The Washington herald., 1922-01-10
MODEL
SCHOOL SYSTEM
FOR CAPITAL CITY
Cincinnati Educator Tells
Committee How to
Solve Problems.

THE best public school system In
the United States should be in the
Capital City, and people all over the
country share this opinion" DR.. r.
J. Condor superintendent of schools
in Cincinnati. Ohio, told the joint
Congressional committee during the
hearing on tho local school situa-
ton yesterday.
DR.. Condor also advocated a mu-
nicipal university for Washington
to correspond with that in Cincin-
natl.
Members of the committee de-
cided to make another visit to the
schools Thursday morning. The
program will be mapped out by
superintendent of Schools Ballou.
At the request of Senator King,
some of the best schools will be
visited. as we'll as the worst. in or
der that the committee may make
comparisons.
Would Have Capital q Model.
Superintendent Condor was in
formed of the local school prob
lens by Senator Capper. chairman
of the committee. who outlined the
Importance of immediate relief
DR.. Condor said the people out
side of Washington believed the
Nations Capital should be a model
in the matter of education. He ad-
mitted he felt that Congress has
been derelict in it's duty toward the
public schools of the District. but
that the interest shown by the
present joint committee had aroused
much favorable comment all over
the country.
Warns OF Politics.
Several times during his explana-
tion of school systems Supt. Con-
don emphasized the necessity of
keeping the schools free from any
political influences and begged the
committee and Congress as a whole
TO dismiss the question of who was
in power. so that all could work
for the best interests OF the school
children.
The first move. according to Supt
Condor. should be to develop ade-
quate buildings and these. he said.
should be of the large unit type
The buildings that house the school
children should conform in beauty
to the other government buildings
and this need not entail additional
expense. DIR. Condor insisted.
Buildings should be developed to
take care of the sixth. seventh,
eighth. and ninth grades to be
known as Junior high schools with
a capacity of 1900 pupils. he ad-
vised.
Give Vocational Training.
Questioned by Senator King. DR..
Condor emphasized the important
part these junior high schools play
in the economic life of other cities.
The explanation was that a child is
so often compelled to leave school
while attending these grades and
under the old system they were
found unequipped to enter the work
they chose. These junior high
schools, il was pointed out. are
making an effort to train boys and
girls in different vocations such as
sewing. automobile repairing, sales
manship and other branches of bus
ness so that when circumstances
compel them to go forth to earn
a living they will have, at least. a
rudimentary education in the line
of work they have selected.
Senator King declared he highly
approved of this system. The Sem
ator reminded the committee that
the workers were the backbone Of
the country and said constructive
education along the lines suggested
by Supt. Condor should be con-
tinued.
Pupils Get Shop Work.
In Cincinnati a cooperative plan
has been worked out between the
school authorities and the city gov
ernment whereby pupils get their
shop work in the city plants. Super
lntendent Condor told the COM
mittee.
Children in each grade should
have an opportunity during each
day to do some hand work. he said.
Either there should be facilities in
the schools or else the children
should have a period to visit large
school built and equipped for the