Evening star., 1935-01-10
Members Indorse 0pposi-
tion Expressed by Presi-
dent Johnson.
MORE POWER PROPOSED
FOR MEMBERS BY QUINN
Threat to Impartial Treatment
Of Negroes Is Feared by
Charles H. Houston.

unanimously indorsed the expressed
opposition of its president to the pro-
posed bill giving the District Com
miSsioners power to direct or veto
acts Of District boards or agencies.
The letter sent to the Commission
ers Monday by President Hayden
Johnson objecting to the measure on
the grounds it might lead to political
patronage in the school system was
heartily approved and individual board
members expressed strong individual
disapproval of the bill.
I'VE have been Supplicants Of the
Commissioners too long," said Henry
I. Quinn, board member. "It's about
time We put on counter offensive.
Let's put on drive for more power
for the board. If we had some real
say In the selection of school sites
and in the repair and maintenance
VI oNAAOOA DuiioAlSo, VIC NOuiu scL q
great deal more done and save money
for the citizens of the District"
DR.. johnson was authorized to
confer with the Commissioners with a
view to having the Board of Educa-
ton exempted from the sweeping pro-
visions of the proposed bill. Together
with the Legislative Committee. he
was assigned to be present at the pub
lie hearing the Commissioners plan
to hold on the measure sometime later
in the month.
Houston Sees Threat.
Charles H. Houston, member of the
board and dean of Howard University
Law School, saw in the proposed bill
threat to the impartial treatment
now accorded Negroes under the pres
ent school set-up.
Citing an editorial which pointed
out only the danger of political ap-
pointmentS in the school system. he
said:
"I want to place on record my op-
position to the bill from different
point of view. Negro citizens are
opposed to the bill because, fmda-
mentally. they do not believe they
will receive the same consideration
from the Commissioners which they
now receive under the administration
of the Board OF Education. ! call at
tention to the fact that under the
existing set-up, Negro citizens have
proportionate representation on the
Board of Education, and the Negro
schools, school officers and school
problems receive thoughtful considera-
ton from the board and all school
officials.
"But the record Of the Board Of
Commissioners is different. There Is
not a single Negro either. in any posi-
ton of major responsibility under the
direct control of the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia. Both
years I have been on the Board OF
Education, the District Repair Shop
which is under the Commissioners,
has delayed repair work on Negro
schools ordered for early Summer
until so late that the work could not
be completed before the opening OF
school, with the result that the school
programs were seriously interfered
with, and in some instances, the
schools were even forced to suspend
classes. The Board of Education has
repeatedly protested this delay to
the Commissioners, who have done
nothing about it.
Personally, am opposed to segre-
CATION, because a minority group never
has full equality of opportunity under
a segregated system. But our WASH
ington school system, as now set up,
represents the nearest approach to
equality of opportunity which this
country has seen and serves as a
model for all segregated systems the
country over.
Forecasts Race Protest.
IT am serving notice that any at
tempt to transfer ultimate control Of
Negro schools in the District OF
Columbia to an Indifferent, unsympa-
thetic Board of Commissioners will
meet with a storm of opposition
from Negro citizens throughout the
country
Quinn raised the question whether
the proposal of the bill at the time 1t
was first mentioned had any signifi-
canoe in relation to the recent an.
nouncement that Dr. Frank w. Bsllou,
superintendent of schools, was consid-
ering resigning and his office would
be open.
I'VE have here a system which
stands out in the country as free from
graft and political influence" said
George M. Whitwell. IT should think
the Commissioners would be interested
in preserving this"
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, vice
president of the board, pointed out
that future Boards of Commissioners
might not be so sympathetic as this
one to preserve the merit system in
the schools. She said she thought
the appointment of teachers should
be left definitely with the school
board, as a matter Of law.
DR.. Ballou presented to the board
a statement outlining the present
authority of the Board Of Commits
sioners and the Board of Education
over school matters.
The position of the Board Of Edu-
cation was backed up by the Advisory
Council of the District of Columbia
Public Schools. composed Of delegates
from all branches Of the school sys-
tenn, which met in Franklin School
Tuesday. It went on record opposing
any legislation which takes control Of
the school from the board.
Mrs. Hugh Meloy Chosen.
Mrs. Hugh Meloy has been elected
president Of the Women's Auxiliary
Of the Dental Society of the District