The Washington herald., 1922-05-15
Congress Ready. to Give
City Modern Educa-
tional System.
BILL FOR DRASTIC
SHIFTS SUPPORTED
New Classification of Stu
dents to Be Asked-Com-
mittees Conclude Probe.

Separation of public schools from
the District government and estab-
lishment of independent control in a
Board of Education appointed by
the President and confirmed by the
Senate will be recommended by the
Joint Congressional Committee in
restigating Washington schools.
This was indicated yesterday by a
canvass of committee members.
Drastic changes in the present
rgsnization of the school system
in the District will be recommended
by the committee report. members
declared Following a six months
study of Washington public schools,
the committee has reached prsc-
tically unanimous agreement on the
remedies needed. and has desig-
mated Senator Arthur n. Capper.
chairman of the committee. to draft
the proposed changes.
Ask Separate Unit.
Among the proposals that prob
ably will be recommended the fol-
lowing are regarded as the most
important:
1. Complete separation of public
schools from the District govern
ment by placing in control of the
Board of Education the fiscal af-
fairs of the schools, preparation Of
the school budget. administration
of all school activities, and COM
piete control of the educational
functions of the schools.
,. Appointment of the members
OF the Board of Education hy the
President with confirmation by the
Senate.
J. Business administration of the
school system to be placed in
charge of a business manager, or
assistant superintendent in charge
Of business affairs
Educational Change. Planned.
In addition to the above changes
the machinery OF the school sys-
tenn. IL is probable that the follow
ing proposals with regard to edu-
cational activities will be recon-
mended:
1. Adoption Of the Junior high
school as a permanent part OF the
school system.
.. Classification of students. ac-
cordinE to ability by means of
psychopathic test.
j. Construction of scientifically
designed school buildings to re-
place old buildings now in use.
and adoption of a building pro-
gram commensurate with the
growth of Washington.
Senator Capper regards separa-
tiOn of public schools from the city
governments as essential to the
development of the school system.
1T is necessary" he stated, that
the system of public instruction
be made a nindependent unit, free
from control of the city govern
ment. before Washington schools
can take their place with the pub
lie schools of other cities the same
size. This is a principle of edu-
cation that has been recognized in
most large cities. 1t will have to
be applied in Washington.
Capper Points to Needs.
Under the present organization
the EoaEd Of Education is a body
whose powers are indistinct and
Limited. Their estimates for school
needs are subjected to reduction
by bodies that have little or no in
innate knowledge of school condi-
tions Neither school officials nor
members Of the board know how
far their authority extends. and
the channels they must use in
transaCting school business are
complicated and Impractical. The
obvious need is a simplification OF
the school system by giving school
men control of school activities"
PraisinE the interest shown by
Washington parents in school i'm
provement. Senator Capper de-
clared the recent mass meeting at
Central High School has assured
Congress that the people of Wash
q he
the best public school system in
the United States" There is moth
ing that Washingtonians ha ye more
right to require of Congress than
the best in public schools" Sem
ator Capper declared. IL wish that
copies of the resolutions adopted
at that mass meeting might be
sent to every member of Congress,
and that the mass meetings might
continue until the people of Wash
ington have secured the schools
they are demanding"
House to support.
Representative Oscar Z. Keller.
member of the joint committee that
will recommend the changes. stated
yesterday: The Board of Educa-
tion and school officials can accom-
plish little under the present or
EdnlSdllOn Oh the SCnOOl system. At
present the board is an organ with
no power. 1t is restricted in every
direction by a system of organiza-
tion that is clumsy and outworn.
School officials with educational du-
ties waste their time running to
the District Commissioners to con-
vince them of the. necessity of each
item in the school budget, whereas
there Is no reason why the school
budget should be submitted to the
city officials at all. Washington
schools are operating under a sys-
tenn that Is old and impractical. The
cities that lead in educational work
nave separated their schools from
city government, recognizing that
education of the child Is the most
important duty of the citizen"
Among other members of the
committee who have indorsed the
principle of school men in control
of school work" are Representative
Roy o. Woodruff. of Michisan, and
Representative william {. Ham
mer, of North Carolina. With the
possible exception of Senator King.
the committee is said tn be unani-