The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-12-10
SCHOOL BOARD
IS TOO LARGE
Government Experts VIII De-
clare Present Body Unwield-
l~Seven Members Enough

One of the first recommenda-
tons for the improvement Of the
of the public
school system of Elizabeth City,
to be made at an early date by
School Survey experts OF the y.
S. Bureau of Education, will be
for a substantial reduction Of the
size of the present School Board.
The Board of Graded School Trustees
of Elizabeth City as now constituted is
composed of nineteen members. The un-
wieldness of this number is apparent to
every one and it has existed in Elizabeth
CITY for years only because one man OF
money and influence in this town dis
covered that he could manipulate large
disinterested body of trustees better
than he could manipulate a smaller and
more active number. Members OF
board of three, four or five members
| usually know what is going on; but
members of a board of nineteen mem
| bers never known anything.
4
we're in Elizabeth City a fewAweeks ago
has not yet been made public, but one OF
| the most active men on that survey is
Dr. W. S. Deffenbaugh, Chief of the Dl-
| vision of School Administration OF the
Bureau of Education. Reference to bull
| letins of the Bureau contributed by DIR.
| Deffenbaught reveals the fact that he is
| out and out against such school boards
as we have here in Elizabeth City. He
has set forth his views at length in
Government Bulletin No. A of the Bu
reau of Education.
In survey of 1,271 cities DR. Def
fenbaugh finds only 1S1 with board$> of
more than seven members, and only "a
with boards of more than nine members
1856 cities have boards of five members;
236 have boards of six members and 3O6
have boards of seven members The
tendency has been to reduce the size OF
city school boards.
DR.. Deffenbaugh says: Experience
has shown that in a small city large
board becomes unwieldy. There is not
enough business to hold the attention of
more than five or seven men. As re-
|; suit some of the meplbers become IN n
s. different or begin to- concern themselves
, with matters that do not belong to in
dividual board members. In small
, hoard. affairs are carefully discussed.
each member having an opportunity to
express his views, while in large board
of 10 or 20 members only a few can
talk on question. Members orator.
cally inclined delay important business
in large board The parliamentary
tactician may also cripple the work OF
+ the board. There is also a tendency IN
: large boards to delegates all business
/ to committees"
s.The superintendent of schools should
keen each member of his board thoroly
= Informed on all local school matters and
on school administration in general 1T
: the board is large. it is impossible to 90
! so CITY of 1900 population a few
e wears ago had board of Il members
? The superintendent reports that 1t was
D almost impossible to get any good Schoo
z LEGISLATION through the board. since he
did not have the time to explain to eacf
- member his plans. He was compelled
,o to explain them in open board meetlng'
IF before talking to each member thuS OF
fen meeting defeat because his plan
we're not understood Another superln
tendent. with a board of 10 members
r. renorts that even with a large boar'
O. two or three men have become powerful
Ill enough to run it; but this last state o
o. affairs usually does not last long
ry new "boss'' or set of bosses arises t
:, overthrow much that has already bee
oh done.
Ie With a large board it has been foun
rn that the placing of responsibility i
he most difficult Usually no one seem
MS responsible. With a large board mem
he bership there may be '1ogroning whe
~ = teachers are elected, thus hampering tl
:, superintendent. There may be "loe
- rolling in a small board also. but tn
he probabilities are that there will be muc
less. Another argument for the sma
M board is that most of the business ca
he be attended to in board meeting witho'
n being parceled out to committees, thu
making it easy to place responsibility.
DR.. Deffenbaught thinks board
ur five members is large enough for cit
ed the size of Elizabeth City. His reason
e. Eare the reasons of many experts, SON
~ of which are here given:-
bo In a board of five members the col
M sent of three is necessary to do busine:
an and is reasonably safe. With no MOI
yer than seven on the board, business ca
ed, be transacted with reasonable dispatc
Ia A board of fewer than five men .
ce- likely to be controlled by one man.
larger one is cumbersome.
a. A small board increases responsib
ity of members.
v favor a board of this size, says u
Deffenbaugh, because every memb
D comes in closer contact with the actl
lay work of the district, learns the wo
ris better, and gets to know the needs
"" the district.