The Washington herald., 1921-12-21

N theory so basically sound that the most
ardent advocate of partisan government will
concede its merit. Primarily, the training of the
budding mind of youth involves neither the in
culcation of the fundamentals OF the Democratic
party the principals upon which the Repub-
=hcan tendency has been predicated and prospered
The major purpose of free education is the dissent
nation of useful knowledge, unbiased and minus
any trace OF political complexion.
-. Washington's schools are seemingly out of
politics, most assuredly out of the voting booth.
BY all odds they should be model institutions for
cities of similar size and condition in this country
They are not. Those who have followed the ex-
haustive inquiry of The Washington Herald on the
spublic schools of the District of Columbia can
: attest that there conditions OF such grave and
compelling danger in some of the structures which
house pupils to warrant immediate action.
Action is delayed.
Batimore's public schools are distinctly in
politics, in the that their management and
operation is under partisan city government.
Mayor Broening, minority city executive, rode
/ into Office upon an issue that compelled immediate
= attention to school buildings, admittedly a dis
% grace the Monumental City. This condition
has been or is being, smeliorated
Miss Frances G. Curtis has just been re-
elected to the Boston school board after nine
years of service, because she sponsored by a
nonpartisan organization which believes in keep
ing the schools of politics. but at the same
time advocates per cent efficiency in both
buildings and teaching personnel The Public
School Association of Boston is ofhcered largely
: by Republicans in a city that is Overwhelmingly
Democratic. but it has deviated from policy
that stands for the best in education and its sup
Al has beer Iv rite
Every four years the public schools and their
+ nIaintainance is issue in the municipal elections
OF New York City Mayor Hyland, and those
Z chief executives of Gotham who have preceded
him, would never dare renquish interest in public
education the point where it might menace their
political welfare.
Representative Tess, of Ohio, one of the
abest legislators and parliamentariaps of the House.
is educator Of note. He realizes as much as
any member of Congress that the corner stone of
Americas future rests largely upon the correct
education of it's youth One wonders if his political
advancement contingent upon service to the
Washington school system, whether action would
not supplant delay.
No lover of honest government wants the
schools thrust into the maesrom of politics Never
theess. it cannot be denied that in those cities
where the system is frequently an issue in political
campaigns, the reaction has been decidedly favor
aDic Tor the people. On the other hand,
Washington where such deplorable conditions as
The Washington Herald has actually shown are
existing the method of pettoning for relief has in
varably been failure.
Some members of Congress feel that the resi-
dents of Washington conscientiously misled
in favoring the movement for District suffrage
Can these members deny that if these cond-
tons existed in cities where the ballot is an actuay
that they would not have long since been remedied?