The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1919-12-20

local board that IL was a good law to
work with.
No reorganization Of the local sys-
TEN Is needed. The only reforms
which should be pressed at this time.
are. as I have said. more money for
teachers. more buildinss. and retire.
ment OF superannuated teachers.
ihere are number Il teachers IN The
local schools who. while stu render
ing effective service. should be placed
on -eured list. and way made for
promotion or younger teachers. These
veteran teachers have been paid sucN
small salaries during their service I'm
the schools tina; they nave not been
able TO save anything for later years
Citizens Ready 10 Act.
However. when the time comes. IL
Will be found that the business men
OF :he National Capital and the citi-
zens generally will do anything with
in their power By going before the
Two Congressional committees. or by
any other necessary action. 10 oh
tain funds with which to meet THE
needs Of the school system
There are about 1000 members OF
The Board of Trade and more than
1910 members Of the District Cham
Der OF Commerce. Of which | am a
director. to say nothing OF the thou
sands Of members of citizens as
sociations. who will get behind the
movement to obtain hettcI salaries
Tor teachers and additional school
facilities. For nearly every one OF
them has children who are being ed
ucated in our schools
Teachers now are WORKING under
handicap. Capt. Oyster said. be-
cause they are constantly fearful
that changes will be made la the
school system.
The first thing TO do in the pres
ent situation * 10 restore confidence
IN the teaching force" he went on.
No new law is needed The or
SAnic net approved hv Congress Iva
iT'' has been tested in the courts
After III" passage OF thus law it took
about five years for the school sys-
tenn 10 settle down to normal. AMI
it should not Il" stirred up aEain.
Against Fnds nud Fnncies.
Constant uropusaI Of now fads and
fanCi"s in the school system will not
help matters. Make slight changes
in the old law when found neccs-
sary. but y revolution in the way
"f reorganization should not be at
tempted
There ar" teachers from all parts
OF the county who want to live hero
and would bc willing 10 come here
and teach If conditions Were settled
and salaries increased. When the
school question is settled in this way
Washington school officials will find
flocEin- TO Washington the finest
teachers in the country. who would
prefer t" take up their life work
here. because they want to live here.
NO interests should be anita gonized
in presenting the facts to Congress"
Capt. Oyster said. IF the matter Is
presented in the right way il will have
great weight. But above all there
should be no complaint and an
taeonism. Only the Importance OF the
school needs should be urged
Summing up the situation. Capt
Oyster said:
First restore confidence among the
teachers who are upset through fear
of a radical change. Having done
this. then 90 after money for more
school buildings. larger buildings ind
better buildings.
abandon tn" rads and fancies.' he
concluded.
Thurston Seeks Support
Superintendent Thurston. Of the Dis
ltrict school system. is planning.
through publicity and by presenting
the serious aspects of the situation
10 local civic bodies. to gain sup
porters in his fight for more schools
and additional pay for teachers.
i is probable that the superinten-
dent will be asked 10 lay the facts
before the entire membership Of the
Board OF Trade at meeting shortly
after the holidays.
Congress should cease looking on
this city as an experimental station"
said Col Robert y. Harper. president
OF the District National Bank and
also president OF the Washington
Chamber of Commerce. 1T Is a fast
growing city. and. as the capital city
lof the Nation. Congress should como
to look more and more upon Il as
being an example which should serve
as a model for other cities Of the cOun-
try to copy from. II should he mad,
a profitable example from which
other sections of the country may
profit
Col. Harper likewise said the bust
ness men Of the city would be found
strongly behind any movement which
would aid in making the local school
system an admirable and efficient
one. To do this. he said. adequate
funds must be provided.
Alive to Situation.
Joseph Berberich, Of r. Gerber
ich's Sons. president Of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
tion. said while his organization was
not primarily concerned with civic
matters. nevertheless. the members,
as individuals, were alive to the
everything possible to assist the
school officials to Obtain enough
money from Congress to provide
properly for the education Of the
children OF the city.
There Is not a business man in
Washington who is not ready and
willing to 20 before any Congress
sional committee and make a plea
for funds for the local school sys-
tenn" said Isaac Cans manager Of
Ssks & Co. and member OF the
Chamber of Commerce school COM
mittpe.
"washington's fine school system
must he kept on the top. The teach
ers must be paid higher salaries in
order to do this. for they cannot
live on the salaries they are now
paid"
Mr.. Cans pointed out that porters
in department stores are paid much
higher wages than arc the women
teachers in the lower grades Of the
: nuhlic schools