The Washington times., 1920-05-26
Official D. c. School Report
Of Senate Sub Committee.


The education OF more than 5000
shildrsa 10 iayslysd. Conditions
were disclosed In the hearings
before your eommitts which can
be remsdied only sy rsdied
changes In the authority Sossrn-
ing the Administration Of the
school systsm.
One sf the unfortunate differ
snces aew found TO exist on the
Board OF Education and between
II and q considerable portion sf
the population Of the District vas
the considerstiea OF . bill pre-
ssnted TO Congress ss far back -
1915, which sought to place con
troll Of the District schools In the
Commissioners' hands.
A controversy immediately
arose, which ended In the defeat
OF the bill. Following this the
members of the Board OF Educs-
tion - then constituted who op-
posed the transfer OF the schools
to the District Commissioners
gradually became eliminated from
the board. whether this was In
pursuance OF q common purpose
by those who promoted the at
tempted legislation your commit
tee does not find IL necessary to
decide. II does. hsvsver find
that at different intervals such
members failed Of appointmsnt
and disappeared from the Board
following the controversy.
Other differences, resuiting from
an element which desired to re-
tire the present superintendent OF
schools and which II may be ad-
mitted In good faith bsiteved
such a retirement to be for the
welfare OF the schools, contrib
uted to the present situation.
stsvted Fa~tis.al Eight.
About the same time the MEM
bers OF the Board OF Education
divided in q factional controversy
which has continued to the pres
ent day. It 10 difficult to resist
the conclusion, therefore, upon
all OF the facts disclosed in the
hearings that one OF the causes
was the defeat of the legislstion
sought by which the control OF
the schools would have been ab-
sorbed by the District Commits
sioners. Notwithstanding this
rejection there 10 some ground for
inferrinE that the element sup.
porting IL undertook to do. indi-
rectly what thsy failed to accom-
plish directly by legislation OF
Congress. The results have been
most unfortunate for the Dis
trict schools. so long as this
spirit is found in the board con-
cord cannot be had. and the har-
mony SO indispens to the sue
cessful control Of the schools will
be conspicuously absent.
Calls Beard InDsteat.
'Ths present Board Of Educa-
tion a. now constituted - appar-
emily impotent to correct mant-
fest evils. which. IL not arrested.
will bring the schools OF wash
ington to a deplorable level OF
deterioration. Instead Of giving
to our country an example to
emulate, the schools Of the ma
tion's capital have shown 4 tend
ency to decline under the de-
struction friction between MEM
bers OF the Board OF Education.
and the sun~rir'endsnt OF schools.
and between the superintendent
and other school officials. The
board and other school officials
have exhibited in the meantime
the humiliatine spectacle OF often
devoting themselves to petty
squabbles and personal contro-
versies instead of applying them
selves earnestly to meeting the
requirements OF the public
schools.
The members composing the
dominant faction of the board are
proceeding to make such changes
in the management OF the schools
in the near future as inevitably
will faA to remedy the present
regrettable condition. II this
should occur IT makes much more
difficult and costly the removal
OF a variety OF undesirable con-
ditions and the application OF an
effective remedy to rehAbilitate
the schools and make them sde-
Quate to present needs. Your
committee reports that the exc
cution OF the plans by the major
ity of the board touching
change Of management of the
schools would add greatly to the
friction now existing and vitality
affect the welfare Of the District
school system.
Your committee does not be-
lieve II can recommend full reme-
dial legislation until q complete
survey Of the schools has been
made by competent authority
showing what new buildinks,
grounds, physical equipment, in
cluding playground, are essen
tial, the changes in education
method. Administrative Affairs
and other essential details shall
be found by such . survey as .
sound basis for legislation. Your
committee therefore recommends
that authority he given to pro-