Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-19
Board of Education Adopts
"Compromise" on Plan to
Employ Non-ReSidentS.
BALLOU HOLDS DISTRICT
NEEDS OTHER EDUCATORS
Reports Partial Free Meal Survey
Indicates Situation Is Being
Pretty Well Cared for"

Washington teachers and teaching
principals will have to compete with
| out-of-town educators for appoint
ments to administrative principalshlps
in the public schools after July /, 1888:
This action was taken by the Board
of Education late yesterday as CON-
| promise" between Supt Frank w.
Ballou's proposal to admit out-of-town
persons to the examinations imme-
| diately and Henry L. Gilligan'S con-
tention that the tests be open only
| to members of the local school system
personnel.
At the same meeting DR.. Ballou adj
vised the board that incomplete re-
turns on the survey to determine the
extent of need of free meals for needy
public school children indicate the
situation is pretty well being taken
care of" at present. Reports had been
made by out of supervising princi-
pals of elementary school divisions, 10
out Of II junior high schools, out OF
senior high schools and Of the 4
vocational schools.
Holds Supply Exhausted.
The proposal to admit out-of-town
| educators to compete for the admin
| istrative principal positions was made
by DR.. Ballou at the boards meeting
two weeks ago. At the request of Mr..
1
delayed the two intervening weeks be-
| tween board meetings.
DR.. Ballou's contention is that the
| supply of teachers and teaching princi-
| pals possessing the necessary Qaulifica-
| tions-which have included, since June.
| 1929, a bachelor of arts degree-has
been exhausted. He pointed out that
an inadequate number OF candidates
| came out for the positions during the
4 CT making IL tn sock
| outside candidates to establish an ade-
| quate list of eligible prospective ap-
| pointees. He commended further that
competition with out-of-town candidates
would inspire local teachers to greater
efforts and higher degrees of preparation
and added that, qualifications being
equal, the women already in the system
would be given preference over strang-
| erS in the final appointments. BY way
o: illustration, DR.. Ballou cited the fact
that of the six colored candidates for
administrative positions during the past
year, only one qualified, despite the fact
that all six had the bachelor of arts
degree.
Sees Increase in Candidates.
Mr.. Gilligan, chief opponent of the
superintendent proposal, commended
that the reason an inadequats number
| of applicants for the administrative
principalships were found last year was
the fact that the bachelor of arts degree
was made requirement too recently
for an appreciate number of teachers
| lacking that degree to qualify for it.
He said he believed larger number of
candidates would come forward this
year If the outside competition were
delayed.
DR.. Ballou, speaking earnestly, told
| the board that he would be greatly
disappointed If this board takes an ac-
ton which would reserve for District of
Columbia teachers something they are
in position to earn
Mrs. Mary Mcneil, board member,
suggested that instead of admitting
outside candidates Immediately, the bar
be held up until July, 1888, by which
time the local Teachers Colleges would
be graduating only persons possessing
the minimum requirements and at
which time advanced requirements in
other positions would go into effect.
DR.. Ballous reply to this was the ex-
PLANTATION that he believes an INSULT
Gent number Of qualified local candi-
dates remain to fill the needs OF the
next two years.
Would Get Teachers Opinions.
Mr.. GiIligan supported Mrs. McNeill S
suggestion and in the course of his ar
guments in favor Of it asserted that, in
his opinion, the bachelor of arts degree
should not have been made a require
ment for administrative principals until
after the Teachers Colleges were gradu-
ating persons with that degree. He con-
tended further that the opinions OF the
teachers themselves should be gotten by
the School Board before proposed
changes of the sort recommended by DR..
Ballou should be made.
DR.. Abram Simon announced ne
would vote 'unqualifiedly for DR.. Bal
LOUIS proposal in this matter" contend
ing that the District school system lis
a victim of too much in-breeding" and
that the need of system was contact
with progressive educators OF the coun-
try at large.
DR.. H. Barrett Learned, acting presi-
dent of the board, agreed with DR..
Simon with respect to the "in-breed-
ing" He pointed out that during the
past five or six years, or since ne pc
came sufficiently acquainted with the
needs of the local schools. DR.. Ballou
has worked toward steady Improvement
of the Districts schools. The change
which the superintendent proposes at a.
this time, DR.. Leonard declared, is IN
lime with that improvement policy and.
he commended, involved no great danger
to local teachers. He admitted that no
doubt certain organizations and some
individuals objected to the changes, as
they had objected to most OF the
changes which already had been mace
for the ultimate good OF the local
school and school children.
DR.. Simon added that scarcely
single progressive measure mao peen
proposed by DR.. Ballou which had not
been opposed by unprogresSVe Hlol-
viduals and organizations"
Vote a to 3 for Delay.
The vote as finally cast was 4 to 8
in favor of the delay OF the OUTSIDE
competition. Those voting Tor the oe-
Law were Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle
MRS. McNeill. DR.. j. Hayden johnson
and Mr.. Gilligan, while those voting
against it were Dr. Simon, DR.. Learned
and Rev. F. I. A. Bennett.
on the recommendation of its Com
mittee on Buildings, Grounds and
Equipment the board voted to transfer
~fpupils of the Crippled Children School
: back to their old schools in cases where
!. they lived in isolated communities.
/; This action was necessary, 1t was eX-
| planned because of the near exhaustion
of the bus transportation funds for the
current year. A study OF the situation
revealed the fact that 1t would cost
. nearly ST 900 a year per pupil to pro-
vide bus transportation for these few
isolated children. The board agreed to
notify the KiwaniS Club Of its enforced
action so that that organization, a
! benefactor of crippled children, might
, offer some other remedial suggestions.
. nr na1lOll asked the hoard IN request