The Washington herald., 1921-12-10
X. Washington's Schools.

Congress a program to give this city the best
system Of public schools in this country. In this
program there are just three essentials. To accept
two and reject the other would be as fatal as to
reject'them all. Each is vital as the other and
they must come together should all be rejected.
These three are:
First-Appointment of the members of the
Board of Education by the President with conhr-
nation by the Senate.
Second-A complete divorce OF the schools
from the District government by placing in the
troll of the board so named, all the fiscal affairs of
the schools the levyng OF the for school pur-
poses within a limited tax rate of not to exceed
a certain number of mills the entire control OF the
budget and all school expenditures; the fixing OF
teachers salaries and all building construction.
Third-The entire control OF the educational
functions oAthe schools, without interference from
Congress, must rest in the board.
There is nothing new in this except the Presi-
Dental appointment of the board. AS to the rest,
like authority and responsibility is placed in the
boards of education Of hundreds OF cities and these
will be found to have the best school systems.
Any restrictions placed on a board OF education
merely divides responsibility by dividing authority.
With the board, and it alone responsible the people
know exactly who is to blame if the schools are
poor, where to go for what they want, and to
whom to so for any changes.
Moreover, with complete authority to accom-
psh results and no division OF responsibility or
credit there is attractive public office than
that OF membership of board OF education. Com
ing here by direct appointment of the President
would add measure of dignity and prominence
which would increase its attractiveness. Certainly
there is no public service which exceeds that OF
securing for great city, the Capital OF country,
a system of public school education which would be
II 81 To- r;t;a a,,I ;ch
would be studied as a model by all educators
There is no citizen OF Washington who would
refuse such an appointment who would not con-
slider it an honor The President could pick and
choose from those fitted for the varied fiscal,
legal, business and educational duties involved.
Such board would be free to hire and pay for,
within tax limitations the administrative and edu-
cational ability needed in the organization and
duct of such school system. 1t would have full
play for its constructive abilities and it
would be wholly free from politics.
The Herald does not overlook the fact that so
long as Congress must approve the school budget
and provide 40 per cent OF its total, it in the
actual and practical progress Of events control the
actions OF the board and every phase OF the school
system This will be condition peculiar to Wash
ngton as unacceptable. The Herald would meet it
by providing of liason official to keep OPEN
in assured friendliness, the contact between the
board and the joint subcommittee on education of
the District Committee. We would suggest that a
secretary of this subcommittee should be employed
to keep it constantly informed of the boards pro-
gram and of the inner situations. Also, he should
have his own independent of information
with the fixed obligation OF preventing friction and
of establishing and preserving good understanding.
Such means OF communication would also be
great saver of time both for the committee and
L 49, = L
report with little left explain and no misunder-
standings. 1t would away the poison of gossip
and intrigue and make hopeless the plots of politics
Moreover the committee should have a much closer
control OF building expenditures than in the past
No appropriation should be made in advance for
extensive repairs any construction. The
granting of blanket allowances for either purposes
should stop and the committee should at least
have plans and specifications ready for bids and est-
mates before appropriations are made or even bet
ter, these should be made cover actual bids This
could be done by the committee retaining control
of all funds in itself for all such purposes or by
having all appropriations made to it instead OF to
the board, the current expense fund being trans
ferred semannually in bulk.
There are many like details which should be
worked out with the counsel OF recognized author
tiles school laws, management and administra-
ton. In respects the situation is unique, but
in the MAN, the policy of board with centralized
authority and responsibility is everywhere recog-
nizcd in municipal well school government
Just as an incident of details, school buildings open
social centers certainly should be open to
parent-teachers and mothers clubs. No principal
should have the right to deny such use. Also
social centers. school Fairgrounds, night schools
and Americanization should be closely correlated
under assistant superintendent there should be
no separate public Fairgrounds. But should there
be any provisions in the law, or should these poll
cies all be left wholly within the province of the
board? Personally, contend for the latter