Evening star., 1920-01-01

tGonllnue0 Irom Eighteenth Page.)
of the low scale Of wages paid teach
ers there was steady flow of resig-
nations during the year, and Supt.
of Schools Thurston was kept busy
! endeavoring to fill the vacancies as
| they occurred.
| Reorganizing Force.
| One of the most important ques-
tons that came up during the year
was the proposal to reorganize the
teaching force. This question came
up in connection with the recon-
mendations made to the reclassifica-
| ton commission for an increase in
the basic pay of school employees.
The United States bureau of edu-
cation made a study of the local sys-
tenn. and in a lengthy report sug-
gested sweeping changes, including
the creation of four additional as
sistant superintendents. The bureau
also recommended that the existing
thirteen divisions of school buildings
| be broken up into approximately
| fifty small groups of buildings. Under
this plan there would be a group
principal for each group, in place of
the present supervising principals.
There were many other suggestions
for changes in the organization of
the teaching force.
The local board Of education. after
studying the suggestions. submitted
brief to the reclassification COM
mission, embodying the main features
of the report of I, { bureau of edu-
cation.
Teachers Er, aoae Uneasy.
Publication of q Lrief created a
feeling of uneasin.,.,s among some of
the teachers as to the possible eff
fects Of reorganiZing the system.
Shortly after the brief was published
petition was sent to the school
board by more than 500 teachers. ask
ing that copies of the plan be printed
SO that they might study its details.
At a mass meeting in Central High
School DR.. John Van Schaick, jr.,
pre- sident of the board of education,
told the teachers that the brief sent
to the reclassification commission was
not final. and that he wanted their
suggestions and cooperation when
the time came to draw up bill for
presentation in Congress providing
for reorganization of the system.
1t was announced in December that
the United States bureau of educa-
ton was planning to make a more
thorough survey Of the schools. 1t
is likely that the question OF reor-
ganization will come to the front
again early in the new year.
Civic Organizations Act.
On December 81 representatives of
several civic organizations met and
formed a joint committee to bring to
the attention of Congress conditions
existing in the schools and to work
for adequate appropriations for addi-
tional school facilities and more pay
for the teachers. This committee Will
point out to Congress that the exist
ing school buildings not only are
h,,$ haf n =.
table structures are now being used
to accommodate the overflow.
From April until October the Col
ored Parents League conducted Wig
orous campaign to have Roscoe =:
Bruce removed from the position OF
assistant superintendent in charge Of
oolored schools. During nearly all OF
that time the league had pickets with
banners of protest outside the Frank
lin School on every meeting day OF
the school board.
On July 81 the board appointed a
committee to investigate into Bruce's
administration and in october a ma
jority of the committee reported that
they believed him competent. me
board adopted the report. Fount tam
Peyton, colored. and a member or tne
Investigating committee filed dis
senting opinion.
Miss Wood Incident.
Early in the year the DOdTo OeCdnle
involved in another controversy as
result Of the suspension Of Miss Alice
L. Wood, a teacher at Western High
School, for a week without pay for
alleged indiscreet utterances during
class on current topics.
Miss Wood appealed to the District
Supreme Court from the action OF the
board and the court sustained her
request that the school boards action
be set aside and her record cleared
Of the suspension.
There were several changes in the
school board during the year. On
September Is George E. Hamilton,
president of the Capital Traction
Company, resigned from the. school
board. Mr. Hamilton had served as
president Of the board while DR.. Van
Schaick was with the Red Cross in
Belgium. Upon his return, in the
summer DR.. Van Schaick was re-
elected president of the board.
DR.. Simon Joins Board.
Rev. DR.. Abram Simon. pastor OF
the Washington Hebrew Congrega-
ton. was appointed on November 10
to fill Mr.. Hamilton's place on the
board.
On December 10 John B. Larner,
president of the Washington Loan
and Trust Company, resigned from
the board, and as the year ended his
successor had not been appointed.
On June 16 Mrs. Margarfta S. Gerry.
DR.. J. Hayden johnson and DR.. Van