Evening star., 1925-11-15
BALL0U REVIEWS
SCHOOL PROGRESS
Building Program and Higher
Pay for Teachers Out
standing Advances.

COnDTeHeISlNe
view of educational progress in the
District under his administration of
the public schools for the last five
years is presented by Supt. Frank w.
Ballou in the fifth section of his an
nual report, released last night for
publication.
Five Years of Educational Effort"
the installment is labeled. In it DIR.
Ballou reflects that virtually all of the
important recommends tions made by
him at the outset OF his adminlstra-
ton have been carried out
NO previous five-year period has
witnessed so many changes of first I'M
portance as have taken place in the
past five years." declared the superin
tendent.
Five-Year Building Program.
hief among the accomplishments.
DR.. Ballou pointed out, was the au-
thorization by Congress of the unprec-
edented five-year school building pro-
gram. The superintendent. however.
indicated that the higher salaries for
officers. teachers and other educational
employees. as we'll as clerks and jan
itors: the increased number of admin
istrative principals: the provision for
the appointment of annual substitute
teacers: the enlargement and reorgani-
Zation of the boards of eXaminerS-all
achievements of his administration
when taken together. will have a pro-
found effect upon public education in
the District of Columbia in the years
to come"
The higher compensation for Off
GERS and teachers has raised the
morale and inspired new zeal among
teachers and officers now employed in
the school service" said the report
In addition. the new salary schedule
has made teaching in Washington
more attractive to experienced teach
ers elsewhere and for the first time
In many years the supply of ade-
quatly trained teachers for the Wash
ington schools is equal to the educa-
ttonal demands of the school system
Increase of Officials.
The appointment of additional as
sistant superintendents at headquar-
ters makes ii possible to distribute the
work on functional basis, thereby
reducing the overwhelming admins
trative responsibilities heretofore car
ried by too few officers: distributing
those responsibilities among a larger
group of officers and increasing the
effectiveness and dispatch with which
school business is transacted. From
1905 10 1920, the administrative staff
in the Washington school system re-
mained practically stationary, despite
the fact that the school population
and the teaching staff had increased
Is or 80 per cent during that period
Business affairs are now super
vised by single officer rather than
by several officers. Supervision is dis
tributed among several different of
fcers according to their special quail
lfcations
The appointment of administrative
principals has provided our larger
elementary schools with a principal
tree from teaching in order that he,
or she, may supervise the teaching
and the educational work of the chill
dren In their respective schools.
The salary schedule provided in
the reclassifcation legislation for the
clerical staff OF the Board of Educa-
tion Will make II possible to expect,
require and secure a correspondinglv
higher grade of work than has here
tofore been possible with the compen-
sation offered
Pay OF Janitors.
The increased rate of paw for the
janitorial staff is a justifiable reward
for those janitors who, during the
period of the war. stayed at their
posts of duty in the public schools, |
despite the more attractive pay offer |
ed in other fields of occupation. The
higher rate will also make II DOS
slble to attract to the janitorial sery-
ice persons who possess the personal
qualifications and knowledge Of their
work necessary to make an efficient
janitor.
THE provision for the employment
of annual substitutes makes it nos
slble to insure a higher type of sub
stftute service than has heretofore
been possible. Annual substitutes
must possess the eligibility require
ments of regular teachers and. in ad-
dftion, must he teachers of expert
ence In the fields of service in which
they are to substitute. They are to
receive the basic salary of the sal
ary class in which they teach. No
other administrative change is Iikelv
TO have such a direct effect upon the
instruction of pupils as this initial
provision which looks toward a more
effective provision for the instruction
or the children during the absence of
regular teachers.
Under provisions of the enlarge.
ment of the boards of examiners the
responsibilities heretofore carried nv
a small board of three members IS
now distributed among a board of six
or seven members. The enlarged
board of examiners makes it possible
TO select for service on the board per.
sons we'll qualified to render various
Kinds of professional service with
which the board of examiners is pri-
marily concerned"
Increased Appropriations.
Dr. Ballou also cited as another
illustration of. the accomplishments
OF the last five years the increa ased
appropriations for buildings and
grounds, which in 1921 totaled s395
ooo and last year reached the record.
breaking sum of s4214,O0O. AS a re-
suit or these appropriations, he said
lbl additional elementary classroon,s
were added to relieve the over
crowded conditions, and plans have
been completed for a numbr of new
schools or additions. for which an.
preparations are available.
. Such outstanding achievements a.
the increase of appropriations for
schooi buildings. the opening of 161
elementary classrooms. the accommo
cation of $500 pupils in the new
Eastern High School and the omen.
ing of two new Junior high schools"
declared DR.. Ballou, have not sue.
ceeded in eliminating the congestion
in the Washington schools. The
school congestion in Washington is
N1it az utc- <appi OpIid amount
Ing to S4.0oo.000 a year for the next
s"ur years will be necessary If the
relief contemplated in the fve-year
school building program act is to be
obtained"
Despite the increased appropriations
granted the schools, especially those
for repairs and improvements, DR.. Bal.
lou explained, more than $1,000, 900
worth of work must be annually de-
ferred, due to insufficient funds. At