Evening star., 1935-01-17
House Appropriations Group
Asks for Record of
Residence.
QUESTIONABLE DATA
is SOUGHT BY HOUSTON
Quiz Originated With Blanton.
Cannon to Get Answers,
Ballou Says.

A possible threat to the merit sys-
tenn in the selection of teachers in the
public schools of the District was seen
in a request from the House Subcom-
mittee on Appropriations for a record
of residence of all teachers at the
time they we're appointed to their
present positions.
At the regular meeting of the Board
Of Education at the Franklin School
Building yesterday afternoon, Charles
H. Houston asked DR.. Frank w.
Ballou, superintendent, the purpose of
a QUESTIONABLE now being circulated
among the teachers in the school
system.
DR.. Ballou explained that it was sent
out to gather data requested by
member of the committee, but that he
did not know why the information
was wanted. The QUESTIONABLE asked,
in addition to the legal residence of
teacher at the time of his appoint
ment, also record of degrees held
at that time, degrees earned subse-
quently and the colleges in which the
degrees were earned.
Request by Blanton.
While it was not brought out at the
meeting, it was learned that the re-
quest for information was made by
Representative Blanton, Democrat, of
Texas. DR.. Ballou said he would send
the answer to Chairman Cannon of
the subcommittee.
1t appears" Houston said, that the
request for information was designed
to accompany congressional action or
proposed action. I wonder if it has
anything to do with the Prettyman
bill. If that is the case, it seems that
they may anticipate making inroadS
into our system of appointing teach
ers. That raises the question shall
we appoint teachers only on a basis
OF merit or shall appointments be
made on quota basis?"
He pointed out that at the hearing
yesterday on the proposed bill at the
District Building, one of the Commits
sioners asked that even without a
quota system, whether it was not true
that most teachers actually are ap-
pointed from the District.
Houston also said that the fact it
would take considerable work to COM
pile the information requested, makes
it more significant
Prettyman Bill Hint.
George M. Whitwell also interpreted
the request as a possible forerunner
of the enactment of the Prettyman
bill, and asked if the superintendent
was obliged to reply. Ballou said he
assumed he was Henry Gilligan and
Mrs. Philip Sidney Smith both in
sisted that the superintendent had
no alternative.
Gilligan later suggested that DR..
Ballou inquire of Representative Blan-
ton just how ne intends to use the
information.
If he declines to tell u.s." Gilligan
said, that will give us more reason
to decline to answer the committees
questions in the future"
DR.. Ballou said he had already given
such information to the committee re-
garding teachers employed within the
last 80 months.
Gilligan suggested to DR.. Ballou that
hereafter he inform the board of any
requests for information from the
members of Congress.
Board Stand Approved.
Earlier in the meeting more than
a half dozen communications had been
received supporting the board in its
fight against the Commissioners pro-
posal to assume control of the school
board
At the request of Henry 1. Quinn,
the board called upon the Commission
ers for report on the present status
of the proposed purchase of a site for
the Jefferson Junior High School. DR..
Ballou explained that an appropria-
tion of 100000 made last year was no
longer in force since the money was
not spent in the allotted time and that
a proposal for Sl85,000 this year was
stricken from the 1886 budget by the
Budget Bureau.
DR.. Ballou also reported that en-
rollment in all schools on January 10,
1885. was 1916 more than on January
IL, 1884.