Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-12
SCHOOL MEDDL|NG'
HERE BY CONGRESS
IS HIT IN EDITORIAL
American Journal Declares
Catechizing of BaIIou
"Humiliating."
"YEARLY INTERFERENCE"
PREcIPITATES ATTACKS
Attitude of Lawmakers Flayed.
Extract From Hearing Cited
by Magazine.

The public school situation in Wash
ington, where the Board Of Education
must abide by dictates of the members
of the National Congress" in actual ad-
ministration of the schools, Is described
as "humiliating" by the American
School Board Journal, a 40-year-old
publication devoted to school system af-
fairs, with ofnces in New York, Milwau-
kee, Wis, and Chicago.
Having cited an example OF what it
terms the catechizing of the District of
Columbia's school officials like school
boys" the School Board Journal rec
ommends:
Let Congress tend to its own knit
ting, and let those professionally trained
run the schools"
City Heads Aid Schools.
The Journals editorial is entitled
Interference with the School Admin
istrative Service" It points out that in
recent years the relations between
School Boards and City Councils have
reached adjustments and understand
ings which make for equity and fair
ness. These improved relations deal
chiefly, the editorial asserts, with the
agreement that, while the City Coun-
els vote how much money shall be
spent on schools, the school authors
ties themselves determine how it Is to
be applied.
Referring to Washington, however,
the editorial characterized the situation
as "humiliating. 1t continues, in part:
Periodically, members of the District
Committee, or subcommittee thereof,
get on a rampage and want to know
why things are as they are. A Con-
gresham from Nebraska and another
from Mississippi, and still another from
Illinois, know exactly what Is the mat
ter with the schools of the District OF
Columbia. They have given ear to some
of the local school teachers regarding
the making out of reports and conse-
quently are well informed.
BalIou Questioned.
Or. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
of schools. and the president of the
Board of Education are called on the
carpet and catechiZed like schoolhoys.
Note this extract from the hearing:
Congressman wonder If we could
cut out few reports?
"'Supt. Ballou--I would abide by. the
decision of any person competent to
Judge the worth Of reports required by
teachers.
'Congressman-Then you eliminate
this committee.
; Supt. Ballou-If this committee will
Another Congressman--Then you
also eliminate the teachers who make
reports
"'Supt Ballou-Yes. sir.
Congressman: Then it gets to the
point where you and your staff are the
only ones competent to judgel
Another Congressman: To boil
down what you really believe, it is that
the function of Congress is to make
the appropriations and to have nothing
whatever to do with laying down the
policy for the administration Of the APP
propriation.'
Congress Law to Self.
"In BRIEF" the editorial continues,
"the members Of Congress hold to the
doctrine that school support implies
school control. City councils have long
ago surrendered that doctrine. They
are fully conscious of the fact that the
superintendent of schools knows more
about running the schools than do the
local aldermen.
But the National Congress is a law
unto itself. The ConRreSSmen from
tell even so distinguished an educator
as DR.. Frank w. Ballou where 10 get
of at when it comes to running the
schools Of the Capital CITY," CONTINUE
ing, the editorial concludes:
with an acknowledged educational
expert Of the DR.. Ballou type at the
head Of the school system, and with a
board of education made up of high
minded citizens, comes also assurance
that the schools Of Washington are in
excellent hands. It does not follow that,
If Congress appropriates the money for
the schools, it also Is competent to run
them. Let Congress tend to its own
knitting, and let those professionally
trained run the schools"