The Washington times., 1916-09-08
Congressman Reiterates His
Belief That Postponement Of
Opening Is Not Necessary.
"REAL MILK IN C0CoANUT"
Hint Of Permanent Start on DC.
~ tober 2 Clue to II, Law.
maker Asserts.

DVoTu OF EDUCATION snOuld re-
consider its. action postponing the
opening Of the public schools OF
washington until October q" said
congressman Frank w. Mondell OF
wyoming. a Republican member of
the House Appropriations COMMITTEES,
IN discussing today his speech criti-
cisins the action OF the board.
Mr.. Mondeli told the House late yes
terday that there was no excuse for
postponing the school opening and he
believed an attempt is being made
permanently to change the opening
The Wyoming member intimated
that y the school term In shortened
permanently Congress may look into
me matter. The Appropriations Com
hittee handles the District bill con-
.ah,n,ns the appropriations for the
The Warrington school term al
ready Is short and this limits the
opportunities children have OF get
ting an education" said Mr.. Mondeil
public schools. ! shall endeavor to
see ~ there 10 some way to bring
about a reconsideration Of the action
OF the Board Of Education"
Talks Of Public Sentiment.
In his House speech Mr.. Mondell
referred to Newspaper accounts of
the action Of the Board Of Education.
He continued:
From this article II would appear
that the Board Of Education, In voting
for this postponement, is following what
.n1 or tan to be thf pSois sent.
ters. Il Is said, requesting postponement.
including, let II be noted. one from the
Secretary of the Treasury.
MY opinion II that there are not per
cent OF the parents Of this city who
postponed. and ! base that opinion on
the fact that most people desire to have
their children educated. and therefore
do not desire to have terms OF school
shortened unreasonably when there Is
no good reason for II. as there Ia not In
this case.
Real Milk in Cocoanut.
Ordinarily. the postponement Is
charged to the prevalence OF infantile
paralysis. although infantile paralysis Is
not, and has not been. prevalent In
Washington. there having been very few
cases, and most of them very mild.
But, It Ia said. paralysis nay be
brought In by the children coming from
their summer vacations. II Is notorious
that there has been NO infantile paraiy-
sis In the summer ap/ vacation resorts.
And yet. out Of these two perfectly IA
vorable factors. the Board Of Education
deduces an unfavorable conclusion. The
article closes with the observation that
there was a strong sentiment evinced by
members OF the board for making the
date, October y. a permanent one. and,
II IL stated. a committee was appointed
to consider the question. We have here.
In my opinion. the real milk in the CO.
coanut. The infantile paralysis argu-
ment Is merely toted In as an excuse.
with all due Difference to the honor
able Board Of Education. my opinion Is
that II will be long time before the
Washington school year is further
shortened. It Is already quite short
enough. and with the numerous holi-
days and half holidays. which are de-
clared and provided for on all sorts and
kinds OF trivial and trining excuses.
some people have begun to wonder
conducted for the purpose Of giving the
children Of the District an education
or for the benefit OF the teachers and
the entertainment OF the Board OF
Educat ton.
1T will be noted, In connection with
this postponement, that the board was
careful to investigate as to whether the
teachers salaries would be affected and
only agreed to the postponement when
assured that the teachers would not
lose anything. however much the
schools might. suffer.
Hits at Heat Argument.
THE action Of the Board of Educa-
ton is the more extraordinary in view
OF the fact that the Health officer of
the District and the Superintendent OF
Schools. the two men OF all others best
qualified to advise. advised against II.
II am told that the present school
year was made short compared with
| that OF many other cities because OF the
| alleged summer heat Of Washington
While. of course, no one wants the regu-
lar public schools open during mid.
summer. the fact Is that there are very
few cities in the Union where the -aues
| ton OF summer heat is less Of a factor
to be reckoned with In the matter OF
the school year than right here In
Washington, and 1t Is about time that
the people here got over the habit OF
using Washington summer climate al
an excuse for the shortening OF school
| terms. and particularly for the closing
OF Fairgrounds at a time when they
are most needed. Most cities OF the
| Union would consider themselves very
| fortunate II their people suffered nc
more from heat In the summer than
4 - W. In