Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-26

Continued from First Page)
the District school system and COM
parative surveys in other large cities.
| They have Offices in the school admin.
istration headquarters, the Franklin
| Building. Paul Rapp worked with
| DR.. George c. Havenner on the in
vestigation of the recorder of deeds
and register of wills Offices Herbert
| Ramp has worked on some of the most
important Federal bureau surveys.
up to now they have been gather
ing in data that they had to get
while the schools were in session and
| worked against time before the
schools closed for the Summer recess.
They are now engaged in Analysing
before they reach their conclusions
as to what recommendations the Blu
reau of Efficiency should make In its
report.
The problems under consideration
include that of teacher loads-the
number of teachers necessary for the
student population. This caused a
bitter discussion in Congress over the
action of the House appropriations
committee in emitting salaries for the
"a new teachers asked for. The build.
ing needs and the "five.year building
program" will be thoroughly studied
in connection with the child.popula.
ton survey.
Tabulations Being Made.
There is a basis for this work in
the census records which are now
used In connection with the com.
pulsory attendance act, but they have
20 1Ii1o of Cd tn Il
geographical distribution. The Blu.
reau of Efficiency agents are now
making such tabulations and are pre-.
pairing to draw a map which will
show where every child lives. what
sections the schools are serving,
whether they are serving them ade.
Quately, and whether the buildings
that are being erected under the Ave-
year building program are being
properly located
They also are looking into the
custody of buildings and their repair
and maintenance. This considers the
work of the janitorial forces, survey.
ing the adequacy of maintenance and
repair program to see whether the ap.
preparations are sufficient or not.
1t is not likely that this school.
system report will be ready before
Congress returns here in December.
They are getting information also re.
gardlng school organization, admins.
tration and business MANAGEMENT in
other large cities, both by personal
visits and by missionaries, to be
used in making comparisons with the
local situation in regard to all phases
OF the District school system.
1t is foreseen that when the renort
IS made 1t will define what is believed
10 De model educational system, not
only for the National Capital but for
other large cities. But the report will
De largely not from the viewpoint of
the trained and experienced educator.
because business management is being
emphasized rather than a progra m
Tor promotion Of scholarship.
Platoon System Studied.
An especially careful study is being
made regarding the merits of the
platoon system. Only one Washington
school now has q modification of the
platoon system and leaders in the
educational world are by no means
agreed upon this question. The study
IS being made especially as to how the
platoon system might be applicable in
Washington. The decision will be
watched by the entire country because
OF the rather tense controversy be.
tween leading educators in regard to
that system. Because Of this Nation.
wide interest. the Bureau of Efficiency
investigators are getting the best ad-
vice from all over the country on the
actual operation of platoon systems.
AS feature Of the report the school
building needs of the future will be
charted, showing the centers Of child
population, and in which direction the
tide of population is flowing, and
where city development is proceeding.
This would show where it is desirabl
that school building sites should be
provided against future needs. It is
believed that such a chart should be
used by the Zoning Commission to
prevent the development of neighbor.
Ing property, through apartment
houses and otherwise, that would in.
terfere with the best use Of those
sites in the future for school purposes.
The District school officials and the
school personnel are giving the Bureau
| of Efficiency investigators the best
| possible cooperation in making their
| studies.
Public Welfare Inquiry.
Howard B. Gill is in charge of the
| public welfare investigation by the
Bureau Of Efficiency. and he believes
that the great problem as regards
child welfare is to work out a scheme
of coordination between the various
existing agencies-the Juvenile Court
the Child Welfare Division of the
Board of Public Works, the Police De.
partment mot only the Womens
Bureau, because he says that the men
policemen arrest some 70 per cent OF
delinquents. boys over II years OF
age). the school attendance Office and
the corporation counsel. These five
agencies. he says, all deal with the
three classes: Dependents, neglected
and delinquents.
Each Of these agencies has grown
up more or less independently Of thu
others during the past IS years. Al