Evening star., 1949-06-17

Changes in Home Rule
Bill 10 Keep Authority
The Board Of Education has
authorized School Supt. Hobart
NJ. Corning 70 ask for drastic
changes in the home rule bin now
pending In the House 70 prevent
the authority Of the School Board
from being curtaiied.
In o special poll Of the board
members yesterday. long list OF
objections to proposals in the bill.
which has been passed by the Sen
ate. got unanimous approval OF
the board. The board sidestepped
the question Of whether the School
Board should be elected. taking no
stand on that question.
Last year the Board OF Educa-
ton went on record as opposing
an elected school board.
Although the report Of DR..
Corning did not take q stand
on elected school boards. it did say
in discussing the filling Of vacan-
cies on the board that "the pres
ent method of filling vacanies by
appointment by the judges seems
entirely satisfactory" DR.. Corn
ins's report also stated the bills
method Of selecting board mem
bers was elaborate and expen-
sive' and "fraught with many
undesirable possibilities"
Would Have Less Power.
The report said the home rule
bill would leave the Board OF Edu-
cation with less authority than
lit had now. 1t pointed out that
under the home rule bill the
boards actions could be overrid-
den by action Of the City Council.
The proposed transfer OF the
enforcement of laws regulating
child labor to the Labor Depart
ment was objected to on the
grounds that 1t was so closely tied
i In with the compulsory school at
tendance law that 1t would be Diff
ficult to administer either law
separately.
The report objected TO the Ian
guage In the bill which would al
low the Board of Education to
give the school superintendent .
contract of up to three years. At
present. he Is given a three-year
contract. but the report said the
bill would allow shorter periods.
which was not desirable from an
administrative standpoint. The
proposal to remove the position
Of secretary Of the Board Of Edu-
cation from civil service and let
the secretary serve "at the pleas
ure" of the school board also was
opposed.
Rehabilitation Agency Opposed.
The proposed creation Of q
Commission on Vocational Re-
Mobilization was opposed because
1t would create an agency having
to do with one phase Of education
which was independent Of the
school board.
The report also criticized the
plan to pay Board Of Education
members $40 for each meeting at
tended.
"At the present time the public
service treeiy given places service
on the neArd on b very high plane
which u challenging to the people
who serve ON the board" the re-.
port stated.
The $40 payment "a too small To-
attract capable people to the
hoard and might be construed
thst the public service incentive
had been replaced In large mea-
sure by i money incentive, the re-
port stated.
The report also objected to the
proposed transfer Of non-teach-
ing personnel TO civil service. At
present such personnel are cover
ed by civil service regulations as
far as salary and retirement are
concerned. but the Board Of Edu.
cation can hire. fire and promote.
The bill would take this function
away from the board.
Nickel mines In North Ontario
are said to be the richest Of their