The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-16
Rep. Michaelson Declares
They Are Disgrace to
Entire Nation.
FAVORS CHANGING
PRESENT SYSTEM
Would Have President
Name Members of
Education Board.

The public schools of the Dis
trict are a disgrace to the entire
Nation"
This statement was made by Rep
resentative NJ. Alfred Michaelson.
Of Illinois. yesterday. He further
declared that every State in the
Union would hang its head in
shame IL 1t knew Of the horrible
conditions that prevailed in the
public schools in the Capital of the
Nation.
In the fifteen years IN which Rep
resentative MicheaIson served as u
school teacher In the city Of Chi
cago II had never occurred to him.
he said. that a city in the United
States suffered from the lack of
educational facilities that he had
noticed in Washington.
Calls Buildings an Eyesore.
1T is indeed a sad commentapy
on the educational outlook for the
nation that its Capital City is try
ing to struggle along with public
schools and a public school sys-
tenn that would hardly be tolerated
In the dark ages" the Representa-
tive contended.
I have failed to find ono item
that might neutralize to some ex-
tent the bad impression made upon
an out-of-town visitor" Michael
son admitted. The buildings in the
first place are an eyesoEe. The
architecture is atrocious and the
designs are in no way adaptable
to enlargement of the structures.
In most cases the sanitation is bad
in other cases there is no SANTA
tion at all"
Contrasted With Chicago.
In the matter of Fairgrounds the
Representative offered the Chicago
system by way of comparison.
Every public school in the city of
Chicago has a large and COM
pletely equipped playground, he
stated Each school has its own
auditorium. study hall and gym
nasium. OvercrowdinS OF the
schools Is not tolerated. Conges-
tion is quickly taken care OF be-
cause it has been anticipated
Representative Michaelson in
sisted that Washington should have
a board of education composed OF
NhG ClIlECnS WnO InOsL
in the Advancement OF education
and in the future of the city.
Any public spirited business man
he glad to serve as a member of
the Board OF Education and would
take the appointment seriously
IL the proper amount Of respon-
sibility was attached to the office.
Urges Change I'm system.
The appointment Of the board
should be made by the President
or by the Commissioners and not by
the Supreme Court, he argued.
This change in the system would
place the power of appointment in
the hands of those who are re-
sponsible for the destinies of the
District rather than in the court
composed of men from the four
corners Of the country who could
not be expected to take the same
interest in Washington as those
who have accepted the District as
their permanent place of residence.
Nor would the court be as likely
to select men of as high a stand
ing in the community as would the
President, he commended
An appointment by the President.
the Representative explained, would
carry a certain amount of prestige
with it that might be expected to
attract those who would not other
wise realize the Importance at
tached to the office.
Fnvors business Manager.
A business manager is indcspen-
sible. il was contended. In other
large cities the duties of the busi-
ness manager are as important in
their character as those of the
superintendent. In the City of
Chicago s24.0O0.00 a year is spent
upon the public schools and the
business manager is responsible for
an accounting. The business man
ager and the superintendent. he
school situation at all times and
can anticipate development in any
particular section of the city.
In other cities, he pointed out.
land has been purchased in some
cases five years before a school
has been built upon the site. The
future needs had been anticipated
and by purchasing the land before
the section had become thickly
populated, enough money had been
saved in some instances to pay for
the school building.
Necessary to Spend Money.
'You cannot have a good school
system without spending money"
the Representative insisted "A few
thousand dollars withheld now
will cause a million to be spent
in the future" This is merely a
busines sprinciple, he pointed out.
REPRESENTATIVE Michaelson in no
way dissolved Congress from blame
for the conditions which he de-
plored. The people in every State
in the Union. he said, would con-
tribute their pro rata share to give
Washington AZ school system that
would harmonic with its dignified
position rather than have at the
seat OF government, public schools
that discredit the uation's claim
of advancement