The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-01-19

perform such DUTIES as may be pre-
sSTJrioed by the Commissioners OF said
Lloyd Asks Question.
is there any 6amand from any spe-
clc source for n change in the present
methodY' asked Congressman Lloyd.
Not that l know Of" replied Mr.
Newman.
Laughter was caused by the reading
OF letter from Col. G. c. Lancaster by
CONGRESSMAN Lloyd. in which Colonel
lancaster said he opposed the delivery
OF our lands, female teachers, and chill
uISh 70 the lusts and political spoils
new method.
DO YOU know to whom that refers?"
asked ..1ed Congressman RaRsdale.
10 me. replied Commissioner New
man. Colonel Lancaster was a menu
per OF the home rule committee which
uIsu LOT Two wears TO have me ousted, "
neLeTence was again made to the LETT
tS by chairman johnson. who asked
u commissioner Newman knew whether
there was any basis for such a charge
AGAINST the Commissioners.
NO, | mink II Is just n Rratuitoue iu-
sun aied at me-" replied Mr. Newman.
congressman RaEsdale then pointed
out that the remark was contained in
ton:
while don't know about this par
tlcns have been raised. aimed at the
commissioners by ASSOCIATIONS. when
very small groups OF citizens were pres
ent, replied Mr.. Newman:
Mt. Newman was asked whether or
not there had heen airy ctticism of tire
board: He replied there had not been,
put that. on the contrnry, the board
was REGARDED as quito efficient.
HAS there been any Dissatisfaction In
the CifV1 asked Cnnnrngqmnn MnnnR
mo"
And your conception comes from the
President" interrupted Congressman
Focht.
mo, I have studied the operations OF
municipal governments in many cities
and believed the principle of divided
authority In school matters II wrong.
II 1t were a question OF divided author
ity or having the oBard OF Education
preme authority / should favor the
latter. However II seems to me that in
the District the Commissioners are the
natural 5uctodians of school matters.
ut would be perfectly agreeable
to us that this chSEge be not opera
tive until all members of the pres
ent board have retired"
Conrad II. Syme, Corporation Counsel.
said he had gone into the matter OF the
responsibility for the annual eEpendi-
ture of 5000 000 which is nearly ono
fourth of the entire District expendi-
lures, and has found the responsibility
very hazy. He sketched the history of
the relation of the school beard and the
Commissioners and said that while the
Commissioners were under bonds to in
sure the proper expenditure of all Dis
trict funds. the Board NJ Education
seemed to regard their capacity as pure
ly ministerial in school disbursements.
Brings Out Running Fire.
Under the organic act the Commits
qinpnra tho NJ
any expenditure and then there would
he deadlock" said Mr.. Symc. with
the Commissioners under bonds. can't
conceive that any court could mandamus
them 10 sim v-"cheTs for expenditures
theV disapproved."
Mr.. SWINE brought forth a running fire
of questions when he said that for the
last four years the Board of Education
had made no report TO the Commission
ers respecting school funds. Members
of the committee questioned this. Mr..
Syme explained that under the act or
196 the board did not seem to be re-
auired to make such A report. and said
he merely called attention to the matter
as another illustration of the futillty Of
the present ARRANGEMENT.
Chairman johnson asked Mr.. Syme
whethere under the present mannCr OF
GppCintlng members of the Board ot
Court of the District, IL would not be
possible for a case to come up where
the court would have 10 rula on the
acton OF its appointees.
MIR. Syme said such case had come
up recently, when the court ordered the
Ieinsts temcnt of married teacher who
had been debarred after marriage by a
rulo of the Board of Education.
IF a question OF expenditure came
I'd involving dispute Eetweon the
Eusrd of Education and the Commits
siUnprR l should regard The situation
~ much more Serious. sd!d MIR. - me-
Mr.. Syme Explains.
Mr. Syme was asked whether the APP
pointment of board members by the
Supreme Court of the District did not
violate a ruling of the United states
Supreme Court which declared that
Congress could not saddle admin1stra-
tive functions on a judicial body MIR.
Syme explained that the Legislators mad
gotten around that point by assigning
tho appointiVe duties to the judges in
sort OF eN-officio capacity, as nearly
as / can figure IL out"
Mr. Syme sal Ithat he regarded
the judges of the Supreme Court of
the District as top far removed from
close association with the people to
be representative of their wishes in
educational matters. This brought
forth another volley of questions In
which Mr.. Syme was asked whether
the judges were not appointed for
life, were not residents of Washing
ton, were not employed as teachers in
various law schools, and were not
seen at social functions.
In replying to the last question Mr..
Syme answered: Il doubt whether the
class OF people is the class OF people
who are most vitality interested in the
education Of their children"
Chairman johnson inquired whether
the Judges were both residents and
citizens OF Washington" Mr.. Syme
laughingly replied that that raised a
question OF definition over which there
had been much discussion. III you
mean that a mans home Is where he
votes, / believe five out - the si1
Judges vote in the States" Mr. Syme
replied.
.rYrL ONE DAVIS GIYES