The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-10-15
MILWAUKEE HAS
SCHOOL CHANGE
Change Prohibiting Elec-
ton of School Board at
Large Condemned.
IN MIDST OF FIGHT


The city of Milwaukee is now in the
midst of a controversy over just such
problem as that which confronted
Kenosha at the recent election. Mill
wakee at the present time elects its
school commission of fifteen members
from the city at large. An ordinance
presented to the Milwaukee common
council seeks to change the organiza-
| tion by electing seventeen members
from assembly districts within the
city. With the introduction of that
ordinance the opposition asserted it
self and it has come to the point
where the matter has taken consider
able Importance in Milwaukee. The
ordinance had been laid over until
| the home rule case now before the
state supreme court has been decided.
| The committee on public education
| of the Milwaukee City club is the frst
to take up the cudgel against the pre-
posed change.
Pointed Out Disadvantages, =,
| The committee holds that the pro-
posed district representation would
encourage each director to consider
the schools, principals and teachers
| in his district as belonging to him
and under his jurisdiction, resulting
in tendency to seek to control the
appointments in his district. He
would also take up petty complaints
of parents on minor matters of class
room discipline and thus the profess
sionaI control of teachers and princi-
pals in each district would be In
vaded by non-professional author
ity. it is claimed.
Small Boards Popular.
| information gathered by the cem-
mittee shows there is no city with
100000 or more population that has
a larger school board than Milwau-
kee, and only one, Philadelphia, that
has a board of the same size as Mile
waukee. The proposed plan, the cons
mittee holds, is mn effect return to
the ward system in school board rep
resentation which, it is declared has
been thoroughly discredited and is
| strengley condemned by authorities
| on school administration.
OF Fl largest cities in this country,
all but two elect school directors at
large. For 80 years the tendency has
been to reduce the number of mem
bers of school boards, New York
shows a decrease from 46 to q; Chica=
g., 81 to IL; Detroit, IL to z; st.
Louis, "a to ~; Boston, "a to 5; Bal
timore, rs to 9; Pittsburgh, 80 to Id;
San Francisco, IL to a; Newark, 80 to
8; Cincinnati, 81 to z; New Orleans,
~ to 5; Indianapolis, II to 5, and Ke-
3 ka hos - No+saaI ahc
is to Z. In not single one of the
p cities is the present hoard larger
than that of 80 years ago.
Statistics Are Given.
Statistics for the FL cities are
given. Milwaukee and Philadelphia,
with is members, have the largest
number of school directors. Twelve
cities elect directors at large; New
Orleans elects five directors from po-
lice jury wardsi New York has seven
directors appointed by the mayor
i two each from Manhattan and Brook
llyn and one each from other Dor
oughs; in two cities, Newark and
Baltimore, they are appointed by the
mayor, in Chicago they are appointed
by the mayor and confirmed by the
common council, in Buffalo they are
nominated by the mayor and con-
frmed by the council; in Washington
they are appointed by the supreme
court justices.
The report points out that while q
two-thirds vote of the council is re-
CURED to adopt the change, it can be
brought before the voters for refer
endum by a petition of per cent Of
the votes cast for governor at the last
general election