Evening star., 1936-05-24
EDUCATION GROUP
OPPOSES BLANT0N
SCHOOL REVISION
Six Reasons Are Presented
for Opposition to Re-
organization.
CHARACTER TRAINING
EXPERIMENT INDORSED
Dual Control Proposal Is Termed
Inimical to Efficiency in
Operation.

Unanimous opposition TO Represent
ative Blanton's proposal to reorganize
the Board of Education and the pub
lie school system was voted by the
Education Association OF the District
at its annual meeting yesterday at the
Raleigh Hotel The association, COM
posed of teachers from all colleges and
schools in Washington, set up six rea-
sons for opposing the measure.
At the same time, the organization
Endorsed the character education ex-
pertinent in the public schools and
voted sits unqualified support of the
present Board of Education and DR..
Frank w. Bsllou, superintendent OF
schools.
The best interests of the school
children of Washington cannot be
served and will not be served If dual
board of control over the public
schools is set up," the resolution said,
'for it would result most certainly IN
the District Commissioners and the
Board of Education attempting to op-
crate the schools.
Dual Control Efficient.
Dual control of education is inimi-
cal to efficient operation-the most
effective systems are absolutely moe-
pendent of other departments or
executive administration.
The plan proposed by Mr.. Blanton
would give the Commissioners power
to control, countermand, revise. alter
veto and otherwise interfere with the
legal orders of the present Board OF
Education, thereby subjecting the
school system to complete political
control, which needs no proofs of its
evil effects.
THE District Commissioners al
ready have their strongest weapon
financial control.
The present law specifying that
the justices of the Supreme Court OF
the District appoint the members OF
the board gives full assurance Of the
desire to keep out political appoint
ment and control.
Further Injustice"
"The enactment into law Of the
proposal would appear to the people
of the entire country as a further
injustice to group of public-spirited
citizens already smarting and suffer-
ing from the injustices imposed upon
them by the unfortunate passage by
the Congress of the United States of
the red rider in the 1885 District
appropriation BILL
The resolution was offered by a
committee headed by Miss Helen E.
Samuel as chairman and including
Chester w. Holmes, S. M. Ely, Mrs.
Julia Lawless, DR.. Frances Butts and
Miss Julia Taliafero.
Miss A. Grace Lind, principal of the
Bancroft Elementary School, was elect
ed president of the association to
succeed Dr. e C. Higbie, who was
elected a member of the Executive
Committee. Other new officers chosen
were Hugh Stewart Smith. principal,
Jefferson Junior High School. vice
president: Karl Moser, teacher, Eliot
Junior High School, secretary-treas-
urer.
Constitution Revised.
The association also revised its con-
stitution to separate the offices of
secretary and treasurer, to create
delegate assembly and to change the
procedure in the annual election of
officers.
The new delegate assembly will be
composed OF one member from each
public school building. one member
from each private school organization
in the city and one from each educa-
tional association in the District.
The association also opposed the
proposed revision of the system of
rating teachers recently presented by
. special committee of public school
teachers. The proposed new plan
would create only four classified tions
for teachers and the Education Asso-
citation prefers five. The addition
would be to classify excellent" teach
ers and superior" teachers separately,
instead OF having them grouped to-
eether as better than average" as
recommended.
Preceding the business session, brief
addresses were made by Stephen
James, director of the Highway Edu-
cation Board, and DIR. Clyde M. Huber
OF the faculty Of Wilson Teachers