The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-15
Confusion Of Authority as to
Our Public Schools
By BILL PRICE.

The best possible illustration Of divided authority over
the public schools Of the District is found the somewhat
sensational report of the fire marshal many schools the
children of Washington subjected fire dangers that
should not exist
Not only structural shortcomings and defects set forth
but much stress laid the accommodations Of waste paper
etc. and the storing in dangerous spots Of condemned
furniture. 4sa.as
The Board Of Education has practically nothing to do with
construction Of public schools in the District The plans for
all schools and the supervision Of their construction are in
the hands Of the municipal architect the District Govern
men who under the Engineer Commissioner No mat
ter what the school authorities and the Board Of Education
may want in school construction repairs changes they are
overued at the District Building happens to suit Dis
trict officials.
One Of the chief of the friction that often reveals it.
self between the District Commissioners and the Board Of
Education is due to this and the fact that the Commits
Eopes exercise full authority in cutting estimates Of the board
The Commissioners under existing laws do mutilate
estimates to make them with the general estimates
for the whole District That may or not be wise II s
each citizen may look at it.
The hauling away Of and refuse from public schools
wholly IN the hands Of the District Government Accuu
!aons Of these mflammabe things remain in school
buildings until District refuse wagons call for them The
school authorities may protest all they wish but the
department OF the District these things in its own way
There Is much red tape about condemned furniture for in
stance This is stored in school buildings until the property
survey officer OF the District Government decides that shall
be removed.
there were serious fire in public school Of the District
having its beginning waste materials or IL condemned
furniture there would be more shutting Of responsbiltes
from one shoulder to another than the city heard Of
And all comes from divided authority. Senator CAPPER
who headed committee which investigated the Districts pub
Ito schools with great has before the Senate bill
make the Board Of Education Independent body responsible
TO and giving all the authority that pos
Sessed by the District Commissioners.
You cannot make machine go well when there are SO
many hands in the management Concentration of authority
means the placing Of responsibility when things 20 wrong
as they often do Senator Capper holds that the modern
tendency as to the conduct Of public schools to put the
schools under organization.
There cannot be any question that Senator Cpper has
proper idea as to concentrated authority The question how
ever is whether the schools should be wholly under the Board
OF Education wholly under the District Commissioners elm
mating the Board of Education entirely and making the Com
moners responsible for the conduct Of the schools which
they would shoulder through the Superintendent of Schools
who would deal directly with them AS now the Super
1ntendent must be greater diplomat than the Secretary
state He must to placate the Board of Education and the
District Commissioners smoothing whatever differences
may arise between them he must spend large
valuable time in dealing with two different organizations
The scheme WRONG and this town knows it. What would
suit the great majority people Of this voteles city would be
Board OF Education elected by the voters Of the District and
having complete authority the schools from top
TOM including the sending Of estimates Congress- and the
expenditure Of appropriations made by that body.