The Washington times., 1921-12-28
The Board of Education
and Commissioners
BY BILL PRICE.


District Commissioners should the members of the
Board of Education of the District relieving the judges
of the District Supreme Court of an unwelcome duty
imposed upon them by act Of Congress. The judges
have asked Congress for this relief and the Commits
soners have recommended that the selections be placed
in their own hands. Legislation making the change
will doubtless be proposed and pushed
So long as the Commissioners and the Board of Edu
cation work tremendously together they doing
now, the arrangement will be most satisfactory. With
the authority to fill vacancies in their hands, the Com
mssioners would naturally seek to make appointments
that would not invite friction But in the event of
friction arising most unpleasant situation be fore
The Commissioners little than rubber stamps
in school and charity matters in Washington The Board
of Charities is virtually independent of the Commits
sioners in administration of public charities. In the ad
ministration of public schools there is almost the
situation except that in the construction of build
ings selection of sites, additions and repairs the Com
missoners are charged with responsibility.
Estimates for appropriations for the entire public
school SYSTEM and for expenditures of the Board of
Charities must pass through the hands of the Commits
sioners, although originating elsewhere. The Commits
sioners responsible for altering the estimates, and
they frequently do make changes. The Commissioners
must submit the estimates to the Director of the Budget
and they then go to Congress, which holds the Com
to these estimates. The Commissioners must bear
much responsibility throughout, but the fundamental
truth remains that they have little to say.
Under the peculiar conditions that prevail, friction
between the Commissioners and the Board of Education
is difficult to repress and when it does not exist it is
merely because of the tactfuness of the personnel of
the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Educa
ton. The schools, for the building up of which this
community is always striving must make progress in
spite of this hydra headed system Of administration.
If new school building is to be erected the Com
mssioners must draw the plans and be responsible to
Congress for the expenditure of the appropriation therefor
The plans must to the Superintendent of Schools for
advice to the proper technical arrangements and when
he has approved them they submitted to the Board
of Education for consideration and then they must 90
back to the Commissioners
Just how much time is wasted in red-tape procedure
OF that kind easily be seen and the question arises
whether it should be allowed to continue
With the appointment of the Board of Education
passing to the Commissioners the suggestion is put for
ward in most serious by students of the compca
ton, that the best thing might be to charge the Com
missoners with the entire administration of the schools
making the Board of Education advisory, instead of
administrative, body.
The Superintendent of Schools would thus become an
officer of the Commissioners and not Of the Board of
Education, at present. He would be responsible to
the Commissioners for the successful operation of the
the Commissioners
There those who thing that much delay could
be done away with by straight cut to and from the
Commissioners.
The public is always jealous of its close control Of
public schools and rghtfuy too because function Of
municipality vitality touches the family and fireside
Yet the people here have direct say as to their
schools. They do not elect the Commissioners the
Board of Education, they should Until they able
themselves to say what they consider best in the ad
mnistraton of public schools, Congress should egsate
to the end of eliminating friction, waste of time, and
conflicts of authority that may stand in the way of