Evening star., 1920-01-07
EDUCATION BOARD
RECORDS APPROVAL.
Of SCHOOL UPL|FT
Dr.. Van Schaick Voices Atti-
tude of Officials on Better
ment Campaign.

The board of education definitely
recorded it's support of the school
betterment campaign now being or
ganiZed by representatives OF the
leading mems and women's CIVIC
bodies of the District through for
NAL statement made by DIR. John Van
Schaick, jr., president of the board, at
a luncheon which he gave at the
Cosmos Club today to the executive
committee of the citizens school bet
terment committee.
Dr. Van Schaick's action in publiciy
declaring the attitude of the board
came at this time. he said as a result
of a luncheon conference OF the eN-
ecutiye committee in the rooms OF the
Rotary Club at the Willard hotel
Monday The general misunderstand-
ing regarding the position OF the
board which has grown up during
several months was materlaliy uis
sipated then, he explained, when he
discussed informally the school pet
terment committees campaign 1or
more teachers, more pay Tor teachers
a comprehensive building program. a
business management and a teachers
retirement plan.
Has Members Approval
Hearing what DIR. Van Schaick had
to say. the committeeman approved tne
oard's stand, as described by the presl-
dent. and urged DR.. Van Schaick TO
state the situation publicly. The state
ment as il was given out TO-DAY, ne
said. has the approval OF each menpeI
of the board. DR.. Van, Schalck ana
Ernest l.. Thurston, superintendent of
schools. conferred regarding the text and
a minor change in phraseology was
made. it's author said. to meet an OBJ
lection made by Mr.. Thurston.
DR.. Van schaick's luncheon guests
were Charles |. Corby and Roland 5.
Robbins, Rotary Club; Robert N: Har-
per and Arthur Ramsey, Chamber OF
commerce; James +. oyster and Roy Z.
Clafiin, Board of Trade: William b.
Westlake and Jesse c. Suter, Federation
of Citizens Associations, and MIR.
Ihurston.
The statement follows in full:
Presentation Of Program.
"The board of education of the Dis
trict of Columbia acknowledges the
receipt of an oral communication OF
the citizens school betterment com
mittee asking the Endorsement or the
program of that body, as stated in the
following objects of the committee:
a. Adequate salaries for teachers.
"2 Adequate number OF teachers
"3 Adequate permanent building ac-
commodatiOnS
4.
schools with adequate clerical help.
"5. A teachers retirement bill.
THE board ndorses this program
for your committee unreservedly.
1T records herewith its deep sense
of gratitude for the support of the
Rotary Club, Board of Trade. Chamber
of Commerce citizens associations, the
Woman's City Club. parent and teach
ers' associations and other organlza-
tionS in these great objects.
hna
the fact that it is on record emphatl-
cally in favor of all of these PROPOSE
tions.
"Object one was indorsed in brief
submitted by the board to the joint
commission on the reclassification of
salaries Objects two, three and four
were included in the estimates sub
mitted by the board october l to the
Commissioners of the District of Co
lumbia and supported orally before
the commissioners in a hearing short
ly thereafter. -
cessiVe boards for years. and is now
hannily in sight. The board advises
the committee that the great essential
needs for the public schools are in
cluded in the program OF the commit
tee and that the attainment is i'm
peratively demanded
Needs Help Of Citizens.
"The board recognizes that it cannot
beln of the citizens. 1t, therefore,
nIaces at the service of the committee
ali it's resources and welcomes Cooper
alton. .,
"Especially is the trained business
exnerience of your body needed in de-
c;ding the amounts the community can
afford to pay in salary increases and in
shapine a building program for the
next five years to meet the needs of
the entire community. The board well
comes this opportunity to make clear
to the committee the general misunder-
standing of the attitude of the board
on reorganization.
"rThe fundamental things of reor-
eanization demanded by the board ap-
Dear in the program of the committee.
II. A business manager for the
schools. with an adequate force of ac-
countants and clerks
"2 Abolition of present salary
classes in the grade schools and a sys-
tenn substituted by which teachers can
he placed in the grade for which they
are best fitted and given salary in
creases without passing to other
grades This makes possible higher
type of ability in the primary depart
Continued on Second Page.l