The Washington times., 1916-01-15
MEN FOR
OLDSCHOOL RULE
Trade Board Committee In
dorses Present System and
Declares Against Change.

Characterizing as a step backward" !"
the proposal Of the District Commits
sioners, recently submitted to Congress,
to abolish the school board, the public
schools committee OF the Board Of
Trade will ask the membership OF that
organization at general meeting to be
held Tuesday afternoon to indorse the
present system and recommend its con-
tinuance to Congress.
This action was agreed to u a meet
ing of the committee yesterday after
noon. The proposal to confer upon the
District Commissioners the powers now
vested in the school board found only
one advocate. Charles w. Darr. and
when the report of the subcommittee
was submitted, Mr.. Darr's was the
only dissenting vote.
The only question that caused any
concern to the subcommittee that had
been delegated to prepare the report, or
submitted, was that OF the scope Of
authority vested in the Board 81 Edu-
cation and the Commissioners, respec-
lively, relative TO financial matters re-
lating to the schools.
Would Extend Boards Powers.
Dealing with this subject. which is
said to have been the Gauge OF friction
between the Commissioners and the
board, the committee recommended
that Congress amend the law so as to
make It entirely clear that the Board
OF Education has exclusive authority
over the expenditure of school funds,
subject to the control OF the Commits
sloners In the matter OF accounting"
William r. Harr. chairman OF the sub
committee. in presenting his report. de-
clared that the proposed change was a
most radical one" and would result in
the Transformation of the school board
n q nd hi .fN
into an 'impotent and irresponsible
agent having advisory powers only"
The reasons assigned bv the Commits
sioners for the proposed change were
said to be In the interest of efficiency
aud economy. but the chairman declared
tnat the proponents had not shown how
either of these ends could he achieved
bN such a change.
Mr.. Harr and hiE associates on the
committee asserted that there was no
present demand for anv change from
any source. save the Commissioners
the omselEes. while public sentiment on
the other hand had been decidedly
voiced against the project through the
various civic organizations.
Schools Treated Separated.
In other eommission-governed cities.
the report stated. the conduct and gov
-ernment OF school systems was separat-
ed from the control OF general munich
pal affairs. and the act OF 1906. by which
the present system was inaugurated
was said to have been enacted with a
view of divorCing school subjects from
other municipal affairs.
In voicing opposition to the report
ana unfolding the recommendation of
the Commissioners. Mr. Harr said that
In other communities the question OF
politics had played its part i'm school
affairs. which was situation that
could not be said to enter In the Dis
trict. He urged that all resDonsibility
relating to District affairs should be
plnced In SINCE source. the heads OF
the District government.
ORle r. Singleton. chairman of a SUBJ
committee appointed TO investigate the
subject OF supervision OF medical in
sDection OF public schools submitted a
report recommending that the present
supervision imposed uD the Board OF
Education be continued