The Washington times., 1919-12-09
WOULD L0P
|. 125 SCHOOL
PRINCIPALS
Education Board Submits Plan
To Reorganize D. c. System
To Congress Committee.

school system, providing for substan-
tial salary increases and many sweep
ing changes affecting school officials,
are asked in the brief of the Board
of Education, submitted to the Joint
Congressional Committee on Reclas-
sification of Salaries today.
1t is recommended the school sys-
tenn be divided into fifty groups, with
supervising and grade principals elm
mated, and a principal appointed for
each group. This eliminates more
than 125 school offices.
Establishment of a minimum salary
of 81 800, maximum $500. for teach
ers is asked. Salaries of officials
would range from $4,000 to $4,000.
Practically all OF the recommends,
tions are in accordance with sugges-
tions made by a committee of the
United States Bureau of Education,
which surveyed the schools of WASH
ington recently.
Among the Requests.
Among the several requests are:
Increase the number of assistant
superintendents from two to six.
Changing of the name OF the Nor
NAL School to Normal College. and
T.,
with salary of $4,000 a year.
Abolition of heads of departments
for high schools with the provision
that the duties of these officers be
performed by the head teacher in each
subject in the different high schools.
Head teachers in normal schools be
called professors. with a salary Of
$500 a year, with longevity pay Of
500 a year extra for Ave years.
Establishment Of nifty groups, with
principal in each, at a salary OF $4,000
yearly. Each group principal will su-
pervise two or three schools and be
under the immediate direction of an
assistant superintendent.
Retaining of directors in special
subjects is embodied in the reorgan-
ization.
Salaries fer Teaehess.
Salaries for teachers should be re-
vised as follows:
High school teachers in group B.
who start with a salary OF $1,000 a
year, maximum $4,000, should start
at 81 300, with a $500 maximum.
High school teachers in group A,
who start with 81 ,O6O, maximum Of
81 $50, should start at $1,000, with a
$1,000 maximum.
Teachers in class 3, who begin at
81 900, maximum s1.400, should start
on $1,000, with a maximum of $1,000
In all other groups and classes 1t is
asked that the beginning salaries be
81 800 a year, with a maximum of
81, 900.
$1,000 for superintendent.
Salary of superintendent. $4,000.
Salaries of two assistant super
intendents, $500. Salary of one as
sistant superintent. $4,000. and salary
of three other assistants, $4,000.
1t is asked that directors of special
departsments be given a salary of
S4,500 yearly.
Principal of Americanization School
should receive $4,000.
Community secretary should re-
ceive $4,000.
stitute teachers be kept on the pay
roll constantly.
Would Restore Tests.
The Board of Education also seeks
the right to restore tests for teach
ers.
'Tt is our deep conviction that
every effort should be made to pre-
vent the reappointment to the per-
manent force OF teachers not fitted
for the work." says the brief. 1--WE
propose the establishment of rigid
tests in this probationary period.
We likewise propose the testing
of teachers for promotion from one
group to another SO that we may
rapidly eliminate from the school sys-
tenn or transfer to other duties those
who are not rendering valuable serv-
ice where they have been placed"
The board is OF the opinion that
the attendance and child labor de-
partment should be combined and the
force enlarged to perform the work
contemplated by the law which now
has to be neglected for lack OF room
Night schools and summer schools
are considered of especial Importance.
the brief says, and the present sala-
rfes are "ludicrously taadeouste 3"
Night schools should be open twelve
months. II is urged, and il is asked
that the statute against hiring the
high paid employees of the Govern
ment for night work should be re-
moved.
weuId ouadrupIe Clerks.
It is asked that librarians be paid
81. 500 a year, with a maximum Of
81. 900.
Every department of school work
is crippled by lack OF clerical force :"
the BRIEF says. THE efficiency of
high-grade administrators is limit ed
by their being compelled to do the
work OF clerks. We shall ask Con
gress for the exact number Of addi-
tional clerks needed, which will be
about four times our present force, >,
In the discussion of the individu,I
sections of the recommendations one
member Of the board voted against
the clauses relating to the abolition
Of the heads OF departments in the
high schools, and upon the final vote
one member refrained from voting
because of his recent appointment.
III the reclassification commission
does not favor reorganization of the
schools, the board asks a revision of
salaries coinciding with increases
provided in the reorganization plan.