The Washington herald., 1922-03-19
Ohio Representative Will
Not Allow Son in ID. C.
Institutions.
DEMANDS SYSTEM
BE REORGANIZED
Legislator and Former
Educator Refuses to
Imperil Boy.

Convinced that the public schools
>of the District are death trans.
members Of Congress a-e besiunins
TO place their children H. Other
tduca tfonal Institutions. IL was
learned yesterday.
Other Representatives who have
worked to remedy the evils exist
Ing in the local schools continue 10
condemn the school system and
me powers responsible for its
weakness
Representative James T Rerr
Ohio' declared yesterday that he
Old not intend to jcopardize the
lie Of his boy by sending him no
a public school that could be called
oy no name than a death tran
Visited Many Schools.
The Representative stated thar
ne 10 visited many schools pefore
reaching this decision. and beInr
az one time superintendent Of pub
nc schools in his lStatc he was
Ioath TO Withdraw his son from a
pubic school. But after visiting
an OF the schools within a reason-
able distance Of his home and find
lng none that were ft 10 house a
child' the Representative explained
that in simple justice to his SON he
ielt Obliged to remove him.
Representative BeCE asserted the
entire public school system Of the
District should be reorEanized ana
'he power Of appointment OF the
school board either placed in the
hsnds Of the President or else the
ooard should be elected by the
people Of Washington.
business Manager Needed.
Another weakness OF the present
system that was emphasized by the
representative was tho business
organization. 1T Is rather uon-
der:ul that the school autborjtieS
have been able TO do as well as
they have considering the fact thev
have been without the services ~
bushes manager" the Ohio legis-
lstOr declared
In other large cities OF the conn.
Try the business manager OF the
pubic schools is considered as in.
dispensable as the superintendent
who 10y no mean should be bur
dened with business matters in ad-
dition to his duties as an educator
Mr.. BeEC believes.
Representative BeEC is unquaIi-
hedly in favor Of increasing n,e
pay OF school teachers and has
taken advantage Of every oppor-
tunity when bill has been on the
hoor 10 argue for an increase in
teachers compensation.
Capital should Lead.
obtained by paying them a salary
commensurate with the character OF
work performed. he argued. The
education Of school teachers ats
them for other lines Of endeayor
and If il is impossible 20 exist on
the salary provided a school teacher
IL is to be expected that the teacher
viii seek other and more profitable
employment. BeEE pointed out
This leaves vacancies that must
necessarily be filled nv less COM
petent applicants and the net result
Is that the pupil leaves school with
only half an education.
Washington. being the lerisla-
tive center and the capital of the
nation. should have the best schools
and the best school system in the
United States" BeEC felt.
When visitors come To V-aSnInr-
ton they expect to find nos anlv
beautiful buildings and parks bu:
advanced ideas and progress in
learning. Instead they are erected
with condition existing in the
.-Ublic schools that would destroy
an" good impression they n.sy have
had "F the District Of ColuT,ra u
was charged.
shows three Ways.
The deplorable educational. mt
I"oks for Washington would not be
tolerated In any other state Il the
nj"n. ReGE contendcd With ftS
l'hr2'y facilities and satuat,d as il
is. Washington should lead the
country as an educational center
and this, he insisted. can only be
accomplished through a complete
reorganization OF the public school
system; a different method of ap-
pointing or electing the school
board: the appointment Of a busi-
ness manager; adaptable. sanitary
and adequate school buildings and
Fairgrounds and additional power
vested in the school authorities
II appointment by the President
Of the school board or election By
the people did not meet with the
approval OF Congress. then the
members Of the board should be
| selected from the responsible rest
dents OF Washington by the Dis
trict Commissioners and the sp-
pointments confirmed by the Senate.
he said.
Representatiye ReEs offered IN.
three methods in the order of pref
erence TO show that there are many
\ ways that Congress may improve
the conditions that now exist. he
said.