Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-23
superintendent Unanimous
ly Approve Curtis-Reed
Plan for Department.
IND0RSE DRIVE TO RAISE
$4,000 EFFICIENCY FUND
Stand on Measure Creating Secre-
taryship to Go Long Way To-
ward Securing Enactment.

Unanimous Endorsement Of the
Curtis-Reed bill creating depart
ment of education with cabinet
officer, and a campaign to raise u
$4,000 fund to be used by a national
commission on economy and effici-
ency Of business administration Of
school systems Tor the purpose Of
conserving FUNDS, supplies and hu-
man energy" ir the public school
systems Of the United States was
voted by members of the department
Of superintendent, National Educa-
ton Association, at a business session
held in the Washington Auditorium
shortly before noon today.
The votes Of The superintendent
on these two significant questions
was accompanied by thunderous ap-
plause by the delegates who presented
picturesque sight as each one wore
the orange garland lies of Hawaii
around their necks. 1t has been the
custom of the Hawaiian school chill
dren for a number of years to send
the tokens Of aloha" to the supertn
tendents as a bidding for them 10
hold convention in 3awaii.
The stand of the educators on the
Curtis Reed bill is expected TO go
long way toward securing the enact
ment Of this measure, which has been
sought for seven years. 1t comes on
the eve of hearings which will be
accorded the educators at the Capitol
tomorrow and Thursday by the coli
gressional committees considering the
Curtis Reed bill
Coolidge Addresses Meeting.
President Coolidge addressed the
educators at a patriotic gathering ot
the educators held in the Auditorium
last night. 1t was the first time the
educators had been given a message
last gathered in Washington 18 years
ago and President Theodore Roosevelt
talked to them in the east room Of the
White House.
The American public school Is the
hulwark of our civil and religious lib
critics." said George ID. Strayer, chair
man OF the legislative commission OF
the n. r. A, in presenting the reso-
luton indorsing the Curtis-Reed bill.
! The moral responsibility for the en-
couragement and advancement of this
basic institution rests upon The Fed
eral Governn ent.
I'VE hearo y indorse the education
bill now befuce Congress This bill
with the con 0lete autonomy of the
States in the administration and CON
troll of their schools, but it does pro
vide for the more efficient participa-
ton of the Federal Government by CO
ordinating its present educational &C
tivities and by extending the scope Of
its scientific Investigations.
This bill further provides by its
creation of Department of Educa-
ton with a Secretary in the Presi-
dents cabinet for that recognition
and service which the Importance of
public education merits and the ad
Nancement Of education requires
Backs $4,000 Fund.
In making the report of the execu-
tive committee of the department on
the raising of the $4,000 fund for
the year long survey into business
management of school systems, Dr.
Thomas Z. Finegan, a member OF
the commission appointed by DIR. HUI
bert Work, said:
1T would be just as reprehensfble
for the richest country in the world
to debase the quality of instruction
provided by the public schools for the
training and discipline of boys and
girls as 1t would be to aduterate It's
food products or to debase the stand
ard value of it's currency.
The commission has decided that
its membership shall not exceed nine
and has authorized President Frank
w. Ballou to appoint one member who
shall be representative of the views
OF business managers of CITY
school system and one member who
shall be representative of the views
of organized labor" DIR. Finegan con-
tinued.
Besides DIR. Ballou, local members
on the commission are Ernest Green
wood. vice president of the Board Of
Education; DR.. John J. Tigert, United
States commissioner Of education and
Elliot Goodwin Of the United States
Chamber of Commerce.
Many Questions To Be Settled.
Questions the commission will en-
deavor to answer and problems they
hope to remedy are: Are the organi-
cations and administrations of all the
interests of a school system CO.
ordinated so as to conserve funds,
supplies and human energy? Are un-
necessary expenditures avoided? Is
waste eliminated? Are economies prac-
ticed so that funds shall be available
for essentials and for necessary
growth and expansion in vital direc-
ton? Do the investors-the taxpayers
ana lne rent payeTS-geC value re-
ceived for every dollar invested?"
The commission plans to devote not
less than one year to the study of this
problem under the direction of ex-
perts in education administration and
experts in business administration.
The expense of the inquiry will be
$4,000. Several public-spirited citi-
zens of means have been invited to
make contributions toward meeting
these expenses. The department OF
superintendent, the National Educa-
ton Association, the United States