Evening star., 1920-02-04
SCHOOLS IN PERIL,
MR. THURSTON SAYS
Superintendent Calls Atten-
ton to Crisis Created by
Postwar Condition.

Just at tho time that postwar con-
ditions are making the greatest de-
mands on the public schools system
OF the nation. the system is in grave
danger of breaking down because the
people are failing to support 1t in the
present crisis.
That was the declaration Of Ernest
L. Thurston. supe rintendent of schools,
to the Columbia Heights Citizens As
sociation, meeting in st. stephens
Hall, 18th street and Columbia road.
last night.
more poorly taught tomorrow than
today" he asked. DO you desire
them to have less opportunity tomor-
row than today? Do you want them
taught tomorrow by less able teachers
than they have today? Do you want
them to be taught with poorer mate
rial and fewer facilities tomorrow
than they have today? Do you want
them thoroughly trained in the public
schools. or do you want the schools
TO turn out partly educated young
men and women? Shall the country's
future leaders be reall!s able, intel
lectual men and women 6r just half
able? Shall they be well prepared
10 meet the nations future problems
or not?
Answer Required Now.
That set of questions must be an
yearly the whole citizenry of the
United States. 1 have hope that they
will answer them generously and in
telligently, but l must warn you there
is no time to be lost. Right now the
public school system of the country
1s in process of disintegration."
Mr.. Thurston then described briefly
the deplorable situation of the schools
everywhere. OF $4,000 teachers now
in service, only half are professionally
trained ha No nf
received no more than grade school
training and know nothing of the
science of pedagogy. Last year. he
said. $4,000 teachers left the service
because of inadequate pay. shameful
lack OF recognition, overwork. Most
of them went into business to earn
. living wage.
I'm Washington, by exercising the
utmost care. we have been able to
maintain teaching standards" Mr..
Thurston continued. But under pres
ent conditions we cannot much longer
hold up these standards. Many of
our best teachers have left the serv-
ice and more are going because they
find it necessary to take up other en-
ployment in order to provide them
selves with decent shelter, food and
clothing.
Predicts Continuing Losses.
II predict there will be a steadily
increasing loss of first-rate teachers
in the District, and fewer teachers are
taking normal school training. Why
should intelligent men and women
remain in the teaching profession
when window cleaners, day laborers,
typiSts, messenger boys and persons
in similar non-professional vocations
are better paid? Thirty per cent of
our grade teachers have dependents.
Their savings are exhausted. To me,
the teachers remaining in servica
nndeY nreC6nt circumstances
heroes of peace"
Describing the need Of more school
housing. Mr.. Thurston said the local
high schools have a % per cent in
crease over the enrolment of last
year, whereas the normal yearly in
crease had been 5 per cent. There
are now $500 pupils in the high
schools.
The public schools" Mr.. Thurston
declared. are the greatest public
Yet few of you know much about this
institution. 1t seems to me that at
least once a year there should be
given. in. all the pulpits of the District,
civic bodies. q comprehensive lecture
describing the scope of work accom-
plished in the schools during the
preceding twelve months. In that way
the public might be kept pretty well
informed regarding the big business
in which all are partners.
PaFtnership Needs Cited.
For you really are all partners" he
continued. Some of you are ignorant
partners. a great many are silent, and
a few are complaining partners. What
we need most now is a large corps
of working partners in order to get
the things we urgently need-ade-
Quate pay for and sufficient number
of competent teachers, a comprehen-
s1ve building program and a business
management"
A resolution providing that a mem
Der of one citizens association may
join another association when he
changes his residence from the juris-
diction of one to that Of another,
without paying additional dues, was
referred to committee. Another reso-
luton proposed that the Public Util-
titles Commission be requested to re!
route cars of the W. R. &: E. company
on a section Of the 11th street line
and was referred to committee. A
special committee on public safety
will be appointed at the next meet
ing of the association.