Evening star., 1929-12-14
ELECTIVE BOARD
PLAN ENDORSED
Proponents of Capper-Zihl-
man School Bill Hail
Measure as Panacea.

The Capper-zihlman bill providing
for election of the school board by pop
ular vote was proclaimed a panacea
for all the alleged evils of the District
public school system by the bills lead
ing proponents, who met at the Bur-
lipgton Hotel last night under the ban
ner of the Joint Committee for the Elec-
ton of the Board of Education of the
District of Columbia.
Nearly a score of brief talks were de-
livered following the get-acquainted
dinner at the beginning of the meeting
for representatives of civic organiza-
tions which had Endorsed the bill. The
consensus was that the present ap-
pointive Board of Education, named as
it is by judges who may and generally
come to the Capital from elsewhere,
cannot have the interests of the school
children at heart as would board
chosen by parents of those children
through popular election.
Elective Board Plan Hailed.
In the several addresses an elective
school board was seen as an admins
trative group under which portable
schools would not exist, buildings would
not lack painting, parent-teacher asso-
Citations would not have to purchase
minor equipment and certain schools
would not be without assembly halls.
One speaker asserted that 80 per cent
of the school system faults would be
eliminated during the first year Of its
operation.
The meeting was opened by Mrs. Will
liam T. Bannerman, president of the
joint committee, who declared that the
present school board system is denial
of her assertion that "biologicaHy, in
tellectually, spiritually, the relationship
between each parent and his own child
is scientifically recognized and estab-
liShed fact"
mo law so based and so functioning
can produce upright character or stable
government" Mrs Bannerman said. In
Europe it produced the World War. Does
America wish to repeat that Armaged-
don or shall we place our public schools
on a scientific, legal foundation in har-
mony with the principles underlying
the Constitution of the United StateS?"
Mrs. Bannerman then introduced Mrs
Fred T. Dubois, general chairman of
the dinner-meeting committee, who in
turn presented DR.. George G. Havenner,
president of the Federation of Citizens
Associations, who was POSTMASTER.
Charles I. Stengle, member of the
citizens advisory council, the first of
the advocates of the -Zihlman
bill to speak, urged that I'VE get away
from the idea we are bunch of dumb
bells just because we can't vote" in as
Serting that the District should and
could get along without IAN imported
school board" and should elect board
of its own choice.
Even If we can't vote for Congress
or the President we ought to have a
voice in the selection of the school
board which guides the deStinies of
our own children" he said.
Fries Cites Evils"
Mai Gen. Amos A. Fries, U. S. A.
(retired), followed Mr.. Stengle to as
Sert that while taxation without repre-
sentation is tyranny, the District IS in
an even worse situation than that sort
of tyranny since it hasn't control over
its own children. Citing the evils"
of the present appointive system OF
naming the school board, Gen. Fries de-
clared that the Capital has school build
ings which find architectural betterS
in the smallest of rural communities.
IF we could elect our school board"
Gen. Fries declared 1--WE could correct
about 80 per cent of the evils in the
system in one year."
Mai. julius I. Peyser, himself for
mer member of the school board, and
now president of the District of Co
lunbia Bar Association, was the next
speaker, and cited alleged faults in the
school system which he attributed to
the appointive school board. Maj. Pey-
ser declared that the Abbot School,
which he attended as boy, had not re-
ceived coat of paint in the last Is
years.
1--WE have a right to refuse to pay
taxes unless they let us elect our school
board" Maj. Peyser declared, but added
that that is not the way to obtain the
desired relief. He advocated fervent
efforts in the interest Of the pending
bill.
Mrs. Ellis Logan, chairman Of the
department of education and past presi-
dent of the District of Columbia Fed
Grafton of Womens Clubs, who spoke
after Maj. PeySer, urged the women to
lend all their support to the bill.
James G. Yaden, chairman Of the
schools committee of the Federation of
Citizens Associations, the next speaker,
declared he was not basing his opposi-
ton to the appointive school board on
personalities or upon the records of any
present members of the board but SOLE
ly upon the principles involved. He
added, however, that he doubted If any
present board member would run for a
place on the board in popular election:
Mrs. Giles Scott Rafter, president OF
the District of Columbia Congress of
Parent-Ieacher Associations, declared
the popular belief that the public would
not elect proper" persons to the board
is not true and that anybody who OPP
poses our bill opposes the children OF
Washington"
Sees Distrust of People.
Other speakers included Harry M,
Stull, Arthur c. Moses, William A. Rob
erts, George A. Warren and William
NICK. Clayton Mr.. Clayton declared
the principle of disfranchising the DIS
trict is "a distrust of the people" ana
asserted that If the District is right IN
its form of government, the rest OF the
country is all wrong. Herbert S. Woods'
president of the District of Columbia
Public School Association, and Oscar
H. Brinkman, clerk of the Senate DIS
trict committee for five years, were. the
last speakers. Mr.. Brinkman, sched-
uled to advise the joint committee on
ways of getting its bill through Con-
gresS, declared this is very bad session
for such measures because of the many
national problems of grave importance.
He suggested the members do their own
fighting for the bill and not rely upon
members of the Senate.
Frank G.. Merritt, recording secretary
OF the joint committee, read the roll
call Of the 81 civic groups which had
4 Ia a H. sIsIa Aaa