Evening star., 1922-02-10
APPEALS FOR EIGHT
SCHOOL REFORMS
Board of Trade President Ap-
pears Before Committee
of Congress.

OF Congress.
Drastic changes in the District school
system were urged this afternoon be-
fore the joint committee Of Congress in
vestigating the public schools, by Presi-
dent Thomas Bradley of the Washing
ton Board Of Trade. in his appeal on
behalf Of the board, for better support
Of the public schools. Eight recon-
mendations. which were adopted yester-
day at meeting Of the school COM
mittee of the board, were cited by
Mr.. Bradley. who urged speedy action
to make the schools Of the capital the
best and most efficient Of any city.
The recommendations are that the
best and most modern school equipment
should be made available; that teachers
should be well trained and devoted to
their work and compensated as become
the nature, professional character and
Importance of their work: that better
provision be made for proper attention
to the physical well being and develop
ment of pupils, giving the intellect free
play by removing the handicap of an
unsound body; that laws relating to
compulsory school attendance and child
labor be revised; that free text books
be supplied for all pupils attending the
public schools: that increasing useful
ness of vacation and evening schools
justify much larger appropriations; tAat
far greater consideration than hereto
fore be given in support OF voca-
tional and trade schools, and that as
an essential aid in administration, pro-
vision be made for the appointment of a
business manager,
Urges Business Manage.
The Appointment of a business man.
agar. as recommended by Mr.. Bradley,
has been urged at various times by
different civic organizations. This
manager would assume full charge of
the business affairs Of the school sys-
tenn under the direction of the super
intendent of schools. thereby freeing
the superintendent of these response
bilities in order that he may devote
his attention to strictly educational
matters. Mr.. Bradley also urged the
appointment of an additional assistant
superintendent to take charge of edu-
cational research to the end that there
may be a continuous survey of the or
ganfxation and operation Of the school
system in order that its efficiency may
be determined. and increased from
time to time.
In giving his reason for urging
these recommendations Mr.. Bradley
pointed out to the committee that 1T
is highly desirable that the per-
centage of illiterates be reduced at
an early date.
Other arguments of Mr.. Bradley, as
outlined by the report of the school
committee were: That the state. as
its first duty, provides. free, common
school education for all children of
school age and compels attendance to
acquire a measure of essential and
useful knowledge; that the facilities
60 NJ ,fvnp 80 L. 1aIr &,
school should be the best and instruc-
tion given under the most favorable
conditions to promote the mental
moral and physical wellbeing of the
pupils; that teaching should be eff
cient and effective and related prin-
cipally to essential and useful knowl-
edge; that fundamentals should be
first in importance and acquired as
quickly as possible according to each
pupils capacity; that the school sys-
tenn provide for pupils with superior
natural aptitude to pass from one
grade to another as soon as they can
I meet the standard requirements OF
each grade, having due regard to the
pupils physical wellbeing; that
| teachers of the highest character and
| trained to professional proficiency be
! provided SO that the precious time
| ed, and that pupils shall realize that
| the only way to the acquisition OF
knowledge is by concentration AND
| work.
Board Backs improvements.
| Mr.. Bradley pointed out to the com.
mittee that the Board of Trade stands
back of every well considered move
ment for the Improvement of the edu-
cational system of the District of CO.
lunlbia. The board, he said, has here.
| tofore given expression to the belief
| that the educational program, as out.
| lined by the board of education anl
the superintendent of schools, is es
sential in the development Of the kint
of a school system which the nation.
capital should have.
! There appears no doubt. asserted
Mr.. Bradley. that the citizens o.
Washington stand ready to do theil
part in the development and extension
of that program
Lest we forget" said Mr.. Bradley
that next to public hygiene or public
health, the common school has alway!
been regarded as an essential insutu
| ton in this republic. Fine streets
and avenues, numerous parks ant
reservations and other municipal i'm
provements appeal to esthetic tast'
and lend themselves to making cit!
beautiful, but a republican form o.
| 9overnment cannot be long maintain
ed without the effective sid of thu
nublic school to prepare fectivelJ
the youth of the land for the duties
of citizenship and self-helpfulness.
! "Citizens may well feel proud o.
! their city because OF materiai gran
deur." continued Mr.. Bradley, ou
thew should be far more concerned
for the harmonious development o.
the mental, moral and physical quail
t;aa Of ali the children OF all classe!
~ today. into whose hands the des
tinv Of the country will be given to
morrow.
| would Neglect Civic Needs First.
.Tet n measure Of civic bettermen
ha nostponed, il it must be. and thu
void neglect in the slightest degre'
| that will result in lack OF prepara
| ton OF boys and girls to meet thu
tests OF trying times ahead OF US ant
.The steadfast. wholesome life Of ,
rural community is better afeguart
| Than that Of q monumental city, bu
4 without the public school at its bes
the normal state Of rural communit!
tiSe nav not always neutralize tn,
Lass wholesome life Of great center
at,or their own and the states wei
fare youth in the cities never befor,
reeded 40 greatly the environment o
! fhe hest type Of school and contac
With the moral and Intellectual fore
| of the best type Of teacherA"
! Heads Of other civic organization
are appearing before the. commi tie
this afternoon at the invitation Q
The hearing this afternoon prob
ably will be. the last and the com
jsmittee will proceed to draft q repor
an the school Aftuattnns e 81 I - IL