The Washington herald., 1922-04-07
Joint Committee Mem
bers Would Make Sys-
TEN Independent.
URGE PRESIDENT
NOMINATE BOARD
Business Manager and
Adequate Fairgrounds
Among Proposals.

Establishing the public school
system OF the District as an inde-
pendent unit by removing it from
the Jurisdiction of the Commission
ers was suggested at the joint Con-
gressional committee meeting yes
terday and was favorably received
by committee members, it was
stated.
Other proposals which were said
to have received the commentator
of members included the naming OF
the school board by the President
a business manager, adequate play
grounds and reorganization of the
school system.
The present system was criticised
by both Senators and Representa-.
tives. who insisted that a less com.
pIicated method OF handling the
school business would remove the
many ramifications that now clos
up the school machinery.
Case of: Too Many Cooks.
Several members OF the commit
tee agreed that the schools should
be separated from the other de.
partments of the city government
and not under Jurisdiction Of the
District Commissioners. This sys.
TEN is in vogue In the States o.
many of the members. they said
and was found to function salts
foctorily. The practice of making
up the school budget, submitting q
to the Commissioners. who in turI
send the estimates to the Bulge
wards them to Congress. wher,
they must pass through the various
committees before they are vote,
on. was criticised by the committee
A business manager to handl,
the finances of the public schoo
system was discussed and approves
by all members present, II wa
said. The business manager Is 4
have complete control OF all ex
penditures, in order to relieve tn,
superintendent of this responsible
ity and additional work. 1t wa
not decided whether or not tn,
business manager would be subor
dinate to the superintendent. De
tails of administration will be in
corporated in the report Of thu
committee, but were not discussed
yesterday.
Favor President Appointing.
The matter of appointing tn
members of the Board of Education
was discussed. many members o
the committee being adverse to th'
present system. which provides tina
they shall be appointed by the Su
preme Court. 1t was predicted tina
the report will recommend that th'
members of the board be appointed
directly by the President. Thos'
opposed to this system argue tha
1t will allow politics to enter int'
the school system. but those in fa'
vor of the plan contend that tho
prestige attached to a Presidential
appointment would attract many
prominent business men of the city
who would not otherwise be at
tracted to the office. II the Board
of Education is to be given more
power. il is extremely desirable
that the very best class of business
men obtainable be members of the
board. it is argued by those who
favor the Presidential appointment
plan.
1t is pointed out that the men,
bers of the Supreme Court are from
various sections of the United
States and can hardly be expected
to know conditions existing in the
District with respect to the public
school system. 1t is the 's'inion OF
several members of Congress that
it would be far better for the Dis
trict Commissioners to appoint the
school board than to follow the
present practice, in the event that
the Presidential appointment plan
is not favorably accepted.
Report Next Tuesday.
Other phases of the ten-year
school program were discussed in
a general way, but as several men,
bers OF the committee were out OF
town. it was decided that each
member should draft changes in
the system that he desires, and
when the committee meets next
Tuesday a report will be prepared
from these individual programs.
1t was the tenor of the committee
that something must be done at
once to meet the school situation
here, and it was declared that what.
ever is done should be done fear
lessly