Evening star., 1953-05-24
Metropolitan Scene
Judges Job Of Picking Members
Of Education Board Isn't Easy
By John w. Thompson, Jr

Annually about this time,
the estimable judges of the
U. S. District Court for the
District of Columbia turn their
attention from felons to the
better folk of the community,
seeking some one who will do a
three-year stretch on the
Board of Education.
It's a task imposed on them
by a law of 1906 and one they
would like to evade. AS a rule,
a committee of the judges is
assigned the job of looking up
prospects to recommend to
the court. This year it's Judge
Kirkland heading a committee
which includes Judges Henry
Schweinhaut and Richmond
B. Keech. Under the system
of overlapping appointments.
three of the nine-member
board finish their terms each
year.
The theory behind vesting
the appointive power in their
honors was to keep it out of
the hands of the Commission
ers. Thus politics, which rid
died the system in those days,
would be kept out of the
schools. It was felt that
judges, being generally out
standing members of the COM
munity, would have access to
men and women of equal cali
ber for board service.
BY and large the system has
worked. There have been
some lemons. But the system
-appointive or elective
doesn't exist that can guaran-
tee positively that some foul
ball won't get in the game.
Under the law, three of the
nine members must be women.
Traditionally three are colored
and the three major faiths are
represented. 1t is within this
framework that the judges
have worked.
No Poy, Mostly Grief
The sort of people the courts
select often depends on whom
they can get. Consider that
the job pays nothing. 1t calls
for attendance at meetings by
day and frequent speaking or
handing out diplomas at night.
It promises a busy home phone
and offers no protection from
criticism by the public or
press. While some prestige in
evitably attaches, virtually the
only reward is in helping chart
a sound course for the future
citizens of Washington.
Finding qualified persons
willing to take on this obliga-
tion is anything but easy. The
people who want on are the
ones you don't want. Those
you want won't take it. Thus
there is a natural inclination
to reappoint those members
who will accept, unless there
has been large civic protest.
The trio winding up their
terms this summer are Vice
esident Albert Steinem,
Robert R. Faulkner, who is
finishing up the term of DR..
James A. Cannon, resigned,
and Mrs. Velma Williams, one
of the three colored members.
Of the three only Mr.. Faulk-
ner could reasonably be de-
Scribed as controversial. His
crime in the eyes of his crit
les is a tendency to look at the
fruits of modern education in
terms of the pies that mother
used to make. He longs for
the days of the little red
schoolhouse and the three RS,
when nobody had even heard
of television. much less thought
of having the school system
run a TV station. His critics
hope to see a new face in his
chair. Whether you agree
would depend on whether you
think somebody with that old
time education religion could
make a contribution toward
keeping the board train OF
thought on the track.
To date Judge Kirkland says
he has interviewed IS candi-
dates. At least one group is
pushing former Commissioner
F. Joseph Donohue. A posi-