Evening star., 1948-11-30
Aoreeinq on Something

AS noted in these columns yesterday
the section Of the strayer report just made
public adds little to the sum OF available
knowledge regarding local school needs.
It is corroborative rather than new eVl-
dence. 1t is helpful, in its precise handlng
of detail, in supporting the recommended
tions of the school authorities, the Com
missioners' long term building program
and the work of such citizen bodies as the
Board of Trade 1t has the value OF show
ing that outside consultants, taking fresh
view of local needs, agree in general with
the local people who have gone over the
same ground.
The big question now is what to DO
with the report. No city in the country
has been more thoroughly surveyed, from
stem to stern, than Washington. And
many of these surveys are now gathering
dust on the shelves set aside for such
documents. This particular study was
initiated by influential members OF the
Eightieth Congress who had reasonable
grounds for belief that they would be
equally influential in the Eighty first.
Their places in local affairs, however, Will
be filled by another set of gentlemen who
had little If anything to do with ordering
the survey. Their interest in its recon-
mendations, at least, will not be the same.
In the circumstances 1t would be an
excellent idea for the members OF the
Board of Education, the school authorities
and the Commissioners, the Municipal
Architect and the Budget Ofdcer, to fnd
a common meeting place in support OF
the surveys recommendations. Connicting
points of view are already in evidence. II
the survey is merely left for congressional
action, with the Commissioners agreeing
in part and disagreeing in part, and the
school authorities expressing comparable
differences with the Commissioners, we
shall be precisely back where we were IN
the beginning and nothing very much Will
be done about anything.
IF, on the other hand, the Commissioners
and the Board Of Education can bring to
Congress a jointly approved program,
based on the thorough investigation by
DR.. Strayer and his associates, leaving
aside the matters on which they cannot
agree, we are very apt to obtain con-
structive decisions in Congress-. 1t will be
most unfortunate If the survey is left to
shift for itself, with the school people
pulling one way and the Commissioners
another on which of it's controversial
details should be accepted or rejected.
The report points out that Washington
differs from other communities in that
the people here, the parents and the tax
payers, have no voice in deciding how best
to meet the problem of accumulated school
needs "Thus the voting citizen of Seattle,
San Diego, Miami or Portland, Maine,
exercises more control over the educational
welfare, health and safety of the children
and youth of the Nations Capital than do
the parents Of these children"
That is very true. But it is our children
who are affected by decisions to be made
1t is our money that will be spent. And
to guide the views of the representatives
of the voters in Seattle, San Diego, Miami
and Portland Maine, who will decide what
to do with the strayer report, it is neces-
sary that intelligent guidance be furnished
by the Commissioners and the school
authorities, and that they speak as one
voice for Washington in giving that advice.
If they merely air their disagreements,
Congress-, confused by the dispute, will do
nothing-unleSs it resolves the dilemma
by ordering another 100000 survey.
IT. l p,,~e:r