Evening star., 1926-03-11
BALL0U, ON STAND,
GR|LLED TWO HOURS
School Head Saved When
Lights Fail and Commit
tee Retires.

DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
of schools, was subjected to 2 hours
and 35 minutes of close questioning
concerning the inner workings of the
Board of Education and this body's 8
record for the past five or six years. at
last nights hearing on the GaSque
elective school board measure. 1t was
finally brought to an abrupt ending
when the lights in the Capitol were
temporarily cut off, necessitating ad-
journment. Chairman Reid Of Illi-
nois, led the Interrogation of Dr. Bal
lou, but practically all of the members
of the subcommittee had numerous
pointed questions which they put to
the school superintendent.
Despite the length of time DIR.
Ballou was on the stand. 1t was ap-
parent that many things in the minds
of the subcommittee members We're
not covered. and Representative Mary
Norton, of New Jersey, laughingly
told DIR. Ballou as the hearing broke
up, you were good for an hour more
Il we hadn't been plunged into dark
ness" DIR. Ballou had obtained per
mission of the subcommittee to leave
last midnight for a 10 day vacation
in Miami, Fla, as the guest of f. c.
Graham, president of the Board of
Education.
May Urge Report Now.
The fifth subcommittee hearing will
be held tomorrow night in the caucus
room of the House Office Building
with Acting Superintendent of Schools
Stephen T.. Kramer in charge of the
school forces.
Representative Gasque. author of
the bill, said today he had made up his
mind either to amend his measure
so as to give an elective school board
greater power or to introduce sep
arate measure bringing about this eff
feet. Mr.. GaSque is convinced that
he has a majority of the subcommit
tee with him and there is a strong
probability that he will ask tomorrow
night that the subcommittee order 2
favorable report Of the bill to the
full committee.
The hearing last night differed from
the three previous hearings in that
practically all of the discussion was
confined to the merits Of the Gasque
bill. DIR. Rallou told the subcommit-
tee that as superintendent of schools
he did not feel it proper for him
either to support or oppose the bill.
He told them he personally thought
there We're serious defects in the
measure.
BaIlou Suggests Changes.
There are three changes I think
should be made in the bill" DR.. Ballou
continued. First. I think the cleo
ton should not he confined TO parents
having children in the schools and tax
payers. think the election should be
city-wide. Second. l think the board
members, if elected. should he elected
three at a time. so that an entirely
new board would not come into being
over night. Third, I don't think the
machinery of the election should be
vested in the Board Of Education but
rather with the District Commission
ers.''
DR.. Ballou further opposed the pro-
vision in the Gasque bill. which would
limit the colored residents to election
Of colored members of the board and
white residents to white members. He
said that the colored residents are in
terested in the selection of the white
board member and the white resi-
dents are interested in the colored
board members.
Chairman Reid persistently ques-
toned DR.. Ballou as to what particu-
larly good pieces of work the Board of
Education had accomplished during
his regime. and he cited a number, in
Guiding the fiveyear building program
and the teachers salary bill
It was while DY. Ball0u, under ex-
animation of Chairman Reid was
telling of the work of the various
committees of the board that the eau
Gus room was suddenly darkened
Believing that the lights would soon
reappear. the crowd Of more than 200
sat quietly in their seats. Chairman
Reid commandeered a flash light and
with the intermittent lighting Of
matches the assemhlage kept in good
humor until report was made that the
lights would be out for an indefinite
period.
Chairman Reid was very much ex-
ercised as to how to get the crowd out
without a panic, and he provoked a
great deal of merriment when he re-
quested them to leave quietly, re-
minding that ladies and children
first and let the brave men follow"