Evening star., 1935-03-15
EDUCATORS URGE
CHARACTER PLAN
CONTINUANCE HERE
Other Cities Watching D. c.
Experiment, Hearing on
Supply Bill Told.
LEADERS OF MANY
ORGANIZATIONS HEARD
Ballou Says Much Good Already
Accomplished-Senate Hearings
to Resume by Tuesday.

A strong plea for continuation of
the character education program
started in the local public schools this
year. was made today before the SEN
ate Subcommittee handling the 1886
District supply bill. by A group of
well-known educators, both of Wash
irgton and other cities.
The hearing was devoted entirely
to testimony on the character educa-
ton experiment. the estimates for
which were turned down by the House
when it passed the pending bill.
The Subcommittee is not expected
to resume hearings until Tuesday, at
which time District school officials
are expected to explain the need for
various other school items that were
left out of the bill in the House.
These amount to S252,OOO.
Sum Stricken Out.
Senator Copeland, Democrat OF New
York, obtained funds in the current
appropriation bill to begin the charac-
ter education experiment, but the
House struck from the estimates the
$4,000 required to continue the eX-
pertinent for another year.
Educators told the subcommittee
that teachers and school authorities
throughout the country are watching
with great interest the start made on
character education in the Washing
be 4 mistake to abandon the work
after one year. 1t was the view of
the experts that the innovation should
20 on for two more years.
Among those who appeared before
the subcommittee in support OF the
program we're: Prof. John A. Ran
dali, president of the Rochester
Athaneum and Mechanic Institute OF
Rochester. N. Y: Prof. Ben D. Wood,
professor in psychology at Columbia
University DR.. c. r. Mann, head OF
the American Council on Education;
DR.. Crabtree of the National Educa-
tional Association; DR.. Cloyd H. Mar
vim. president of George Washington
University. and Dr. Frank w. Ballou,
s,lperintendent Of District schools.
Opportunity for Child.
Two of the professors told the sub
committee that on a recent tour OF
the country they found educational
authorities watching results OF the
character education movement and
expressing the belief it offered an op-
portunity to improve the outlook OF
child onH noakp him
a better and more responsible citizen.
DR.. Ballou told the subcommittee
he thought much good has already
been accomplished in less than one
wear of the character experiment, and
it was the view of all the witnesses
that it should cover at least a three
year period.
Senator Copeland placed in the
record of the hearing resolutions from
many local organizations, in support
of restoring the character educa-
ton fund.
Four School Projects.
AS it came from the House. the bill
provides for only four school building
construction projects amounting to
$685. 900, which is S709,500 less than
the current appropriation for con-
struction and $4,000 below the
amount the Budget Bureau recon-
mended in January.
For all requirements of the school
system, the House bill contained a
total of S11,139,000, which is $252,759
less than the budget estimate. Besides
turning down the character education
item, the House also eliminated smaller
amounts for the operation of certain
mechanical training shops.
All of these budget estimates reject
ed by the House will be considered
by the Senate subcommittee next
week. District officials have also been
in communication recently with the
Budget Bureau regarding the need
for several supplemental school build
ing items amounting to about 1925 900,
but these have not yet been trans
mitted to Congress.