Evening star., 1922-09-17
Hope for School Progress
Here Seen in Pending La,cs
Initial InstuIlment of DR.. BallOu's annual
Report Stresses Necessity for United
Public Support of Bills to Continue.

Hope for school improvement in the
District is centered in the forthcom-
ing report of the joint congressional
school investigating committee, wnicn
will be presented to Congress Tor
consideration at the beginning or its
next session in December, DR.. Frank
w. Ballou. superintendent OF schools
pointed out in the initial installment
Of his annual report, made public last
night The superintendent plansH TO
release for publication periodically
the remaining five sections OF his
Comprehensive report.
Not much legislation is likely to be
secured, DIR. Ballou said. until alter
this committee shall have formulated
its, views and made it's recommenda-
tons. 1T is Of paramount ar 1at,ared rmL
Chat this report should be as thor
oAighgoing, comprehensive ana iar-
reaching as have been the inVestSa-
tfons of the committee ana as are
the needs OF the school system.
1.-The committee. through its chair
man, Senator Arthur Capper. is com
mitted to the general proposition that
the schools of the District of Co!um-
bia should exemplify the best. l! tne
report of this joint committee tndi-
Gates the ways and means by which
the schools of Washington may pc
come models for the nation in orsani-
zation. business management, teach-
ing and supervision. it will receive
the wholehearted and undivided sup
port of the people of the DISTRICT OF
Columbia and of the nation. If the
report falls short of making recon-
medations for legislation to the above
end. the report will be a disappolnt- :
ment. particularly to the people OF
Washington. In short, the hope or the
people of the District of Columbia tor
a sound, progressive system of edu-
cation is bound up in the forthcoming
report"
Note of Pessimism.
DR.. Ballou sounded a note of pessi-
mism relative to the progress of the
schools in the past year. After en-
phasizing that the school year of 1921
1922 has been marked by some prom :
ising developments" he declared.
however. that the year has nesn
largely one of getting ready to do
something.
whether the school year of 1921
1922 shall be counted as one or the
years of progress in the public
schools depends more on what may
subsequently happen than on what
took place during the year. If the
teachers salary BILL the compulsory
school attendance and school census.
the free textbook bill and the bills
which are being prepared by the
Joint committee looking toward a
Reorganization of the school system
are enacted into law, the efforts put
forth during the last year will have
been fruitful. On the other hand.
If this proposed legislation fails. the
to be counted among the years OF
little permanent prDRreSS
Whatever the future may have
in store, those interested in better
education for Washington must
steadfastly work for the enactment
sible improved conditions and for
appropriations commensurate with
the needs of the school system. The
united public support which was
so conspicuous during the past year
must continue if improvements are
to be secured"
Administrative improvements.
Even though no legislation was en-
acted by Congress. DR.. Ballou said
many changes of an administrative
nature have been made during the
past year. which were designed to
improve instruction.: to clarity. and
systematize administrative practice;
to secure unity of purpose and ac-
tion among administrative officials.
and to improve or eliminate undesir-
able conditions.
The superintendent's report dwelt
at length upon the wedding out of
the high school secret societies, in
conformity with an order of the board
Of education. Figures produced in
the document showed that during the
Year 151 high school students re-
signed from the disapproved organ
izations. The designations were dis
tributed among the high schools as
follows: Central. 79; Western. SO;
Eastern, 20; Mckinley. IL and Bust
ness, l.
1t was strongly emphasized by DIR.
Bailou that school officials plan to
promote the organization of high
school societies that meet with the
approval of the school board and
which are neceS Ssary or desirable tn