Evening star., 1928-10-16
BOARD ASKS PUBLIC TO FORCE
SHOWDOWN ON SCHOOL POLICY
Carusi Wants Full Authority
in Body or Given to
Commissioners.
Direct Contact With Budget
Bureau and Building Pro-
gram at Issue.

Taking the definite stand that the
District of Columbia public school sys-
tenn shall be run either entirely by the
District Commissioners or by the Board
Of Education, DR.. Charles F. Carusi,
president of the school board. declared
today that the school officials are watt
ing for the people of Washington to in
dicate which administration they pre-
| fer and what the school needs are in
the various communities before they
| take steps which will end for all time
the differences between the municipal
and school authorities. which have been
aggravated during the past four years
by the steady failure of the five-year
school-building program designed to
bring about adequate accommodations
for District school children.
If the people want the Board of Edu-
cation to continue jurisdiction over the
schools, DR.. Carusi said. the board will
seek authority to submit school eSti-
mates directly to the Bureau of the
Budget, and authority to submit pro-
posed school legislation directly to the
House and Senate District committees.
It also will propose co-ordinating OH
cial. preferably under the jurisdiction
Of the Commissioners, who would be a
central municipal agent, with whom the
school authorities could deal in all mat
ters of purchases, architectural services,
repairs and other functions performed
by strictly municipal officers, and new
flve-year building program.
Views Of Citizens Sought.
A month ago the Board OF Educa-
ton requested citizen associations and
civic bodies to file reports on the school
needs of the city as they see them.
These reports are due at the Franklin
Administration Building by Saturday,
and the boards definite action will
follow the compilation of the various
petitions, probably some time next week.
If sentiment favors the commission
ers' control of the public schools, DR..
Carusi said he would suggest that the
responsibility for the system be as
sumed by the Commissioners along with
the authority. He would oppose vigor-
ously the creation of any school board
which would be appointed by the Com
missioners, he said, because such
board would be merely tigurehead
the wishes of the Commissioners even
at the expense of the schools, and the
recipient only of the blame and criti-
cism which might arise from the con-
duct of the system
But If the schools are to remain
under the Board of Education, DR..
Carusi has In mind definite program
OF remedial action which he hopes
all the members of the board will ac-
quieSe in and which he is confident
will bring about an eficiently admins
tered school system.
Novel Proposal Made.
One of the most novel Of his pro-
posais is the creation OF the co-ordina-
tion agency
II have never favored, nor do 7
favor now. duplication of work, effort
or Offices as a means of improving the
school situation" Dr. Carusi said "I
do heartily advocate the naming of
one man who would coordinate the
various District departments with which
we do business as means of saving
time and getting work done.
i would not favor, particularly, the
creation of such an office under the
jurisdiction of the school authorities
because the agencies to be co-ordinated
tuc repair SilOp, the purchasing agents
office. the municipal architects office
and any others of similar character and
relation to the schools, are District
government agencies"
Citing conditions which he believes
his proposal would correct, DR.. Carusi
said that at present If repairs are
needed they are begun frequently two
or three months after the Board of
Education. with money available. orders
them made. In such delays, he ex-
planned, the repair shop generally ex-
cuses itself by laying the blame on the
failure of the purchasing office to buy
needed materials. and that office, on
the other hand. might plead ignorance
of the imperativeness of the repairs.
Offers Way to Speed Work.
Hence, Mr.. Carusi said, II single
officer in the municipal government
could be approached with an order for
school work, that officer would be in
position to coordinate the various
agencies involved In the order and sec
that the work is done with dispatch,
thus saving time now wasted by the
school authorities in appealing first TO
one and then to another District
agency with long periods Of waiting
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