The Washington times., 1920-10-03
WOULD UNITE
DOARD'SHANDS
Former Superintendent De-
clares Lack Of Money Handi-
caps Efficiency.
DEFENDS HIS. lHCUMBENCY
Advocates 81, 500 As Minimum
Salary for All D. c. Grade
Teachers.

Floating Of a bond issue TO obtain
funds sufficient to erect the number
of buildings necessary to accommo-
). date the overflow OF students In the
District public schools Is recon-
mended by Ernest l.. Thurston, for
mer superintendent of schools, in his
: annual report for the fiscal year end
ing June 80 iastt.
Bond issues of such nature, Thurs
ton declares, are not unusual, as
J throughout the United states the
municipal governments and boards or
! education have realized that this is
{ the best means or raising FUNDS ior
immediate school needs. He declares
he pees no reason why such project
i 10 not advisable in Washington.
81 favor the larger control by the
, Board of Education of It's funds,
which will admit of that flexibility
/, necessary to meet emergencies. 10
Z make adjustments and to conduct
worth while experiments" the former
! superintendent states. He declares
bond issues are now common through
out the country and successful.
Referring TO the needs OF the
schools, the former superintendent
speaks several times of methods OF
i raising money In one part he de-
clares he favors a regular school tax,
which will be separate from other
taxes.
SCORES RED TAPE.
Such a tax, he declares. will assure
the school system OF certain income
and will aid greatly in increasing the
efficiency OF the system. He scores
the red tape necessary to obtain FUNDS
for school needs.
The report of Mr.. Thurston is near
w 100 pages long. 1t dwells upon
various school matters and touches
here and there on the events which
led to the Board OF Education's de-
cision not to re-elect him as superin-
tendent OF schools.
Defending himself from charges
that he made an unprofessional move
when he brought the recent school
fight before the public, Mr.. Thurston
declares II simply took the step which
my professional self-respect demand
ed, a step which was in line with the
protection of any superintendent
To school employees, the public in
general and certain members or the
school board. Mr.. Thurston expresses
his sincere thanks for their co-opera-
ton, declaring that without their
help ne could not have accomplished
many of the progressive movements
made in the schools.
Mr. Thurston expresses regret IN
leaving the school system. Natural
ly." he says, ~ feel the strain OF
severing my connections with the
public schools, after more than TWEEN
ty-six years servicee. No man could
have put his life into the work as
completely as l have done during
this period without feeling the part
ing that has now come"
The first twelve pages Of the re-
port are taken up by the former /su-
perintendent in reviewing his six
and-one-half years record as head or
the schools He points to the junior
high schools, platoon school. tuber-
cular school. and scores OF other
changes in the system which have
taken place at his instigation.
During the years OF my super
intendency the schools have been
active and progressive, the force has
been alert and professional" the re
port states. There has been more
professional developments in the work
and organization of the system than
In any preceding period.
URGES WIDER POWER.
"while the war and appropriations
have limited us in the extension OF
much that we desire, the foundation
for further advance has been laid.
81 have no doubt that when the last
six years can be seen in proper per-
spective they will be found to have
been the most progressive years in the
history of the school system"
The former superintendent is in
sistent that wider powers be given
the school board that2 that body
have the power to make adjustments
In the school system without hrst
going to the Congress of the United
States, and that some means be pro-
vided whereby the school board may
have general fund to meet unusual
situations
A minimum salary of 81 800 for
grade school teachers is among the
Recommendation. Mr.. Thurston also
declares himself in favor OF establish
ing more uniform salaries for teachers
doing the same work.
Mr.. Thurston's report either favors
or recommends
That the superintendent have FIVE
or six assistants or associates, among
whom he.cen divide his work and that
grade principals be relieved of the
task OF teaching classes.
That business officer. with an in
creased clerical force. be provided to
handle the millions OF dollses expended
on schools each year.
THAT the community centers he