Evening star., 1936-09-13
Adequate Schools Measure
OF Comn,ur,ity's Personality
Mrs. Doyle Explains
Need of SI7,525, 6l9
Here During Com
ing Year.

BY MRS. HENRY GRATTAN DOYLE,
President. D. C. Board of Education.
community, like an individual.
~ has a definite personality, and
~ by it must be judged. Are its
n public buildings modern, fire.
proof, sanitary, well lighted, well Ven
tilated? Are its streets well paved.
clean, we'll lighted? Is its water pure?
Its sewage and garbage disposal sys-
TENS modern and efficient? Its police
and fire departments well equipped,
well ofhcered and manned, disciplined,
Of high morale and efficiency? Is its
milk and food supply guarded by
modern regulations? Has it health
department that adequately protects
the lives and health of its citizens?
How does it handle its delinquent or
underprivileged population? Are its
finances honestly and efficiently ad-
ministered, its taxes honestly and
efficiently assessed and collected under
a plan that distributes the tax burden
equitably throughout the community?
What is its attitude toward the health,
education and recreation of its chill
dren, its most precious asset? Upon
satisfactory or unsatisfactory answers
to these and like questions depends
the decision as to whether a given
community is progressive, responsive
to modern requirements-in short,
what we like to think of as an Amer
ican community-or backward, ig-
norantly or inefhciently administered,
Indifferent, unfit to live in.
All of the factors mentioned are
important in rendering our decision
as to the worth of q community.
None of them Is a clearer index of
the spirit Of its citizenry than the
communitys attitude toward its chill
dren-their health. their schooling,
their recreation. Is concern for the
children only matter of words, or is
it backed by deeds? Do citizens and
business men and taxpayers generally
give lip service to the ideals of ade-
quate health services, adequate
schools. adequate recreation for their
own children and those of their
neighbors and then grumble and whine
about the cost involved? Or do they
consider the money well invested and
insist only that it be efficiently spent
under careful plans formulated by
recognized experts? Just as parents
who skimp in providing for the
health, welfare and schooling of their
children in order that they may
themselves have more ease, more
amusements. more freedom from anx-
iety are unworthy pare S. so com.
munity which skimps its health, edu-
cational and welfare programs for
children in favor of non-essential or
less fundamental needs is an un-
worthy community, an un-American
community.
Interest in Schools.
The citizens of Washington have
always shown q keen interest in the
public school system and have all
ways maintained, first, that the chill
dren of Washington should have
well equipped, well lighted. well ven
tilated, well heated, clean, sanitary
and safe; and, second, that the school
system should be manned by sufh-
cient number Of well-trained teach
ers to insure efficient class room train
ing. During the past year an as
semblage of over 800 citizens repre-
sentative OF all sections Of our COM
munity came to a meeting called by
the Board of Education to discuss
the needs of the public school sys-
tenn, both immediate needs and those
involved in planning for the future.
Again and again stress was laid by
these representative citizens upon the
two prime needs of our schools-teach-
ers and buildings. Their support Tor
an immediate and long-range pro-
gram to meet those needs was clearly
manifested.
The Board of Education and the
school ofiicials join with other citi-
zens Of the District in the desire to
have suf1cient funds available for
employment Of additional teachers in
order to reduce the size Of classes now
too large for adequate teaching. as
well as for the replacement of out
worn schools and the purchase -oi
land on which to erect new schools n
fast-growing communities. Prudent
anticipation Of eo3ins nssds y only