Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-19
Trade Board Critics

OF Trade figures that the
District can afford not to
aim at q pupil-teacher ratio
Of SOL In It's elementary
schools.
Do these businessmen re-
alize that the ratio in ada
cent communities is lower
than that of our city? For
instance, Arlington's ratio is
2s.2: Alexandria, 28.4: Prince
Georges County. 28.S; Falls
Church, 30.7; and Mont
gomery County, 3l.3 (com-
pared with the D. c. ratio
df 33.D.
Does the Board Of Trade
wish to promote the exodus
Of taxpaying families to the
suburbs-at the same time
that the city is struggling
with an influx OF low-income
families?
According TO The Star,
the boards president says the
board is very definitely in
terested in" education. but
wants to know where the
money is coming from"
The answer is to demand
that the Federal Govern
ment stop being a parasite
on the voteless citizens of
Washington. Uncle Sam. who
occupies about 43 per cent
OF our land tax free and
requires special services Of
US as his capital, has been
paying only about one-eighth
of the cost OF city govern
ment in recent years.
The law which imposed
the commission form of
government temporarily" on
us in 1874 said the United
States should pay one half
the cost OF D. c. government.
And until 1921. 1t did.
The Board OF Trade should
insist that the Federal Gov
eminent. our major industry,
pay its fair share. Other
businesses must.
Velma w. Burke.
Editors note: The Board
OF Trade has insisted" and
"reinsisted." 1t would ap-
preciate any advice as to how
to induce Congress TO COM
ply
Washington can depend
upon its Board OF Trade to
assemble and disseminate
pertinent facts in the case
for a higher Federal payment
to the District Of Columbia.
The pamphlet used at the
recent congressional hearings
is an excellent compilation Of
tax comparisons. population
and business trends. How
ever. the board has never
supported the claims for a
borrowing program and for a
fairer Federal payment by
championing the city's great
est needs. Recently this has
been clearly portrayed by the
boards action in regard to
public education.
First came the fuzzy lump
ing together Of smaller classes
for elementary schools with
other extensions and refine
ments" to be put aside until
the District has met the basic
requirements OF a first-rate
elementary and secondary
school system" How the
schools can meet the require
ments OF a first-rate school
system without the promise
OF smaller classes is the ques-
ton. Second. is the rather
equivocal abandonment Of
the d. c. Teachers College.
Doubts about the graduate
program are not unfounded
at this moment, but one de-
tects in the boards statement
an attitude Of washing the
hands OF the whole affair.
This is disappointing in view
OF the Districts lack of pub
licly supported facilities for
education beyond the high
school, and in the face of the
growing need for such facil-
tiles. 1t is disappointing. too,
because, as in every COM
munity across America,
improvement of the education
system needs more contruc-
tive effort than Just lip-serv-
ice from such organizations
as the Board Of Trade.
Mrs. Daniel Stevens.
Editors note: The Board
OF Trade has urged that the
30 TO / pupil-teacher goal
be set aside until the District
meets basic requirements of
a first-rate elementary and
secondary school system. As
for the broader charge In
the letter that the Board of
Trade has never supported
the claims for q borrowing
program" the boeM only