The Washington times., 1922-12-17
Monday Evening Club Recon-.
mends Comprehensive Sur
vey Of Educational Facilities
HIGHEST TYPE DEMANDED
Numerous Reasons Set Forth
Why System Here Should
Be Finest In United States

The program committee on
schools, headed by William
Mather Lewis, who is affiliated
with the educational department
Of the U. S. Chamber of Com
merce, has Recommended that
President Harding appoint a na-
tional commission to study the
school needs Of the District.
For Thorough Survey.
1t II urged that this commission
be composed Of prominent educators
and eminent men from other fields
or activity to make q compre.
hensive survey of the educational
facilities and methods of administra.
ton In Washington, and to outline
q plan of organization, administra-
ton and operation which would
near;y realize the purposes of pub
Nc education. and thus make our
schools models for the entire
nation"
Reasons why the District of
Columbia should have the best pos
0ble public school system, as out.
lined by the club, are as follows:
AZ the school system Is
directly under the supervis-
ion of Congress II is the ex.
preston of national rather than
local ideals of education. It should
be the expression Of the entire
country.
q The school system of Wash
q ington IL constantly visited
BY educators from all parts of
the United States. They should
carry back TO their several CON-
nunities the Inspiration gained In
IN organization Of the highest
The schcel system Of Wash
y ington In frequently in.
spected by foreign visitors to the
Capital Their impression OF what
America stands for 10 gained more
from these vinits than from any
other source. Moreover there are
4 large number Of foreign pupils
In the schools Of the District.
a The pupils In the District
schools represent all sec.
tions of the nation. A large
proportion are not permanent
residents Of the District. These
pupils ultimately carry to all
parts OF our country the idea
they acquire In the schools Of
the District.
Many Technical Problems.
1t, 10 stated by the committee that
many of the problems with which
the public school system IL con.
fronted are Of q technical 'charac.
ter. Their solution will demand
the services Of highly.trained. fore
sighted professional educators. they
a. tAA ns,A
that ''some Of the needs Of the
no intelligent person win question
The importance Of furnishing i'm.
mediate"
Some Of the pressing obvious
seeds" mentioned BY the committee
I Provision for an annual
i census Of the children Of
school ass in the District of Co
CA flexible compulsory at.
q tendance law under the ad.
ministration Of an adequate force
Of trained officers.
q Provision for expert period.
y oal physical examination Of
an school children. with proper
needed professional services from
ocuiists, dentists. distitians, visit
ins nursss and other Glasses Of
Ths provision Of an ade-
= quate staff Of officers Of
Standardization and instruction.
sciary scale must be sufficiently
A. - - A~nA A.s~
q. ability who have requisite
nrsuaration for their work.
rHcts pointing out the ways In
vhioh ne ovsrcrowding Of schools
affoot the education Of children are
eatd by the oommittss to b ~
lpllows:
4 Pupils, particularly In the
= lower Grades who cannot be
accomInodatod In the morning,
nut aro schsduled from 1 to 4:50
O'clock IN the afternoon. may not
IS ia condition to derive the
most bsnsfit from their work
d CIasseo ere % large that the
- individual needs Of the
pupils, their discipline and morale
clnssss should never include more
tI1D8 aAV@ ~ V1AANVf R0RaAg o1hA &n8t
thirtylkive' n . deGirable class.
q Rewarded pupils are neglect
- "a. Provision should b
made FOR the mentally and physi-
cally Handicapped.
ri 1nability u the teacher 20
= maintaip personal contact
with the pupil because Of the
crowded classee and lack Of space
for conference purposes oftsr re-
salts IN the complete fAlurs of
the student to keep up with his
work and his premature WITH
AraNnl nom school. \ 81
Ths connnittss which drafted thIs
proGfnm and which Il dssirous Of
carrying Il TO the White HOUSE n
compossd Of william Mathsr Lewis,
chairman; Mrs Frances fsnton
Bernard. 3. Duncan Bradley. Arthur
NJ. Dunn. A. G. Monahan, =.
ewassly and Allan wilistts