Evening star., 1939-02-19
Quinn Is Cheered
As He Assai|s New
DC. School Plan
Educators Urged to
Heed Danger Of
Griffenhoeen Report

Close to 500 of the Districts public
school teachers and educators last
night roundly applauded Henry I.
Quinn when he made what probably
was his last public appearance as a
member of the Board of Education
and urged the danger" of the
Griffenhagen report be needed and
the movement to revamp the educa-
tional setup be resisted.
The manner in which the Educa-
ton Association of the District re-
ceived Mr.. Quinn's remarks left little
doubt that at least good portion
OF the public school systems per-
sonnel also opposes change that
would abolish or curtail the powers
.of the Board of Education.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Quinn's
address, made on the occasion of the
Education Associations 18th annual
mid-winter banquet at the Willard
Hotel, Hugh Stewart Smith, associa-
ton president, expressed confidence
that the teachers would back" Mr..
Quinn to the utmost.
Quinn Assails Report.
Mr.. Quinn. who announced Thurs
day he was reSigning from the Board
OF Education March l because he
felt he could do more for the school
board without having any official
connection with it, referred to the
Griffenhagen report as IAN effort to
do away with an autonomous school
board-a serious effort to change the
setup."
The principle of school board
autonomy goes back a long way"
he said. Some apparently think it
dates back to the horse -and buggy
days and ought to be streamlined.
But it is a principle of keeping
the schools independent and free
of the shifting sands. of politics
And in pursuit of that principle
public education is put at the very
top.
Are we in the District going to
sit idly by and see our independent
school system destroyed and have
schools placed under a department
OF education, and, although by re-
mote control perhaps, brought under
the domination of politics?"
Mentions Cost.
Mr.. Quinn didn't answer his own
question, but. instead it was at this
point that he called upon the ed
ucators present to heed this dan
ger and resist this movement"
Don't let anybody tell you" he
added. that the provision in the
report to bring schools under a de-
partment of education was casually
included. Did We pay $1,000 for
casual thought?" He referred 10
the cost of drafting of the Grifn
fenhagen report.
MIR. Quinn concluded by saying
re was intensely interested in the
school system and in maintaining
it. He said he is convinced the
present system is the best for the
District"
Prior to his speech Mr. Quinn, who
is a former president of the District
Ear Association, was presented with
floral tribute by the educators.
The presentation was made by Miss
A. Grace Lind, director of the Ma
tional Education Association.
Simpson Speaks.
Another speaker at the banquet
was George w. Simpson, Washing
ton correspondent of the Houston
Post and former president of the
National Press Cub He classified
newspapermen as educators in
sense and stated the newspapers
and radio are becoming more a part
of the Nations educational system.
The writer lauded the teachers as
working with clay and modelling
human beings"
A varied entertainment program
Included musical selections by Miss
Kathryn Latimer, Paul Garrett, Miss
Marjorie Hull, Capt. L. E. Manoly
and Miss Gertrude Walter; dancing
by pupils of the Madolin Smithson-
Hodgson School of Dance, and Sc
lections by the combined glee clubs
of George Washington University,
directed by DR.. Robert Howe Har-
mon and accompanied by Mrs. Grace
Ruble Harmon.