The Washington herald., 1922-03-22
The Time Is Ripe.

"HERE is a sentiment abroad a determine
ton, which cannot fail to secure for the
District that of which it has for years
stood pressingly in need-a real public school
system.
The sentiment and determination exist in and
out of Congress. The mothers and fathers of
$1,000 children have made their representations to
the legislators; the legislators have been impressed
with the immediacy of the thing as they would
have been long ago had it been brought so forcefuy
and concertedly to their attention as in the past
few months. They have made heir own investiga-
tons, and their mental attitude may be summed
up in the declaration of one of their number
The public schools of the District of Columbia
are disgrace to the entire nation"
few years hence that will be nothing but
the echo from disreputable past. The wheels
of Reorganization in motion, and now is the
accepted time
The Herald is glad it was enabled to throw
light upon the school situation in a series of
editorials during December, 1921. AT the moment
when bills are pending in the halls of Congress
for increases in salaries for teachers when a joint
committee is making ready to report a carefully
drawn measure for the permanent development
Of q real school system, when the fruits of the
present order most apparent to those who
look for them, take occasion to reiterate three
main points in the program which would change
national disgrace to national pride.
They are:
First-Appointment of the members of the
Board of Education by the President, with con-
hrmation by the Senate.
Second-A complete divorce of the schools
from the District government by placing in
troll of the board, named, all the fiscal affairs
of the schools; the levying Of the taxes for school
purposes, within limited tax rate of not to ex-
coed certain number of mills; the entire control
of the school budget and all school expenditures;
the fixing of teachers salaries, and all building
construction.
Third-The entire control of the educational
functions of the schools, without interference from
Congress, to rest in the board
These principles are embodied in a petition
from parents of District public school pupils to
Senator Cspper, chairman of the Joint Committee
Schools, the body which is formulating an in
elusive series of Recommendations looking info the
future, not merely patching up some of the errors
of the past. There should not be any dangerous
opposition to such bills as will issue from the
port recent developments indicate.
For, after all, Congress is more concerned,
especially at this time, with expenditures than with
systems of control, and school appropriations for
the coming fiscal year promise to show a higher
ratio between estimates and sums granted than for
long time. Congress also has shown itself ready
from kindergarten to superintendent Office. There
fore the outlook for immediate revolution in
school government is most rosy.
To this change in administration The Herald
once more earnestly subscribes. So long as the
Board of Education is a body emasculate given
to petty disputes and uninfuential recommen-
dations; long it is without business head
manager; so long its members are appointive
by the justices Of the District Supreme Court in
stead of the President of the United States; so
long as the whim OF Congress to come may
slash estimates nullify carefully -wrought pro-
grams of education-just so long the schools will
suffer their present decrepiude.
With Congress rests the authority to bring
the program for reorganization of of paper and
into practice, and Congress, if the signs are not
entirely misresd will authorize. And thus will
be established a safe and sane foundation upon
which to model edihce of public education
in the Capital