Evening star., 1922-10-03


REPRESENTATIVE b. X. FOCHT.
Chairman Madden Of the appropria-
tions committee volunteers the op1n-
ion that
1T is the best investment for any
city to provide adequate school factl-
tiles where the coming generation
can be properly trained. l do not
know anybody anywhere who COM
plains of taxes for schools. They are
the foundation of our citizenship
washington. above all cities In
the United States, should have a
model public school system. To make
of adequate housing accommodations
for the ever-growing school popula-
! tion, but some changes in the admin
istrative organization and increased
salaries for all school employees.
1.-THE most urgent need Of the school
houses. School buildings are gener-
ally overcrowded. Some of them are
greatly congeSted Some Of them are
antiquated and should be replaced.
Several factors have contributed
to this situation. During the period
an unprecedented increase in popula-
ton. The school system experienced
a corresponding increase in school at
tendance. During this same period OF
the war, when school population was
| increasing SO rapidly. school house
construction was largely at a stand
still, due to war conditions.
But the war was not the only fac
tor. The present shortage of class
rooms in both elementary and high
schools represents an accumulation
of failures from year to year to pro-
vide the additional classroOms neces-
sary to take care of the increase in
enrolment. and to provide the addi-
| ticnal educational facilities necessary
in a growing and progressive school
system. Obviously, when the addi-
tional classrooms opened each year
are insufficient to accommodate the
| Increased enrolment, it is impossible
| to abandon any old buildings. no mat
ter how antiQuated or unserviceable
they are. Evidence has been present.
ed by DIR. Frank W. Ballou. superin-
| tendent Of schools, showing that
Schoolhouse construction during the
past forty years has not been sufti-
cient to meet the growing needs Of
the school system.
School Fund INADEQUATE. {.
THE regular annual appropriations
for schoolhouse construction must be
materially increased If the shortage
of the past is to be made up. Two
million dollars a year for period OF
five years will be necessary, accord
ing to the estimate of Supt. Ballou.
This amount will make it possible
| to abolish from the schools: Part time
in the elementary schools and double
shifts In the high schools; oversize
classes in the elementary and high
schools; the use of portables and other
undesirable rooms in the elementary
schools; all rented buildings, and the
use of buildings recommended for
abandonment.
THE need Of increased salaries for
Washingtons teachers is apparent to
/ every one familiar with public education.
! parison with the salaries paid in other
cities They are not high enough to Sc
! cure the quality of service to which the
nations capital is entitled.
! The legislation fixing salaries Of
school employees and establishing the
plan of organization and administration
! of the school system Of Washington
! was passed in 1906. Outside Of piece
meal legislation in appropriation acts,
no supplementary legislation has been
| passed since that time.
/ Meanwhile, since 1906, great progress
has been made in theory ano practice Of
educational administration. New legisla-
! tion is now a necessity, not only to pro-
vide adequate compensation for the em-
| ployes, but also to bring up to date the
organization and administration of the
! school system.
! For long time the school officials
have felt the urgency Of such legisla-
| ton. Attempts have been made annually
| in the school budget to secure increased
salaries for employees over those estab-
1 = n~in
i ton acts have frequently carried scraps
of legislation to meet new situations as
they have arisen. This is not a good
practice. The salary schedule should be
established through legislation, and the
school estimates for salaries prepared
lover, the need Of recognizing and es-
| tablishing by law the many new prac-
tices which have necessarily been inau-
gurated in the school system is equally
urgent.
New Salary Schedule.
Accordingly, legislation was introduced
in Congress during the past year cover
ing a new salary schedule and providing
| for some administrative reorganization.
This bill provides increased compensa-
ton for school employees 1t recognizes
the junior high school by providing a
salary schedule for its teachers. It
provides a salary schedule for free or
administrative principals OF elementary
schools with sixteen rooms or more. II
abolishes session-room pay as a means
of compensating principals Of element
afy schools. It abolishes the classes
one, two, three, four and five, into which
elementary school teachers are now
grouped. It abolishes the present an
nual increases in salary which vary in
amount and establishes a uniform in
crease of 500 per year for each ele-
mentary school teacher
This bill provides for the enlarge
ment and reorganization of the boards
of examiners, in order that they may
transact the increasing amount Of i'm
portant business which they must an
nually do. 1t authorizes the board OF
education to establish the rank OF
| annual substitute teacher" 1t au-
thorizes the board to appoint tempo
| rary teachers. 1t authorizes the
board of education to establish the
compensation of all employees in the
community-center department, the
night schools, the vacation schools
and of all other employees who are
paid out of lump-sum appropriations
The proposed salary schedule for
Washington was based on the pres
| ent compensation in Washington and
, on the schedules received from other
| cities. Since Washington must COM
pete with other cities for its supply
!, of teachers, it must be prepared to
pay as high for their services as other
cities. II Washington is to have as
good teachers and as good teaching
as other cities it must pay saiaries
! SlI fiji cjenf1v hiCh to cao,,,~