Evening star., 1920-07-15
NEW SCHOOL HEAD
TAKES PROBLEMS
ON MAINE Outing
important Decisions May Be
Made by Dr.. Ba|Iou as
He Is on Vacation.

Deep in the woods of Maine. many
important problems relative to the adj
mtnistration of the District public
| schools for the next year will be
solved.
'Burdened with data concerning
school affairs, DR.. Frank w. Ballou.
superintendent of schools. will leave
Washington at noon tomorrow for
Maine for rest" -
| The superintendent, however. is not
confronted with period of rest In
fact. he expects to be as busy ac-
| qualnting himself with school affairs
| as If he remained in Washington dur
| ing the summer.
ON the way to Maine he will stop
! OF in New York for a conference Sat
urday morning with DIR. Abram Simon,
presluent of the board of education. At
this conference, many of the school
problems will be discussed
Will Study Salary Scale.
While on his vacation, DR.. Ballou
said today, he would study the work.
ing order of the school system at
present and decide whether any
changes would be necessary before
September 90 The superintendent
also indicated that he would study the
salary scale of teachers, preparatory
to making plea to Congress when it
convenes in December for increased
wages.
DR.. Ballou expressed the opinion
that teachers would have to be paid
higher salaries. not only in Washing
ton. but over the entire country. The
present living conditions, he pointed
out. demand a decent living wage for
| those who are giving their lives to
the teaching profession. Supt. Ballou
has not yet made himself acquainted
with the salary scales of the Wash
! ington teachers. but intimated that
whatever they be they are not saffi-
cient to meet the expenses here.
| What the superintend desires princi-
pally. is a well paid. satisfied teaching
corps. And to this end. he indicated,
| he will devote much time.
Crowded Conditions.
! Another problem which Dr. Ballou
will make an effort to solve while away
will be the all-important one of reliev-
| ing prospective crowded conditions in
the schools. 1t has been tentatively
! agreed to institute halliday sessions in
the third and fourth grades of the ele-
mentary schools. where congestion is
most serious. This will mean that pu-
pills in these grades viii either attend
! classes from am. to IL 80 pm. or
from the latter time to 4 pm. 1t was
| pointed out that such a plan will affect
! classes, but no other system can be de-
vised to remedy the situation until new
school buildings are erected.
The problem of relieving congestion
in high school classes also is one caus-
ing great concern Earlier opening
and later closing hours it is believed
will be the plan decided upon for the
senior institutions. Dr. Ballou. how
ever, is not strongly in favor of
the earlier opening hour. The super
intendent believes that the people of
Washington are not accustomed to
arising early enough in the morning |
to prepare their children for school !.
before o'clock. In Boston. where Dr. |.
Ballou was assistant superintendent
of schools before coming to Washing
ton, he said. people are accustomed to
arising earlier than in the National
Capital
Bruce Case Statement.
The case of Roscoe c. Bruce, assist
ant superintendent of colored schools
whose resignation has been demanded |
by the Parents League and other COL
ored organizatio also will be con-I
sidered by the superintendent. The
superintendent does not expect to |
reach any decision relative to this
case while away, but intimated that |
he may have a statement to make re-
garding it when he returns. He does
not expect to return before the latter |
part of August