Evening star., 1922-05-25
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The School Organization Bill.

The School Organization Bill.
The plan of reorga nization laid be
fore the joint select committee on
District schools. which Will probably
report it soon to both houses for ac-
ton. is confined to the organization
of the public education system of the
District. II does not touch upon he
question of equipment and plant.
though that question is OF paramount
that it is the purpose of the JOINT
committee 10 recommend enlarSemen:S
through the regular appropriation
bills Doubtless it proceeds upon the
fvporhesis that il is of the most
urgent importance to amend the ad-
ministration structure first. In tAlS
there is ground for some differTnc-'
Of opinion. but il may be assumed
that the committee will press as Wig
orously for a larger schaol plant as
for more efficient administration.
The changes proposed by the com
mIttee are in line with expectations
The school l.oard. remaining at nine
members. is 10 be appointed by the
President. with confirmation by the
Senate. instead of by the justices OF
the District supreme Court. and with
mower Of removal by the President
This is the committees answer 20
the lung-discusSed question affecting
-hl ConnoSitiun of the board. Against
the mode of appointment by the court
there has heen constant and increas-
ing protest in the community ever
since the change to that method. The
Snint committee goes so far, however.
as to propose a complete separation
Of the board of education from the
Commissioners, authorizing it TO sub
NIT its estimates directly through the
Budget Bureau. The question arises
ir this connection whether II Is we'll
thus to create as an independent es-
adjustment a branch of District gov
ernment that calls for so large
share of the annual expenditures. VIII
not the Commissioners be greatly EN-.
harrassed in the preparation of their
estimates for the whole District in
such circumstances If Congress
modiies and adopts the new fiscal
system for the District proposed by
amendment No. I" passed by the
House and nSw pending in the Sen
ate, the new law will clearly compel
80 -; rti
mendation of the joint committee.
OF the other changes recommended
the most importa Mt is that which OK
tends the term of office of the super
intendent to six years. This Is p:oba-
bly, desira BILE. Much of the trouble
arising in the school system during
recent years has been due TO the
shortness Of the superintendents
term and the confusion which is like
" to arise over questions of re-elec-
ton or substitution. 1t may be. how
ever. that the salary Of the superin-
tendent should be increased if the
term is heightened to make il possible
TO secure the services of the most
competent school administrator avail
able.
Reduction of the staff Of supervising
principals is proposed, without. row
ever. involving the dropping of any
incumbents. Provision is made for
this reduction through the death, Or
resignation, or promotion of these CT
ficials. This proposal is in line with
the tendency in modern public educa-
ton matters. To replace these local
supervisors in part. assistant superin-
tendents are to be created with
Jurisdiction over groups of grades and
special subjects.
One additional assistant superin-
tendent is to be in effect the business
administrator of the system, relieving
the superintendent Of a heavy burden
TO such a volume as to obstruct the
chief administrator in his strictly
educational work. This change is
heartily approved by all interested in
the school system.
Careful consideration of these pro
posed changes will doubtless be given
by the House and Senate, pernaps to
thte point of enactment beeGre the
close of this session. 1t is urgently
important, however, that w!ateve., is
done in the way of school reOrgani-
zation assured provision should be
made for tthe earliest possible en-
largement of the school plant to pre-
vGe accommodations for the several
thousand children who are now in
acequat ately Etused and t,uSht.