Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-16
SUPPLY BILL RIDER
STRONGLY OPPOSED
BY TEACHER UNION
Elimination of rs Per Cent
Normal Graduate Priority
Plan Urged.
BRIEF SENT MEMBERS
OF D. C. SUBCOMMITTEE
1t Contends That High Quality Of
Present Standards Are
Endangered.

Strong opposition to the 1880 ap-
preparation bill rider, which limits local
teaching position appointment to 25
per cent of the Washington Normal
School graduates was voiced by the
District of Columbia Teachers Union
IN a brief sent to each member of
the District subcommittee of the House
appropriations committee today. urging
that the rider be stricken out. The
Senate eliminated the rider following
the strenuous objections of the union
and school officials
The Teachers Union contends in its
brief that priority for graduates of
normal schools is the universal custom
In cities maintaining that type of
teacher training schools. and that re-
nioval of the priority would not Insure
any improvement to teacher personnel,
but would rather endanger the high
quality of the present standards" and
cause the local residents to feel again
how little they have to say in the
conduct of their purely local Affairs
The union contends further that the
proposed priority limitation would dis
courage prospective students from en-
tering the normal schools.
Danger to Standards Discussed.
"The proposed system would stress
the competitive examination as against
a more extensive, more far-reaching
system of evaluation," the unions brief
sets forth in discussing the danger to
the present standards. Psychologists,
educators. efficiency experts agree that
the formal examination is of but little
value in determining the true worth
of an applicants personality and his
ability to deal with other people"
The brief points out that "a first
Al 81 al foe fA
At student prior to graduation" and
cites the fact that from 1924 to 1928,
inclusive, 10 per cent of the students
who enter the Wilson Normal School
we're eliminated prior to graGa2tion.
Citing graduation from the Washing
ton normal schools as better medium
of determining qualified teachers for
positions in the school system, the
unions brief declares that the outcome
of a formal examination is more of
matter of chance than the outcome of
q three-year training course" because
"a set examination can not take into
account temporary physical conditions
and cannot determine an applicants
wearing qualities"
Celebrating upon its declaration that
it is the universal custom for cities
maintaining normal schools to extend
appointment priority to their graduates,
the unions brief states that at pres
erlts- three -fourths of the graduates of
a State normal school are teaching
within the State in which they were
professionally trained. the State auto
matically certifying, without additional
competitive examination, those who
have been graduated from its own
training institutions" The IS per cent
restriction. the teachers contend In their
brief, would establish a heretofore I'M
known custom.
Pointing out the encouragement the
proposal would mete out to proSpec-
tive normal school students, the brief
points out that this restriction would
make the Washington Normal School
fail to grant its graduates the economic
protection that all other city normal
schools afford their graduates.
1t would be economically wiser for
the prospective teacher to receive her
training in an inferior two-year nor
NAL school, teach for one year with
practically no guidance or supervision
and enter the competitive examination.
offering as additional qualifications
teaching experience. which in fact
would In no sense be additional"
Local Normal School Praised.
Commenting upon the local normal
school, the brief declared it lis one of
the finest in the country" with "a5 per
',ents of its teachers college-trained
women, who have had years of prac-
teal experience in teaching and so
per cent of whom have done graduate
work in education"
Those who seek to bring outsiders
into Washington are in a paradoxical
position" the teachers contend: IF the
outsiders are not better than the ma
tives, then there is no excuse for favor
ing them. If the outsiders to be
brought here are of that higher group
which raises that States general status
almost to the present level of the Dis
trict of Columbia, then this rider to
the current appropriation bill seeks to
deny the several States the best trained
teachers each State may have, reducing
thereby the present relatively low per-
centage of professionally trained teach
ers in the several States, a practice
which would be far more unsocial than
any local priority clause now existing
If outsiders are to be incorporated
in the city system, well organized plan
OF teacher-exchange should be autho-
riZed. Such a plan is educationally
sound and is socially wise, as it penalties
none and aids ALL"
The. brief concludes with commenda-
ton of the suggested creation here of
normal college.
I'VE would welcome statutory meas
ure creating such college, positive
constructive statute. rather than a mega
tive. restrictive rider" the brief con-
cludes.