
Mt Typographical Temple.
Mr.. Syme appeared to answer the
critics of the proposed change in place
of Commissioner Oliver =. Newman
He began by citing the number OF pro-
tests made by certain bodies against
the proposed change and then pleaded
with his listeners to consider the ques-
tion in an entirely impersonal way
Following his address scores OF ques-
tions relative to the allegation that poll
tics will enter the school system WIN
the proposed change, were asked or the
District official by delegates from the
many unions represented at the meet
ing.
Taft Is Quoted.
Mr.. Syme quoted former President
Taft as declaring that the present
system OF the District Is not as cf-
fcient an instrument as we might have
in educating the children of the Dis
trict"
He also read from President raft's
! message the Chief Executives criticism
Of the lack of concentration of euthor-
| lty in the Trc sent system.
Congress enacted the law creating
| this system and placed til" appoIntive
l. 10, . .I,p
| iIdgcs of tn. District Supreme Court" "
said Mr.. Svme. .'Whv this power was
) so placed | 10 not know. 1t WAS the
! object of the law to hay" the Judges
! appoint Il rCDrCs"ntatiN" rltlZ"EshlD TO
/ the board. ! think it Is inCongrrous to
/ expect the judges Of this court to keen
| in close touch with Nh" lreoDlc- OF IN"
! District. Their judicial position. their
many duties on the bench and the gen
era, atmOsphcre in which edcra!
iudr" HNrs. prevent them from having
that intimate touch with the citizens
Of the community. ! deem IL tmpraCtiC-
able for them to appoint Il representa-
| tiv" school board.
| THAT Is one rOnt-hcrc Is another.
what control are the Commissioner
| seeking to take frum.thc present board :;
| luSi - per cent of the cNpcndl-
| lures of IN" District 90 to the w
, keep OF the public school system. Who
! Is. Irsponsihl" fer the "Npenditur" OF
! thiI money the board iS not. IN"
! 'Npcnditurr - cntircM III the hands OF
| n" commissioners. and Yet they have
no power to drnOt" how this money
! should b" spent. =.
."Ine commissioners have absolutely
! no intent ~ Os permitting NOTICES Il
! enter tn" schools. Any man ,ho HApwi
| anything whatever of organization
/ knows that where men have to 60
! ordinate their efforts there must b'
some center Of responsibility. We have
! not got that under tn" present system
~ you can readily see. What We are
trying {" do IS to bring tn" system al
to a standard Of higher cfiCi"aCy. W.
DO not Cluin that the proposed system
I Is the best that can be suggested, hu
Syc do know that It is an improvement
on the present one. We al" oDrl. l.
arguments"
Mr. Symr said he did not believe tn,
jHnitors in the schools would h" labi'
to hc victims of politics in event o
changes in the administration.
Il Will say this for tn" present ROarC
Of commissioners. that they have no
| permitted politics to change the person
mel Of thc District service, dcsNil" th'
great pressure which - continually
being brought on them by Senators anC
congressman" but added, except II
cases Of certain heads Of d"nartmrnrS
/ who were needed because they woulC
work in harmony with the Commission
crS' 9OliCieS' -