Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-18
Commissioner BroWnIoW Gives
Reasons for Desiring Change
in School Control.
POLITICS NOT INVOLVED,
HE ASSERTS, IN ADDRESS
Tells Takoma Park Citizens Asso-
citation System Should Be Under
One Management.

Declaring that the present method OF
doing business between the board of edu-
cation and the District Commissioners
was practically Il two-hcaded system and
Insisting tina; it would he to the interest
Of the District to have the control of the
school system under the Commissioners,
District Commissioner Louis A. Brown
low in an address last night before the
Takoma Paril Citizens Association, ex-
planned in detail the proposed change.
The meeting was held in the Takoma
Park branch of the Washington Public
Library. corner 9Th and Cedar streets.
and was largely attended. Wilmer q.
Plat presided.
Commissioner BrownIow reviewed the
school situa sion il Washington and said
that II Was one OF the most important
units under the local government With
the exception Of transferring the control
and appointive powers from the justices
of the District Supreme Court to the
Commissioners. he said. the law govern
ing the schools was exactly the same
The Commissioners have requested
the adjustment of the present board
OF educa ton. which has control of the
expenditure annually OF over $1,000
900. he said. but that board does not
take the same position as the board
ishment in the interest of good gov
eminent
The board of educa ton. he continued
consists of nine persons. who are ap-
pointed by justices of the District SUI
preme Court. One of the justices is a
citizen OF Vermont. one a citizen of
Ohio one a citizen Of New Jersey
Two citizens of Maryland and one from
the District of Columbia. who was a
former District Commissioner.
Present System Unbusinesslike.
Commissioner Brownlow said that
the present system was unbusiness-
like. and that by the proposed transfer
II would divest the board of education
of its powers and centralize it in a di-
rector of education, who would be
he'd responsible for the affairs of the
schools. Under the present system the
school board makes appropriations
ard has full say as to such expendi-
lures. The Commissioners receive the
requests to make the expenditures. but
nave nothing to say regarding the ex-
penoitures In other words. the board
OF educaton is completely independent
OF the District Commissioners and the
Commissioners independent of the
board of education. He considered this
method of conducting school affairs bad
business.
with the change. he said the system
Wouic he conducted under modern
plain business methods. He denied in
Inc course of his remarks that the
change would result in political APP
pointmeHts. He said that the political
question was absolutely absurd The
proposed change would leave the same
cfvIi service governs the present
board of education still in force, but
would do away with the routine work
of the board. He said that it was
sometimes said that the District Su-
preme Court was closer to the people
than the District Commissioners, but
TINS. he said was not true and the
new method would demonstrate it,
In most cities, the speaker continued
the board of education has entire
charge, but these members are elected
by the people. Under the two-headed
system as at present, nine persons con-
etitute the board of education without
compensation. No matter how great
their interest, they are not as COM
potent as one person paid by Congress.
The legislation proposed by the Com
nissioners leaves the same ma chinery
and limitations to the appointment
OF teachers rs now governs the board
o. education.