Evening star., 1922-02-11
CITIZENS URGE BETTERMENT
OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
Civic Bodies Make Suggestions of Reform
in Methods Before Joint Con-
gress Committee.

sioner Of education. the Engineer
Commissioner of the District and the
superintendent Of schools. He discus
sed also the matter of non-residents
attending the public schools here.
saying that per cent of the school
In nearby statea He urged that there
should be an adequate charge to pay
for their tuition. since their parents
paid taxes to the District
Taking up the question OF commun-
ity centers. Mr.. Ashford declared that
the school buildings were apparently
under the control Of the officiaIs Of
these centers--or course, under regu.
!ations Of tho board-to too great an
This reused s:-.tor King. who de.
o.nre,.tin 6iarSd tnat n the next District ap-
vision to curb this control Of the
school buildings by community CEN
Mr.. Ashford said that "some Of us
oeneve that the schools Of the Dis
Irict are pretty well provided for"
school buildings had been wrong
and had resulted In overcrowdinK in
some communities and free space in
pui!ofngs In other sections He un-
dertook to defend the heating plants
OF the schools, too, which he said
were adequate. What was needed, he
said. was competent help to run these
plants-licensed engineers, in fact
Plea for Fairgrounds.
Mrs. Lucy R. swanton, chairman
Of the United Citixens Fairgrounds
committee. urged more adequate
playground facilities for the children.
Supervision Of the Fairgrounds, she
said. was necessary. She presented
to the committee a summary Of the
survey Of the local situation made by
the chiidren's bureau Of the Depart
ment Of Labor.
Endorsement Of proposed admins.
trative improvements of the school
system was presented by Arthur Call
Deering. president of the Monday
Evening Club. He urged a better
salary schedule for the teachers.
was indorsed by Rudolph Jose. presi-
dent Of the Civitan Club. The needs
of the colored schools In the District
were emphasised by Archibald H.
Grimke and DR.. George Richardson,
both Of the National Association for
the Advancement Of Colored People.
A. J: Driscoll. president of the Mid
City Citisens' Association, expressed
approval Of the school boards build
ing program and advocated free text
books for the high school pupils.
MS Due to Divided Authority.
MIRA Giles Scott Rafter. president Of
the District Congress Of Mothers and
Parent-Teacher Association, told the
committee that in her opinion many of
the ills Of the school system could be
traced to divided authority in the hands
Of the school board and the District Of
ficiala She advocated q change in the
law which would make the board Of
education entirely Independent, with full
authority over all matters relating to
the schools. Then the board could be
held responsible for the condition Of the
schools. she said. At present it 10 i'm
possible to pin the responsibility for con-
dttions here on any one. Mrs. Rafter
added.
As Indication Of the lack Of unification
in the system, Mra. Raftar said that not
long ago tho drinking fountains in the
schools had been cut Of. on the ground
that they were not sanitary. For three
without water. Tho District health Of
ficer. she stated. had insisted he only
had authority to shut the water OF.
But three weeks later. without anything
having been done to improve the foun-
tsins, they were turned on again. MIRA
MrA BATTER declared the superin-
tendent Of schools here should be
given an adequate salary-ten or
twelve thousand dollars year.
Plans for school buildings should be
referred to the National Fine Arts
Commission, she believed, before
being. approved, and the schools
should be represented on that COM
nission.
Msney Spent Intellectually.
The repair department Of the
schools should be under the board Of
education. she said, and launched into
an attack upon the amount Of money.
3215.ooo last year. expended for re-
pairs Of school buildings. She In
sisted 1t was spent Intellectually.
Iu.reply to . question as to whether
she, believed there should be a busi-
ness manager. 1ra Rafter said.
.sThsn IL things 90 wrong" said
Mrs. Rafter. I'VE could tar and
fsather the business manager. or
other witnesses appearing and urg-
Ing school reforms were Evan II.
Tucker Of the Citixens' Relief Asso-
citation. W. 3 URord Of the Associa-
ton for the Prevention Of Tubercu.
losiS, Charles b. R0berts, president OF
! the Kiwanis Club: Mrs. Daniel Muir.
ray. NrA Bell Of the Cook School