Evening star., 1916-01-09

munity should be given greater weight
than the opinion of tho board. Subse-
Tsw snas had
mended the name Park View to the
board Of education. before the board OF
education recomm ended Lemon y. Bine
it seems to me that greater considera-
tion was given to local sentiment by
the Commissioners than by the board
of education.
It also has been stated that the rea-
son for the change proposed by the
Commissioners is that they are seeking
greater personal power and authority.
This charge is hardly worthy of con-
missioners realizes that, as every man
must realize who stops to think, there
is nothing in life SO empty as personal
aggrandizement. We hold no illusions
as to the relative importance of our
selves in the great scheme of things
or, for that matter. in the destiny of the
great National Capital. We as indi-
Vlduals are as mere passing incidents
VINO Will occupy our positions for only
a fleeting moment. The District gov
ernment, however, and the educational
system of Washington are permanent
establishments that will go on, we be-
lieve, forever, and it is the future of
these institutions for which we feel
feelings on this point that, if it is pos
sible to do so legally, we will be very
glad to accept an amendment to our
proposed change providing that it shall
go into effect after the present Com
missioners are out of Office.
Provided for Ability Test.
TT so happens that the District Com
missoners in preparing the legisla-
tion for the proposed change. very
carefully arranged it so that they
would not have upon their hands the
impossible task of appointing teachers
for the schools according to their judg-
ment of the teachers qualifications.
They were very careful to restrict and
hedge about, in the strongest possible
manner, the appointment of teachers
for the specific purpose of making it
impossible for any political, personal or
other such interest to have anything
to say as to appointments and to guar
antee that every appointment would
have to be made solely and wholly
upon the great professional ability of
I'VE were advised after careful con-
sideration that the legislation which
we proposed did not affect the exist
ing law. In other words. that under
appointed as result of an examina-
tion by this same examining board, but
in order to make doubly sure we have
lifted that provision of law bodily from
the statutes an incorporated it in our
proposed legislation. This was not
necessary, but we did it anyway.
Under this law the Commissioners
will be restricted in the appointment of
teachers to identically the same eligi-
bility list that the board of education is
restricted to. 1t will be legally i'm
possible for the Commissioners to ap-
point anybody else, just as it is now
legally impossible for the board Of ed
ucation to appoint anybody else"
For Railway Consolidation.
Aside from the Commissioners ad-
dress interest centered principally in
the adoption of a resolution. submitted
by the committee on public utilities
through DR.. Emory A. Bryant. favoring
consolidation Of local street railway
lines as the only means of solving con-
gested traffic problems. The resolution
calls upon Congress to furnish money
for the immediate completion of the
valuation being established upon the
properties of the companies so that the
question Of consolidation can be taken
also asks that Congress pass a law au-
thorizing all the street railways to
consolidate, upon completion of the
valuation, and calls for the issuance of
free transfers.
1t was announced by officials of the
federation after the meeting that the
passage of this resolution marks the
beginning of a propaganda which the
federation intends to push insistently
In the interest of bringing all the
street railway lines together under one
head and management.
Charles c. Lancaster, chairman of the
committee on public celebrations,
brought in lengthy report urging the
erection in Washington of an auditor
ium capable of seating 10000 persons
The resolution fayors employment of
public funds for this improvement
Mr.. Lancaster read an editorial ap-
pearing In The Star under date of Jan
uary 2, 1915, favoring the auditorium
project. His report was unanimously
adopted.
William l.. Browning and Boyd Tay-
lor presented their credentials as dele
gate and alternate, respectively, of
the Cleveland Park School and Com
munity Association. e. w. Oyster was
presented as the alternate from the
Petworth Association, vice Isaac c.
Ellis, resigned.