Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-28
POLITICS DICTATED
SCHOOLS, CHARGE
Maj. Peyser, Former Board
Member, Urges Elective
Selection.

The charge that political cliques
dictated appointments to the Board of
Education while Chief Justice Mccoy
YVES on the bench" was made last night
by Mai Julius ]. Peyser, a former
member of the Board of Education,
testifying at a hearing before the sub
committee on education of the House
District committee, considering the
Zihlman bill for an elective school
board He added:
Some other agency for selecting
members of the board would be prefer
able to the present system of appoint
ment by the District Supreme Court.
Eighty per cent of the residents of
the National Capital are in favor of an
elective school board.
The school board should be COM
posed of parents rather than educators,
and should be responsible to the resi-
dents of Washington.
LAS a taxpayer / am VIKING 10 paw
more taxes to enjoy such privilege as
helping to select those who have charge
of our school system
Room Crowded.
The committee room was crowded
throughout the hearing by representa-
tives of many civic groups and tax
r,avers. Mai. Peyser asserted that divers
school board appointments from an ex-
elusive group. while the pleas. COM
plaintS and interests of the rank ana
sle of citizens have been disregarded.
Some of these charges were repeated
bv John B. Colpoys. editor of the Trade
Unionist. speaking as representative OF
the Central Labor Union, who heartily
Endorsed the elective school board DILL
Mr.. Colpoys argued that there are too
49, ~,
school curriculum. He urged as one OF
the greatest possible corrective tnflu-
ences having parents rather than edu-
Gators or "faddists" on the school board.
He suggested that special joint COM
rnittee of the House and Senate 1nvest-
gate the need for such legislation and
declared that the pople for whom he Is
spokesman will abide by the decision OF
such a joint committee.
The Reid subcommittee on education
voted to report favorably the Shot
bill amending the school teachers re-
ttreYnent act so as to make it apply to
all teachers in the District schools in
June, 1926; all those receiving annuities
under the act of 1920 and all who on
account of illness or other disability
resigned or were retired on or before
June /, 1919, If otherwise eligible.
Unions Indorse Reid Bill.
The Reid bill to place trade schools
on a par with junior high schools and
teachers salaries accordingly was
strongly Endorsed by representatives OF
the Central Labor Union. The present
scale of salaries is too low to attract
experienced tradesmen to the schools,
these witnesses testified and accord
ingly the pupils are not given the type
of training that will be of practical
value to them
No objection was made by the sub
committee to the Palmer bill, which
proposes to allow payment of back sal
aries to 10 assistant directors in COL
ored schools, after two witnesses had
been heard.
The hearing on the elective school
board bill was continued until next
Tuesday night at 8 o'clock by Acting
Chairman Beers when Mrs. William T.
Bannerman. chairman of a joint COM
ritttee organized to secure passage of
this measure, announced that she de-
sired to present other witnesses.