The Washington herald., 1922-05-08
U. S. SCHOOL HEADS
DEPLORE DISTRICT
EDUCATION SYSTEM
Tigert Declares City Gov
ernment Control Is
Faulty.
ASK BUSINESS CHIEF
Herald Investigation Points
Out Need for Entire New
Machinery Here.
ASK BUSINESS CHIEF

AS the Capital of the United
States, the City of Washington
should have the best system Of
public instruction in the nation.
1t should serve as a moral for all
other cities. This is the only city
in which Congress has the oppor-
tunity to influence public schools
Members of Congress have repeat
edly declared that 1t is the desire
of Congress to give the District of
Columbia the best educational sys-
TEN in America.
The people of Washington want
the best school system that Is
known. City officials, school off,
cials and Congress have expressed
the same desire. Meanwhile thou
sands of of-children are being handi-
capped because of an outworn
school machinery. -
system Demands Surgery.
November 30. 1921. the following
statement appeared in an editorial
in The Herald: THE trouble with
the Washington school system is
chrome; ii demands surgery. not
medicine" The Herald made an in
vesti-ation of public schools in
Washington. Practically every
school in the District of Columbia
was visited for the purpose of in
vestigating reports that the system
of public instruction in Washing
ton was in a bad condition. Not
only were buildings and cIassrooms
visited. but an investigation was
made of the organization of the
school system and it's relation to
the District government and to
Congress.
The investigation revealed two
things: First, the school buildings
generally are old. unsanitary. nom
fireprOof and there are not enough
of these to accommodate the num-
Der of children SEEKING an educa-
tion. Second. the organization or
the school system is complicated,
outwOrn and inefficient. 1t is suited
to a town of $4,000 popUfation. but
will not permit an efficient admin
istration of schools in a city of
nearly 100000.
Draw mp New Plan.
Following the investigation edu-
cational experts were consulted and
a simple plan drawn up to put the
school system on 4 modern basis.
The principles of organization en-
bodied in the above plan have been
worked out by students of public
educational systems and have the
Endorsement of leading authorities
The plan Is as follows:
l. Appointment of the members
OF the Board of Education by the
Pre- esident, with confirmation by the
Senate.
Z. separation by the schools from
the District government by placing
In the control of the board all fiscal
affairs of the schools; the fixing of
the school budget, regulation of
school employees salaries; the con-
struction of buildings, and purchas-
ing of Fairgrounds.
3. Control of the educational
functions of the schools by the
Board of Edu cation.
Note: AS an administrative policy
the superintendent of schools
should be given an assistant SUPER
lntendent in charge Of business af-
fairs.
Result Of Clumsy Machinery.
Inc proposed plan does not re-
hect upon school officials or Dis
trict Commissioners. AS far as the
investigation disclosed there is ev-
cry desire on the part of present
officials, both in schools and city
government, to bring Washington
schools up ia state of efficiency.
Although the educational system of
this city ranks close to the bottom
IN a list of sixty-eight leading
cities In the United States. this low
standing cannot be attributed to
any group of individuals. 1t is the
natural result of a clumsy and COM
plicated educational machinery in
organization.
In submitting the above program
1t Is desired to give the people OF
washington a definite working ba-
sis for school Improvement. The
program was prepared with the as
sistance Of the United States Bu-
reau of Education. members of
Congress and city school officials.
The leading educators of the United
states regard the separation of the
school system from city govern
ment as essential to the welfare of
the public school system. J. ]. IT,
CERT, United States Commissioner
o Education. declares that under
the above plan the schools Of WASH
ington should become the best in
the nation. 1t Is impossible under
the present plan. he states.
Tho most important of the
changes recommended is the sepa-