Evening star., 1923-02-08
D. c. HEADS WOULD
PICK SCHOOL BODY

Friction between the board of edu-
cation and District government Of
iicials would be removed If the Com
miss,oners appointed the school board.
the city heads told Congress in a re-
port yesterday.
Senator Ball. chairman OF the Dis
:rict committee, asked for a report
on the bill to transfer power OF ap-
pointing the school board from the
Judges of the District Supreme Court
to the President
In their reply sent forward yesterday
the city fathers say they do not be-
lieye the President should be bur-
dened with such appointments. They
recommend that the language of the
bill be changed to make the board of
Commissioners the appointing agency.
Refer to Controversy.
The Commissioners refer indirectly
to the difference OF opinion which
arose recently between them and the
school officials over the question of
the right of the Commissioners to
veto a requisltion from the school
board for expenditure Of funds.
The controversy had Its origin in
4
for the purchase of supplies for
beauty course at the Q Street Colored
Vocational School. The Commission
ers declined to buy the supplies. hold
ing that they did not deem the ex-
penditure proper one.
AS result Corporation Counsel
Stephens has. been asked to render
legal opinion as to how much au-
thority the Commissioners have in
passing on the spending of school
tor Ball today reads, In part, as fol-
lows:
"In the judgment OF the Commits
sioners the board Of education
should be appointed by the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia.
Two OF the Commissioners are ap-
pointed by the President of the Unit
cd States from residents Of the Dis
trict of Columbia. and the other men,
Der is detailed by the President from
the Corps of Engineers Of the United
States Army. The Commissioners are
the executive authority of the District
of Columbia. and they believe that all
appointments of municipal officials
and boards should be vested in them.
The Senate has recently recognized
this policy by providing that the
board of childrens guardians of the
District Of Columbia shall be appoint
ed by the Commissioners.
Tho Commissioners gene.aly have
the appointment OF all municipal Of
ficials and employees. The exceptions
are the board Of charities Of the
District Of Columbia, the recorder of
deeds and tho Judges of the municipal
courts, who are appointed by the
President Of the United States.
Would Promote Harmony.
Tho duty is placed upon the Com
nissioners by law to submit to Con-
,,riat,ons for the expenses OF the Dis
trict government In this connection
they come into a close relation with
the board of education. and 1t would
seem advisable, in order that a proper
policy may be pursued. that there
should be harmonious relation be-
tween the board Of education and the
Commissioners. This could best be
accomplished by permitting the Com
nissionars to select the member ship
Of this board.
"The Commissioners do not feel that
the appointment of municipal officials
other than the Commissioners, should
be duty devolving upon the Presi-
dent of the United States. The duties
OF the President in the conduct OF
such that he should not be burdeped
with minor municipal. matters.
1T will be noted that in the section
ST the law which this bill proposes to
amend, there lS contained the IolioW-
ing provision:
The board shall determine all
questions Of general policy relating
TO the schools, shall appoint the ex-
scutive officers hereinafter provided
for. define their duties and direct ex-
penditures. All expenditures of pub
lie funds for such school purposes
shall be made and accounted for as
now provided by law under the direc-
ton and control of the Commissioners
Of the District of Columbia. Tho
board shall appoint all teachers in the
manner hereinafter prescribed, and
all other employees provided for in
this act
I'm the carrying out of school poll
lies under this provision of law, the
aact that the board OF education is in
dependent of the Commissioners has
been the cause OF considerable fric-
tion. This friction could be removed
by having the members of the board
Df education appointed by the Com
missioners."
The Commissioners had before them
Today q requisition for the purchase
81 hockey sticks and an addresso-
graph for the new Eastern High
School. They approved buying the
hockey sticks. but declined to author
lac tho addressing machine. which
fhey deemed unnecessary,
TIE nams Europe signifies a coun-
try Of white complexion, so called BE-
cause the Inhabitants were OF q