Evening star., 1924-09-11
SCHOOL BOARD IN DEADLOCK
ON INTELLIGENCE TEST PLAN
Debate of Three Hours
Leaves Big Problems
Still UnSOIved.
Congestion in Suburbs
Brings Suggestions
= From Patrons.

y three-hour debate, punctuated by
sporadic verbal tilts, failed to bring
the Board of Education yesterday af-
ternoon any nearer a solution to the
two outstanding educational prob
lens scheduled for disposition on the
calendar of it's special session. Con-
tlnuatlon Of the intelligence tests and
introduction of the platoon system of
education at the +. V. Brown and Ia
koma Park schools, the two questions
on which action was expected were
for the second time shunted aside, for
further consideration.
Discussion of the advantages and
disadvantages of the platoon method
of education occupied a greater por-
ton of the boards time. Still it was
decided to postpone action until
every person interested is given an
opportunity to voice an opinion on
the proposal to establish the work
study-play plan at the Takoma Park
and Brown schools. AS result a
special meeting of the board was
called for this purpose at the Frank
I'm School next Tuesday night at s
o'clock
Criticize Supe perintendent.
Capt. Julius I. Peyser. leader of the
progressive bloc" on the board
opened the arguments on the intelli-
gence tests and proceeded to criticize
Supt. Frank w. Ballou for assigning
Miss Jessie La Sale to conduct the
work in educational measurement
and research without authorization
by the board. There is nothing in
the minutes to show that Miss La
Sale has authority to conduct the
tests" said Capt. PeySer. The ques-
tlon to be considered now is whether
Miss La Sale should continue this
work during the new school year"
DR.. Ballou Immediately took the
floor and showed by the records that
the board had approved the appoint
ntent of Miss La Sale as supervising
principal of the second division and
her assignment as director of the de-
partment of educational research
and measurement Furthermore, DR..
Rallou maintained that under the
rules of the board he had the authori-
ty to assign school officers to special
work.
Ernest Greenwood. vice president
of the board then leaped into the
controversy, contendins that Miss
la Sale was appointed for the pur-
pose of making a research in child
psychology. but not to grade pupils
in "A wholesale fashion through the
20 system of intelligence tests. He al
SO questioned the wisdom of an "un-
trained and incompetent" staff of
iedcHefS applying lne tests.
Defending PrincipIes.
Both Capt. peyser and Mr.. Green
wood did not attack the fundamental
principles of the Intelligence tests.
Capt. Peyser said, personally, he ap-
proved of them, but believed that
some changes should be made in their
application. Likewise. Mr.. Greenwood
contended that it was an excellent
idea to turn the schools into a labora-
tory to study child psychology.
The arguments over the application
of the tests were waxing warm when
Supt Ballou, in the role of arbitra-
tor, urged the board to give more
consideration to the subject. which
he characterized as of utmost i'm
portance. 1T is surprising." he said,
that SO few complaints were made
against the intelligence tests in view
OF the fact that they are something
new in Washington
Consideration of the proposal to
establish the platoon system at the
Takoma Park and E. V. Brown Schools
was started by the board at o'clock
meeting as committee of the whole
behind closed doors. When Capt
Peyser arrived and found the mem
bers closeted in DR.. Ballou's office, he
refused to participate in the proceed
1ngS and walked out Capt. Peyser
contended that the board does not
have authority under the organic law
to meet in committee of the whole.
Il can't see the difference between a
meeting of the board and committee
of the whole" he declared heatedly.
Its only juggling words"
Discuss Platoon Plan.
Besides number of communica tons
from parent-teacher and civic organ
r11 ~ 10 II,
which was adopted at the Park View
School more than four years ago, the
board took a volume of verbal testi-
mony concerning the work-study-
play system while meeting in COM
nittee of the whole.
Henry c. Clark of the Takoma
Park Parent Teacher Association,
who proposed the introduction of the
work-study-play system at the Ia
Roma Park School as a means Of re-
HevinS congestion, explained why
the organization was supporting the
proposition. Stephen e. Kramer,
principal of Central High School. and
former assistant superintendent of
schools, appearing as parent and
not as a school official, vigorously op-
posed the plan on the ground that
it is not fair to the child, because
1t takes considerable time from
traditional studies.
New York spent thousands of dol
lars experimenting with the work.
study-play system Mr.. Kramer point
ed out, and subsequently completely
threw it out of the schools Oues-
toned by James T. Lloyd, president
of the board, as to whether he would
prefer to send his children to a pla-
toon school or to a part-time school
Mr.. Kramer replied that he would
choose the latter because the Studies
would not be distracted.
Mr.. Kramer voiced the opinion that
the congestion problem at the Ia
Eoma Park School could be relieved
by barring Maryland children. "The
District cannot undertake to build
schools on the District line to ac-som-
modate the children in the growing
residential sections of Maryland" he
declared "The emergency should be
commodate the childrden of the Dis
trict first and the Maryland children
afterward.
Miss Frances S. Farley, principal
OF the Park Viek School, contradicted
the statements of Mr. Kramer that
the platoon school distracts the study
Of the pupils. She emphasized that
her school had been unusually sue
cessful operating on the work study
play plan, and advocated the extern
sion Of this system to meet congested
conditions. Miss Katherine r. Mac
queen, principal of the Takoma Park
School, explained that conditions at
her school for the Introduction of the
platoon system are entirely different
from those at Park View.
The question of placing a portable