The Washington herald., 1922-05-16
ARATE SCHOOL
CONTROL IN Dc.
ASKED BY EXPERT
|ducation Association
Secretary Declares Sys-
TEN Is Blocked.

vaseington apparently are framing
ear demands In accordance with
e recommendations outlined by
.pert educators cannot too
nfghly stress the Importance of this
practice. II Is most essential that
any change In a school system be
made by men and organizations
whose standing assure that they
are working only in the interest
81 education"
1T is evident from q comparison
with schools of other cities" Mr..
Crabtree said. that Washington
public schools are at a disadvan-
:age. However. before a change is
made II should be determined what
defects exist. II is not a difficult
ask to point to the trouble here.
Educators are unanimous in their
Judgment that the system of school
management in Washington il re-
sponsible for the defects that exist
In the public schools OF the Dis
erict-
Washington schools are con-
trolled." Mr.. Crabtree continued,
partly by the District Supreme
Court, partly by the District Com
missioners. partly by the Congress
sional Committees and partly by the
Board of Education. With response
bility so divided IL Is difficult to
understand how the schools func-
tion at all. The confusion and un-
certainty that results from such a
complicated system is great. 1t
must be apparent that this Is i'm
practical and that it is detrimen-
al to the thousands of children
AADanAa Rf-
'ficient administration of the sys-
tenn of public instruction"
. Points TO Budget Cat.
As an instance of the losses that
result from the present school ma
the 1921 school budget was re-
duced ss.500,o00 by the District
Commissioners. This reduction was
made" he said, because of the re-
Srictions under which the Ccmnis-
sioners labor. The budget then went
to the Bureau of the Budget, where
it was reduced another 100000.
While this Is not the fault of either
body. 1t is the fault of the outworn
school system now being used. The
schools. and consequently, the chill
dren of Washington, suffer as a
consequence. The remedy Is to sim
plify the machinery"
Tribute was paid by Mr.. Crabtree
to the teaching personnel in wash
ington schools. In spite of what he
termed "outrageously inadequate
salaries" the men and women who
are teaching in the public schools
are of a higher grade than are
found generally in cities of this
size, he said.
The National EducatISn Associa-
tion. Mr.. Crabtree asserted, is con-
cerned not only in seeing these
changes made in the school system
of Washington, but 1t Is interested
also in having the public schools
of the District developed to the
degree that they will serve as mod
Sls for all cities of the United
States
Washington occupies a peculiar
position in the country" he SAID.
1T not only belongs to the resi-
dents here. il belongs to every
citizen of the United States. 1t is
partially supported by them. In
many ways 1t is the center of the
world. As such it should have the
most modern and complete system
of public instruction of the world.
The National Education Associa-
tion. ! am sure. would. be interested
in seeing Washington schools made
the finest that have ever been de-
veloped. The people Of the country
would support Congress in such a
program"