Evening star., 1916-01-09
Commissioner Newman Out
lines Changes to Federation
of Citizens Associations.
BELIEVED TO HAVE MADE
MANY FRIENDS FOR PLAN
Resolutions Adopted Favor Consoli-
dation of Car Lines and Build
ing Of Big Auditorium.

Commissioner Oliver p. Newman last
night explained to the Federation of
Citizens Associations the Commission
ers' plan for changing the school sys-
term of the District.
The Commissioner unquestionably
made friends for the plan. The meet
ing was largely attended by delegates
as well as members of the various cit
izens' bodies, many of whom assured
Nh. Ne vman after the proceedings that
they had been won over to the pro-
posed legislation.
Answering the various criticisms that
have been made against the plan, Com
missioner Newman created something
Of a surprise when he declared that to
vest the powers of the board of educa-
rion in the Commissioners would result
in giving the people Of Washington a
more direct interest in school affairs
than they have at present.
Reasons for Statement.
He stated that whereas two Of the Com
missioners are required by law to be resi-
dents Of the District no such require
Inent applies to the Supreme Court, which
appoints the board Of education, and that
five of the six members of the Supreme
Court are pon-residents Of the District,
Not alone this, but the president Of the
board Of education, Mr.. Newman said. is
a. nonresident and votes in the state of
New Hampshire.
Among those who heard the address
was James F. Oyster. former president
of the board of education. The fedora
ter and to Henry p. Blair, president of
the board of education. to present their
Views on the suggested changes in the
school system at a meeting to be held
later in. the month.
Several important resolutions were
adopted. the most important ones IA
voring consolidation of the local street
railway lines and the building of a
mammoth auditorium in Washington.
Concerning the former President Clar-
way and Electric Company will be
asked to address the federation at it's
next meeting.
School Committees Represented,
Representatives of the school commit
tees of a number of associations and of
the High School Teachers Association
were in the audience when Commits
sioner Newman began his address.
Urging that the reasons back OF the
Commissioners recommendation be
carefully studied before a decision to
condemn the plan is reached, Mr.. New
man said. in part:
""The reason that the Commissioners of
the District Of Columbia have recommend
ed to Congress that the control of all
phases of the educational system be placed
under the Commissioners can be summed
sh hiSc mt
ganization of the size of the public school
system of the District can be administered
as well by two heads as it can be by
one head"
'.The principal objection of the Com
nlissioners to the present system is not
at all that the schools are conducted
by the board of education but that
they are conducted by the board Of ed =
ucation and the board of Commission
ers. Roughly speaking the board of
education runs one-haIf of the schools,
and the board of Commissioners runs
the other half. The board Of Commis-
sioners is absolutely Independent of
the board OF education. In many re-
spects the board of education is abso-
lutely Independent of the Commission
ers. The exact line dividing the ways
in which the board of education is in
dependent of the Commissioners is in
such line. and can be no such line.
The board of Commissioners and
board of education disagree, from time
to time, as to the extent of the inde-
pendence of the board of education At
one time that disagreement became so
serious as to be injurious to th,. school
| administration, and through ii to the
children. Fortunately the present
board of education and the present
board of Commissioners have got on
together very well. There have been
very few points of disagreement, and
no points Of serious conflict This has
been due. however, not at all to the
| form of administration, with these two
heads, but to the personalities of the
| two bodies. Each has appeared to be
anxious to make the illogical system
| work to make greatest possible degree
of effectiveness. and with the least
possible amount of friction. The sys-
| tenn does. however, contain irregulari-
ties and makes for almost inevita BILE
disagreement. friction, lack Of CO.
IL lGAnfinstAA H1a.