Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-09
new SCHOOL BOARD
SYSTEM IS SOUGHT
Series Of House Bills Aims at
Complete Reorganization Of
Education Group
FINEGAN FAV0RS CHANGE
By a Stu1 Correspondent.


Harrisburg. Feb. GA drastic reor-
Sanization of the Philadelphia public
school system Is rapidly becoming one
Of the most important legislative dues-
tions. before the General Assembly
There are Indications that some kind
OF change will be ordered by the present
session.
Sentiment In favor Of reorga aniza.
tion Is running high In the Philadelphia
delegation. This iS In evidence among
leaders who heretofore have stood for
selecting the BOARD Of Education. The
dihiculty the board had In agreeing on
a school superintendent Il one Of the
reasons for this growth In sentiment.
II is also noteworthy that suggestions
of DR.. Thomas r Finegan. state super
fntendent Of public i"si"'irtion. nrc hav-
ing weight in consideration Of ways AND
means for improving the school system
In Philadelphia.
Legislators are discussi' Z two out
standing proposals today. One is that
members Of the board be r'c"tcd BY tho
people rather thnn appointed by the
board Of judge. The other is that IN"
power OF levying taxes be- taken away
from the Board OF Education and CON
ferred on the Phi'ade,rhia city Council.
Ffnegsn for Elective Board
Or. Fineean tavors the selection Of
members Of the board by the people. He
does not favor stripping The hoard Of
power of lcvyinC taxes for The purpose
Of the maintenance of the school system.
Senator Gray. Of Philadelphia. has q
bill before The upper chamber which will
provide for the dircC' election of sal.
aried members Of the board.
The bill most likely TO win indorSe
- 20 10 ~ n
next Monday night BY Representative
Philip Sterling. Of Philadelphia. Mr.,
Sterling has been studying the systems
IN other cities and has conferred with
Or. Finegan The bill also will have
support Of Franklin Spencer Edmonds.
one of the independent members OF the
Philadelphia delegation.
Sterlings bill. unlike othrrs which
have been proposed, would affect only
Philadelphia and not Pittsburgh. This
will relieve the sponsor Of the neces.
sity Of trying 70 reconcile conflicting
elements in Allegheny county and make
n NOR. possible for a bill TO be passed
which would advance Philadelphia 3
interests.
Tax Method "Un. American"
The Sterling bill will provide: An
elective board Of seven members each
serving six year terms. The members
would be unpaid. as recommended by
Or. Finesan and will be prohibited
from holding any other public office
which pays a salary. In this way II
Is hoped to get prominent business and
professional men 10 serve. Members
would be chosen at the municipal cleo
tion and on the nonpartisan ballot.
The bill to relieve the Board Of Edu
cation of its present power of levying
taxes was offered by Representative
Albert 3. c. Millar. OF Philadelphia.
He declares il is contrary to Ameri-
can principle. for an nproirt've board.
such as the present Board Of Educa
tion, TO levy taxes sn' thst taxes
should be set only By elected repre-
sentatives Of thr people Mr. Hillsr's
objections would be satisfied u Is be-
Heved. II the present hppointive bonrd
were ripped out o. office, as IS con
templated by the Gray and Sterl!ns
bills.