The Washington herald., 1921-11-27
Superistendent's Report
Discusses Changes in
Policy and Equipment.
CONGRESS ASKED
TO SUPPLY FUND
New Compulsory Attend
ance Law Would Help
Planning Extensions.

recognized needed developments and
extensions In the public school sys-
tenn and for adequate appropriations
for supkeep, improvements and perma-
nent equipment.
That the proposed changes in policy
and developments should be made at
once Is emphasized by the superin-
tendent, who discusses the subjects
under seven heads as follows: Read
.justment OF the administrative staff.
school census and compulsory attend
ance law. free text books and educa-
tionai supplies for all pupils. annual
substitute teachers at 1920 salaries.
recommendations for enlarged boards
/ of examiners, increased appropriations
l for needed educational extensions, un-
der which are classed vacation schools,
evening schools. kindergarteps. medi-
cal inspection. Fairgrounds. textbooks
and supplies. gardening. manual train
| ing, America anization and pre-voca-
tional education.
| The seventh subject head Is: In
creased appropriations for the needed
upkeep, improvements and permanent
equipment. under which comes i'm
provement in lighting for school build
| ings, replacing equipment for manual
! training high schools. commercial de-
/ partments in high schools. gene .
high school permanent equipment 10
accommodate increased enrolment, re
placing antiquated furniture in elemen-
tary schools and for upkeep and
physical Improvement to school build
ings generally.
For Harmony In Work.
10
success Of educational administra-
tior that among the workers there
| should exist harmony. contentment
| of mind and cooperation. which
can maintain II necessary changes
in the personnel Of the system be
made by slow evolution rather by
upheaval and that those changes
should do individuals affected no
personal injustice.
This is the spirit in which the
superintendent says that he advo-
Gates in this report many changes
and developments of the present
school system.
The report says that the justifca-
tion of every one of the develop
ments or extensions herein advo-
Gated is to be found in the growth
of the school system since 1906,
when the present system was or
| ganized. With the exception of the
| esta bli shment of the rank of an
nual substitute teachers the pro-
posals are for the further develop
ment and extension OF existing
practices. These practices have
been heretofore established in
| Washington on sound administra-
tive or educational practices to be
| found in well organized city school
systems. Nothing entirely new Is
| advocated. No innovations or elm
nations are urged: only extensions.
developments, or legalizations of
what now exists are recommended
at this time.
| Growth shown Since 1906.
To give comparisons of the
growth of the public school system
since 1906 a table of figures on en-
rollment, costs, number of en-
ployes. night schools and the
| boards of white and colored ex-
aminers are given. The enrolment
| in 1906 was 52,739 and this years
enrolment is 62.29s. The cost. in
cluding salaries, general expenses
and buildings and grounds in 1906
was sell. .061. and for the term of
| 1e20-21 the total is s7,214.SS3.
While the school system has
grown since 1906 through increases
in number of pupils. it has also
grown in the number of activities
carried on. the report continues, and
attaches a tabulation indicating
-some of the educational activities
| carried on in 1s20-21, which all Gre
ated since 1906 make new functions
and responsibilities for .administra-
tive and supervisory officers. Among
this number there are set down
25 vacation schools with 147 teach
ers and 5,64s pupils, IS community
centers accommodating 517.470 per-
sons, 90 administrative principals
and s dentists and / dental prophy-
Tactic operator.
Notwithstanding - the extreme
growth of the school system since
1906. with its administrative and
supervisory staff growing accord
ingly, the report shows that the
central office staff has remained
practically stationary.
The report says that the school
system as Ii exists in 1921 was. cast
in the mold of 1906. The present
organization of the school sysyem
Is controlled by the law of 1906
Educational progress In the nation
during this period has been unpar-
alleled in any corresponding period
of educational history. The admin
istrative development of the scnoo,
system of the District of Columbia
since 1906 has frequently been seri-
ously limited by, the provisions of
the organic act of 1906. The whole
school system must now be given
more freedom to develop in accord
ance with the best educational prac-
tice Of the nation.
Adherence to Principles.
Every efYlcient school system must
be organized and developed in ac-
cordance with certain principles
which make for effective procedure
In connection with the considera-
ton of the readjustment of the ad-
ministrative star Of the school sys-
tenn of the District of Columbia II Is
desirable to state two of these prin-
ciples which prompted the organi-
cation of the present school system
Contiaued on Pdge Seven.