The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1919-12-19

them and determined that they
were unit to do this work and
several OF them admitted the fact
to me.
This is manifestly unfair TO the
children. to their parents. TO the
city and the nation The child was
not receiving q proper education,
and in fact was held back In his
work both by the frequent changes
OF teachers during the term and
the fact that they were not qualI-
fed"
Mr.. clafin pointed out that the
only remedy for the teacher situa-
ton was higher pay for teachers.
He pointed out that the teachers in
the lower grades certainly could
not maintain themselves on the
very small salaries paid
THE salaries of the local teach
ers should be Increased so per
cent. or at least as per cent" he
continued. These increases should
be made all along the line. but par
ticulariy in the case OF the grade
teachers who have SO much to do
in forming the character OF the
child. The grade teachers are very
poorly paid
More and Better BuIIdInGs.
salaries so thar employment at high
salaries outside OF the school system
would not be more attractive. the re-
suit would be more teachers and bet
ter teachers than the system can now
obtain on the low salaries.
The next thing that is needed, and
just as much as the salary increase"
Mr.. Claim continued further. lis
more and larger buildings. The Ma
tional Capital is about four years be-
hind In its school building program
and this must be made UP as quickly
rs possible. The children are now
huddled together in crowded class
rooms, in small buildings and In por-
tables which. as The Herald has
pointed out, are purely makeshifts.
Mr.. Claim said that what was need
ed very much in the school system
here was a board Of education that
was elected by the people and would
be responsible TO the people.
Election OF a Board OF Education
by popular vote viii result in in
creased efficiency in the local system
as it has done all over the country
where changes OF this kind have been
made. have examined thoroughly
this matter. and I find that now IS
per cent of the boards Of education
throughout the country are elected
by popular vote. and IS per cent Of
them are appointed by officials of the
city and county governments who are
themselves responsible to their peo-
pie. Only Z per cent are appointed
by non-eIective officers, such as
judges, as in the case Of the District
of Columbia
Cincinnati Benehted.
The tendency is going more and
more in the direction of elective
boards for the reason that they
give more satisfaction. I recall to
mind the case of the city of Gin
cinnati. where a change was made
from the appointive to the elected
board. conferred with school
officials in that city and was in
formed that since the board mem
bers had been elected there had
the efficiency of the school system.
been a noticeable Improvement in
This is due to the fact that the
members are more directly respon-
sible to the people for their acts
and they must show results.
This matter of electing the To-
cal school board is one of the
things which the Board of Trade
will push before Congress. and I
can say that there have been few
local measures that have received
the backing which is behind this
proposed bill"
The steering committee of the
organization which formulated the
proposed bill is composed of B. w.