Evening star., 1920-03-23
KEEP OUT Of SCHOOL
QUARREL, SENATOR
ADVISES TEACHERS
Mr.. Walsh Points to Need OF
Their WhoIe-Hearted Fu-
ture Cooperation.
HOPES ENTIRE SYSTEM
MAY NOT BE DISRUPTED
DR.. ]. H. Johnson Gives Opinion as
to Responsibility for Disputes
Over Colored Schools.

Hope that officers and teachers Of
| the Washington public schools would
| not take partisan positions in the
| controversy now being investigated
by the Senate committee was ex-
! pressed today by Senator David l..
Walsh of Massachusetts,, who asked
them to remain neutral so that what
ever program Is finally adopted for
the good of the schools may receive
whole-hearted cooperation of every
one.
Senator Walsh, who was appointed
as member of the committee early
in the hearings in the place OF Sem
ator Henderson. who was unable to
serve. made a brief informal state
ment at the close of the hearing to-
day. in which he said he had noticed
IN the public press that meetings had
been held by those interested in one
side or the other of the questions at
| issue before the committee.
Attendance at Meetings.
Some school officials have attended
these meetings, understand. and
have expressed an opinion one way or
another on the hearing. as they have
a perfect right to do" said the sena-
tor. "But the members Of this COM
mittee would be very sorrow to see the
officers and teachers Of the schools
taking partisan positions while the
hearings are being held and placing
themselves in a position that might
lead to some embarrassment in case
the findings do not meet with their
desires.
'It is earnestly hoped that this In
vestigation Will not disrupt the whole
school system. until every teacher is
arrayed either for or against the
present superintendent.
This Is not said in criticism of
members of the board or the super
intendent. I understand that these
meetings are held by their enthusi-
astic friends and supporters. But we
must live after this is over. to try
to keep neutral so that they may
cooperate to the fullest extent In
carrying out whatever program is
found to BE- to the best interest Of
the school children Of Waahington."
DR.. Johnsonas Testins6ay.
DIR. ]. Hayden johnson, coiored
,ss,Pess ss salsss
the committees today, said that when
he went on the board In 1915 he was
prejudiced against Assistant Super
intendent Bruce Of the colored
He believed, he said. that Mr.. Bruce
had been responsible for appoint
ments in the colored schools which
were causing much feeling through
out the city. After being on the
board q while DR.. Johnson said he
reached the conclusion that the re-
sponsibility lay. on the superintend-
ent. Mr.. Thurston, and not upon Mr..
Bruce.
prior to the reelection Of Mr.. Thurs:
ton as superintendent in 1917 he had
decided that Mr.. Thurston was mot
conversation he had with Mr.. Thurs
ton. in which he told the sueertn-
tendent that he thought the superin-
tendent lacked initiative and force OF
character. and that he kept his ear to
the ground too much"
Superintendent Of Schools Ernest L.
Thurston when the hearing Is con-
tinued tomorrow, and 1t WAS learned
that DR.. H. B. Learned, member OF
the board. is coming to Washington
from California and probably will be
called next Monday. Mrs. Susie Root
Rhodes, whom the committee had ex-
pected to hear before this, is sick and
not able to be heard at present.
Senators Called Out OF Town.
Before the hearing began. it was
announced that Senator Sherman Of
Illinois. chairman of the committee,
and Senator Dillingham; of Vermont
count Of sickness in their families.
Senator Capper of Kansas acted as
chairman today.
Dr. johnson took the stand and pre-
sented to the committee his ideas OF
what should be done to improve the
conditions In the schools. DR.. john
son insisted that the school system
oh hn
He laid particular stress upon fve
items which he said the so-called bet
terment committee had been urging
additional buildings. more teachers.
increased salaries. a retirement law
and a business manager. The retire.
ment law has now been enacted.
1.-The present board Of education has
stood for all Of these improvements"
said DIR. johnson. "and before the
citizens committee did"
told the committee. and the popula-
ton Of Washington increased. the
school population also increased, but
there was no increase in the number
Of school buildings. To meet the sit
uation, he said, portable buildings
city. At best, he said, these were
only makeshifts. AS an example of
overcrowded conditions. he gave the
Deanwood School for colored children.
there were 400 pupils. To help out, he
said, FIVE portable buildings were
grouped around, and more classes
were held outside the main building
than inside.
Want. Better Vital Statistics.
DIR. Johnson urged that something
be done to improve the system of
keeping vital statistics of the schools.
"It is almost impossible to get facts
bour the pupils in the schools until
the statistics have become stale with
aye" said DR.. johnson. This is the
oniv city Of its size from which sta
tistfcs from the schools were not OBJ
tainable for q recent publication"
THE witness said that the statistician
receives only $1.400 a year and has
no help.
+;ciai. isn't it?" asked Senator Har-
yes, and he has to pay clerk out
of his own salary to help him work
on his report to the board of Com
missioners."
DR.. Johnson called attention also to
the fact that the Dunbar High School
with 1900 pupils has no playground
when the pupils go out for recess
| they go out into the Streets" said
Or. Johnson. He mentioned the case
| Of one student, Louis Cook. who wa
killed October 1. 1919. by an auto
mobile.
Congress is at fault there, and not
the board nor Thurston nor Bruce
! CONTINUED on Page 2. Column ID