Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-01-10


president of the Washington school
board, in advertising that the Column
bian Information Bureau, owned by
him and his brother, will write COM
positions for eighth grade school pu-
pills for 50 and sell duplicate copies
at so cents each. This became known
today. when the official record of the
hearing on this subject was made
available.
Dr. Ballou pronounced his condem-
nation of this practice when ques-
toned by members of the District
subcommittee of the house appro-
priations committee, which exposed
this practice Of the head of the school
board.
vigorously Condemned.
When questioned DR.. Ballou said. II
would like to say that l have no
sympathy whatever with this enter,
prise as a commercial enterprise and
1 certainly condemn it very vigorous.
ly from the standpoint of education"
When the subcommittee first ques-
toned him Mr.. Ballou said: Il would
suggest that the president OF the
board of educa ton be asked to make
his own defense and that you do not
ask the superintendent OF schools.
who is a subordinate of the board. to
do So"
In reply to other questions. DR.
Ballou said: II would like to say for
the record that I do not believe the
superintendent of schools or the
school officers ought to be called to
account for a commercial enterprise
of this sort in which any member OF
the board of education is engaged.
That is purely a private concern
Speaking for myself. that sort Of
thing participated In by the public
school pupils. or by teachers, would
be condemned and would not be per-
mitted."
Chairman Davis of the subcommit.
tee and Representative Buchanan OF
Texas then asked DR.. Ballou: DO
you not think the superintendent OF
schools ought to ask the chairman
Of the board Of education If it is the
right thing to do, as you are the
one who makes up the curriculum
DR.. Ballou said: Il shall do So" and
then added his condemnation OF the
enterprise.
Cured at the morning session Of the
hearing. At the afternoon session
Mr.. Edwards presented himself and
said he wished to make statement.
Opposed by Representative.
Representative Buchanan said to
Mr.. Edwards: II, for one member .!
the committee. do not think 1t would
be right for a trustee OF the pubilc
schools to furnish essays for the use
of school children and to expose them
to the temptation of cheating and de-
frauding in school work and adVer.
Using the fact that he Is trustee.
Mr. Edwards said Il see nothing
wrong in advertising that | am
member of the school board
Representative Buchanan then
-za.,o<5 "SnDDOSe one
of the children buys from yau an
essay and pays so cents or 81 ac-
cording to whether she gets the
original or a copy, anu you accept
the money and the essay is handed
to her teacher and the teacher dis,
covers that the child had deGeiyea
her and reports to the principal that
she is recommending the child Tor
expulsion. Will you vote to expel
that child or will you vote to keep
her so cents and not let it be
Mr.. Edwards replied. Il would
simply say that l had nothing to 90
with the case at all.
Declared to Have "GalL"
Representative Buchanan: You
would. That would not be true"
Edwards: $50 far as l can see
now, it would be true"
Buchanan: "You are advertising
here, you will sell the child some
thing to steal with"
Representative Evans. of Nebraska:
would you vote for her expulsion"
Edwards: 1T would depend en-
tirely on the case"
Representative Evans: "The case
is what 1 tell you. She had offered
one of your essays and has handed
it in as one of her own and 1t had
been so used and now YOU are
member of the board of education and
have her fifty cents in your pocket Il;
Edwards: yes, If she cheated l
would"
Representative Evans: You have
an awful gall"
Chairman Davis said to Mr.. Ed
wards land you intend to tell the
that you do not care what
that eight, nine, ten or eleven year
old girl does with the essay, whether
she passes it off as her own compo-
sition or not?'
Declared to Commercialize Position.
Mr.. Edwards said: "A very large
amount of essays are issued ana pur.
chased by teachers for the children"
Chairman Davis: Il do not care
about the teachers"
Mr.. Edwards: Il think very rev
children buy them"
Representative Davis: That Is not
your fault, because you certainly ad-
vertise them profusely. You want
eighth-grade pupils to come 'and get
them"
Representative Buchanan charged
that the advertised fact that Mr.:
Edwards is member OF the noaro
of education (his advertising circu-
lar was printed while he was menu
Der of the board and before he be-
came chairman) offers double induce
ment for the child to buy the paper
from you, thinking that If she got
into trouble about IT you "ouio pro-
at is using your official position,
1t is commercializing the official posi-.
ton of the president OF the Doard OF
education Of aWshington."'
Representative Evans inter5ected,
"And tempting little children.
Representative Buchanan returned
to the attack. you are CONNER
cializing what should not be COM
an official position OF
trust and honor, under any cfrcum-
stances I object to children buying
essays from you by thinking you will
give them protection and thereby en-.
courage them to cheat In the schools.
MIR. Edwards Scored.
Continuing this condemnation of Mr..
Edwards, Mr.. Buchanan said: Il raise
the question Of furnishing any school
child any essay or document or paper
they are required to write by the school
as their own l raise the
question as to your plan furnishing any
Of 1t while you are a member OF the
board of education, and I believe 1t to
be your duty as a member OF that
board, II you know of any school children
using that. instead of writing one for
for you to report 1t and
take action to stop 1t.
How in the world could you aid
principals and superintendents in car