Evening star., 1932-03-17
RULING ON STUDENT
PLAYS CALLED FOR
BY SCHOOL BOARD
Members Withhold Official
Opinion on Child Labor
Amendment.
CONGRESS DECLARED
TO BE SOLE ARBITER
Ballou Says Dramatics Will Be
Stopped If Found to Be
Illegal.

When the legality of school dramatic
presentations in which boys and girls
are permitted to act on the school
auditorium stages after 7 pm. was
questioned at its meeting yesterday, the
Board of Education decided to ask the
corporation counsel for an opinion as
to whether the performances are in
violation of the child labor law.
The School Board also agreed to ex-
press no official opinion on the pro-
posed amendment to the child labor
law which would permit children to
appear on the professional stage in
the District. This action was based
on the contention that Congress alone
should determine the content OF the
law and that the board should not
put itself in the position OF passing on
the propriety of the amendment.
Henry Gilligan, chairman of the
boards Legislative Committee, recon-
mended that the board decline to state
an opinion on the amendment.
Inconsistency Charged.
At the same time, however, he ex-
pressed his personal approval of the
measure and, citing the opposition
which certain public school officials
had voiced for the amendment, he
charged the school authorities gen.
orally with inconsistency for allowing
school children to participate in school
plays.
That assertion" Dr. Ballou declared,
has been made several times before
and I now ask this board to undertake
to determine definitely whether these
school plays are in violation of the
child labor law"
Il am not asking that, doctor" Mr.
Gillingan replied, because I'm in favor
of the whole business. 1 approve the
school plays, and I approve the amend
ment which would let the professional
child actors play here
mo, but 1 am" DR.. Ballou returned
emphatically; Il am charged with re-
sponsibility for enforcing this law and
If we, in our schools, are violating it by
the school plays then want to know
told We are, then I'll issue an order at
once putting a stop to them
Gillingan said that he, as a lawyer,
had studied the child labor law and
that he was convinced it forbade even
school performances.
The report of the Legislative Com
mittee, recommending that the board
express no opinion on the proposed
amendment, was momentarily lost sight
of as individual members of the board
expressed their own views on the pend
ing legislation.
Other Views Expressed.
Mr.. Gilligan had said he was ready
to approve the amendment whenever
called upon to do So" He read letter
which Mrs Henry Grattan Doyle. a
member of his committee, had asked
l.. L. I,y
opposing the amendment, and express
ing the hope that the board itself would
oppose it.
George Whitwell, board member, said
he was against the measure because he
was convinced the board could not
satisfy itself within the 48 hours speci-
fed in the amendment that the child
actors moral, educational and health
interests were being Safeguarded.
Rev. F. I. A. Bennett also voiced dis
approval of the measure.
Rabbi Abram Simon, president OF the
school board, expressed himself as being
in favor of it.
IT am free to tell you" he said, ad-
ressing the board that I approve this
amendment. 1 am not at all carried
away by all these arguments. am not
carried away by talk Of exploitation OF
youth. I am not carried away by taik
Of opening the hoodgates OF cniio
labor"
No action was taken on the amend
ment itself Instead, the board voted
its approval Of the report submitted by
Mr. Gilligan's committee. That report
expressed only one view Of the amend
ment, and that was that the board
itself be not charged with the respon-
sibility of Judging the moral value OF
a performance in which minors appear,
should the amendment be passed.
Put Up to Congress.
"The Legislative Committee suggests"
the report asserted, "to the school boaro
that its function in regard to the chlld
labor act is properly to enforce 1t. we
believe the content of the act, and OF
any proposed amendment, should prop
erly be in the province Of Congress 10
determine, and the board should not
out itself, nor allow itself to be out, INTO
the position of passing on the proprlety
of this proposed amendment.
IF Congress should determine the
proposed amendment, in spirit, proper
one, we would recommend to the board
that it advise Congress, through the
Commissioners of the District of Co
lumbia, that our board should not De
given the duty OF determining WnetleL
any travelling theatrical production
employing minors is considered often
sive to public decency.
During the presentation Of his re-
port to the board, DR.. Ballou recon-
mended that two inspectors be employed
to assist Jere J. Crane, school business
manager, with the field work of his
Office. These inspectors, DR.. Ballou
suggested, would be per diem employees
paid out of the general repair fund.
The board approved the recommended
tion.
Hereafter, the dedications of new
school buildings will be official Board
of Education matters, the board ruled.
In setting up a policy governing these
exercises, the board agreed: l, all dedl-
cations shall be under School Board
auspices; 2, the chairmen of the exer-
cises shall be school officers; 8, chair
men shall be authorized to invite in
terested citizens to the exercises; 4,
dates of dedications shall be approved
by the School Board, and 5, the board
shall authorize one or more OF its
members to participate In dedicatory
exercises.