Evening star., 1949-03-06
Teachers Buy
School Supplies,
Report Reveals
They Spend s. to $50
Of Salaries Yearly,
DR.. Stroyer Says
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

1cdCIlcIS Ill tIl6 OlSUTlCI public
schools spend from So to $50 a
year out of their own pockets for
Institutional materials needed in
the schools. the report of DR..
George D. Strayer has disclosed.
DR.. Strayer's report. which calls
for a vastly revised school system
with more emphasis on education
and less on administrative req
tape, now is before the House and
Senate Appropriations Commit
tees. The 2.000-page report was
prepared after a survey by DR..
Strayer and % other top educa-
tion figures at the request of Con-
greSS.
The report criticizes as "especi-
ally shortsighted" the situation
that forces teachers to spend their
own money for supplies. 1t pointed
out that the practice is not par
ticular to schools here, but that,
1t is done on a larger scale here
than elsewhere. School officials
recognized this evil and pointed
it out at hearings on the school
budget this year before the House
Appropriations Committee.
Red Tape Is Criticized.
Accusing the schools of being
permeated from top to bottom
with an unhealthy emphasis" on
administrative detail and red tape,
the report discloses that in some
schools there is only one copy of
spelling books available for the
teacher with none for the pupils.
In short supply are dictionaries,
encyclopedias, reference books.
maps. globes and charts. Some
maps and globes are out of date
and should be discarded as the
children get only misinforma-
ton"
The materials situation is seri-
Gus in the elementary schools and
needs immediate attention" the
report said. 1T is not fair to
permit teachers to purchase from
their own funds needed materials.
The practice speaks we'll of the
generous impulses of the teachers
but poorly of the management OF
the essential tools of instruction.
Changes Recommended.
DR.. Strayer recommended a
complete reorganization of the
Board of Education's operating
procedures as well as changes in
the top administrative setup.
These changes would "revitalize"
teaching practices and lift from
top officials an "ovs'whelming"
amount of unnecessary work.
The report recommended nearly
$38, 900 900 in immediate construc-
ton and the addition of about
$4,00o,0o to the current operating
budget of the schools. Much OF
this the Board of Education and
School Supt. Hobart M. Corning
have recommended themselves in
the past.
The report stated that about 18
per cent of the elementary schools
are doing ~poor job; junior and
senior high schools as well as the
vocational high schools present
favorable picture; while the two
teachers colleges here have a
severely limited" program which
leaves them unable adequately to
prepare teachers.
More Classrooms Needed.
Badly needed are more class
rooms, higher pay for teachers.
reduced size of classes, teacher
sick leave plan, a central cafeteria
department, many things of a
physical nature, DR.. Strayer point
ed out.
DR.. Strayer accused the Board
of Education of hampering school
officials and taking from DR.. Cor
ming to an unfortunate degree"
his administrative responsibilities.
He said the board wastes time and
effort on little details which should
be handled administratively in
stead Of settling policy.
The concern for administrative
detail seems to "have become in
fectious and permeateS the school
system at every level" the report
charged. adding that this defeats
full and complete functioning of
the educational program as a
whole.
DR.. Strayer sketched this picture
OF the elementary schools here:
Superior work is being done by
10 per cent; SO per cent are good;
27 per cent are only fair while
18 per cent are poor. Physical
conditions over which the teach
ers had no control were not
charged against them. These
figures give a picture of just what
kind of schooling is being offered.
Principals Praised.
DR.. Strayer said he felt the
school principals had succeeded
in developing a great many supe-
rior schools, sometimes under diff
ficult conditions.
DR.. Strayer said that seldom
have the usual responsibilities of
the elementary school principal
been taken away so completely
as in the schools here. They are
"short- t-circuited" by the divisional
directors who have the final say.
High school principals deal with
administrative detail and the su-
pervisory function is an incident
al matter" Junior high school
principals, on the other hand.
give considerable attention to cur
riculum and instruction.
The report recommended that
the School Board abolish its COM
mittee system and operate as a
committee of the whole" with
policy matters only on its docket.
DR.. Corning should be given
full administrative responsibility