Mr. NEWMAN. I should not say that as to this specific recommendation. I do not mind telling the committee very frankly that two years and a half ago, when it was proposed to have this municipal research, that they sent people to Washington to make a survey of the District of Columbia, for the purpose of establishing a model government, and the President sent for me and he suggested that instead of having an outside agency make any survey and investigation that we make the survey and investigation ourselves, the general purpose of which should be to improve, by centralization, the administration of the District government, and this program which we are submitting this year is the result of that two years and a half of study. Mr. RAGSDALE. In other words, the President recommended the course of procedure which you took, and as a result of following that course of procedure you made this recommendation? Mr. NEWMAN. We made this one recommendation. I want it very clearly understood that this matter which pertains to the schools is not specifically his recommendation. Mr. VINSON. Does he know you made the recommendation? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir. Mr. VINSON. And knows the contents of this bill? Mr. NEWMAN. I do not know that he knows the details. He knows the general purpose of the recommendation. Mr. RAGSDALE. If, of course, you know, what is his attitude toward it? Mr. NEWMAN. I do not know. Mr. JOHNSON. I saw something in the papers to the effect that Mr. Taft, while President, perhaps in a message to Congress, made a similar recommendation. Do you know whether or not that is correct? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir; that is true, either in 1910 or 1911. Mr. SYME. I have it right here, Mr. Johnson. It is very short. I can read it. Mr. JOHNSON. If there is no objection, read it, please. Mr. SYME. In President Taft's message to Congress, of December 6, 1910, under the heading "School system," he uses these words: I do not think the present control of the school system of Washington commends itself as a most efficient and economical and thorough instrument for the carrying on of public instruction. He then speaks of the expenses of the schools of Washington and submits a table and some deductions from that table, which are unnecessary to quote here. He then concludes his recommendations to Congress, with reference to the school system or any change in it, with these words: If I may say so, there seems to be a lack of definite plan in the expansion of the school system and erection of new buildings and proper economy in the use of these buildings that indicates the necessity for the concentration of control. All plans for improvement and expansion in the school system are with the school board, while the limitation of expenses is with the District Commissioners. I think it would be much better to put complete control and responsibility in the District Commissioners, and then provide a board of school visitors to be appointed by the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia or by the President from the different school districts of Washington, representing the local needs, which may make recommendations to the commissioners and to the superintendent of education, an educator of ability and experience, who should be an appointee of and responsible to the District Commissioners. Mr. NEWMAN. At the time of my interruption you asked me to state some of the things the President recommended. I stated one. I will be glad to state one or two other things if you care to have me do so. Mr. RAGSDALE. Very well. Mr. MAPES. That is not necessary. I do not think it is necessary to go into these recommendations unless some member of the committee wants it. Mr. RAGSDALE. I should like to know that. Mr. NEWMAN. He recommended the work which we are now doing in making valuation or valuations of public utilities of the District of Columbia. I had two very long conferences with him on that subject and we all agreed on the policy that while he recommended it and expressed his opinon we were in accord on the thing which was that we proceed as rapidly as possible to make those valuations; that we employ, to make those valuations, an expert who would be free from any possible connection with or control by any public utilities of the country, and we followed that recommendation and are just now concluding that work which, when it is concluded, will be the basis of making rates and establishing what we hope will be an improved service in all utilities of the District of Columbia. He recommended to us that should we Mr. MAPES. Is there an act of Congress providing for that? Mr. MAPES. And this is applied under that act? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir. He recommended to us that in the conduct of our police department we endeavor to do away with favoritism of any character; that all persons in the District be impartially and Mr. RAGSDALE (interposing). When I asked for those recommendations I only had reference to educational matters. Mr. NEWMAN. I wondered why you wanted those matters. Mr. RAGSDALE. I only referred to educational matters. These matters would not be germane here. Mr. NEWMAN. I do not think of anything further along that line. Now, broadly speaking, our reasons for recommending the change is that there shall be one agency rather than two agencies upon which the responsibility of conducting this school system is imposed. We do not object to the operation of the school system by a board of education, except-I think I might go at that in another way. The rule, in most cities, is the schools are conducted by an independent board of education. We have no quarrel with that system, where that is actually the fact, because in most of those cases the board is an independent agency; that is, independent of other municipal authorities. It usually has purchasing powers. That board imposes taxes, and raises money and expends money and conducts the whole school system. Mr. LLOYD. In that connection, is not the principal objection urged against the present system, the fact that the present board is an independent organization? Mr. NEWMAN. No, sir; it is not. It is partially independent, but not wholly independent. It would be much better, in our opinion, to take the whole job and give it to an independent board than it would to leave it divided between two independent boards. We would much rather have you take away the jurisdiction which the commissioners have and give it to the board which is actually independent, than to leave it in its divided form. [Applause.] As between the two agencies, we believe it is more logical to put it under the control of the District Commissioners. Mr. JOHNSON. The committee will have to ask those in the audience to desist from any expressions of approval or disapproval; or, in other words, the committee will have to insist upon the maintenance of order in the room. Those who do not comply with that will be asked to retire. Mr. RAGSDALE. In the answer to the question that you have just given, would one be justified in concluding, then, that the commissioners have no objection to a separate independent body being established to manage the schools of the District? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir; our position is this, that that system would be better than the present system. Mr. LLOYD. May I ask, at this point, if you are advised as to whether there is any method of getting rid of any member of the board, if that individual member or the board itself, should be guilty of any serious offenses against the law in any particular? Is there any opportunity to remove him? Mr. NEWMAN. I understand he can not be removed-that is, that he would go out only on the expiration of his term. In this case the appointing power does not have the power of removal. Mr. LLOYD. And no one else has the power? Mr. NEWMAN. No one else, of course. On that point here are those two boards, more or less independent of each other, and there is no authority for those boards to reconcile any differences thay may have or to coordinate their activities, except Congress. Mr. LLOYD. Let me follow up my question: Is there any authority now vested anywhere that would control the action of the commissioners? In other words, is there any power to remove the commissioners under the District law? Mr. NEWMAN. I do not think there is any question but that the President has power to remove. Mr. LLOYD. To appoint and power to remove? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes; I think so. Mr. RAGSDALE. His appointive power is subject to confirmation by the Senate? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir. Mr. LLOYD. That it is absolutely within the power of the President? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir Mr. LLOYD. He does not need the Senate to assist him? Mr. NEWMAN. No, sir. Now, getting back to the question of appointing teachers and officers of the school system. The commissioners are so very anxious not to have any discretionary authority in the performance of that, that I have prepared here a modification of the bill which is before you, which I want to leave with you as the suggestion of the commissioners. It has been produced as a result of further study of the question, and particularly because of the apparent apprehension of the teachers' friends and the teachers themselves that they will not be protected in their positions or that the appointment of the teachers will not be upon a professional or merit basis if this change is made. All that this modification does is to provide that the director of education shall be a professional person, a person skilled in this profession of teaching and skilled in conducting a school system. The wording which we suggest is this: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia are hereby authorized and empowered to appoint a competent, skilled, and expert person, who shall be a graduate of an established, recognized, and accredited normal school, college, or university, as director of education for the public schools of said district, who shall receive a compensation of $6,000 per annum (the same as the superintendent), and who shall be subject to removal from his office for inefficiency or for other cause satisfactory to the said commissioners, and from that action by them there shall be no appeal or review. It seems to us that it would be unthinkable that any board of commissioners should appoint as director of education or superintendent of the schools anyone not professionally competent to fill the position; but since this proposal of ours was made, that this change be made, a number of people, citizens of the District, have stated to me personally that their objection to this proposed change was that it might make it possible for the board of commissioners and they have always qualified it by saying not the present board, but some boards of commissioners in the future-to appoint some incompetent politician as director of education. It seems unthinkable to me that any board of commissioners would appoint to a position of this character anyone except a person qualified to discharge the duties; but in order to make assurance doubly sure on that, we suggest the incorporation of that language, that the board shall appoint a competent, skilled, and expert person, who shall be a graduate of an established, recognized, and accredited normal school, college, or university. Then we propose to place exclusively in the hands of that director of education the whole and complete power of appointment of all teachers, officers, and employees of the school system. The Commissioners do not want that authority. We believed when we submitted this legislation that there was hedged about that authority such restrictions as would make it practically a ministerial function. Mr. VINSON. That is practically the authority you possess now, is it not? Mr. NEWMAN. The appointments are made by the board of education on the recommendation of the superintendent. Now, we propose that all appointments of all teachers, officers, and of all employees of the whole school system be placed exclusively in the hands of this director of education. Mr. LLOYD. Must he name the school board? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir. Mr. LLOYD. And name the examiners? Mr. NEWMAN. The director will name the examiners. Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir. Mr. LLOYD. And the board of education? Mr. NEWMAN. No, sir; the commissioners will name the board of education. The first paragraph of this proposed bill is practically the same, merely abolishing the present position of superintendent and the present board of education. The director of education shall under the commissioners of the District of Columbia have the direction and supervision in all matters pertaining to the instruction in all 24804-16-2 the public schools of said District, and he shall perform such other and additional duties as may be required of him by the said commissioners, including the duties now imposed upon the superintendent of public schools by the act approved June eighth, nineteen hundred and six, entitled "An act providing for the compulsory education in the District of Columbia," and the act approved May twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and eight, entitled "An act to regulate the employment of child-labor in the District of Columbia.' All appointments, promotions, reductions, transfers, and removals of assistant directors of education, directors, supervising principals, principals, heads of departments, teachers, and all other employees of the schools of the District of Columbia, shall hereafter be made by the director of education. The position of white assistant superintendent for the white public schools shall hereafter be known as the white assistant director of education for the white schools, and the position of colored assistant superintendent for the colored public schools, shall hereafter be known as the colored assistant director of education for the colored schools; and the said assistant directors of education shall each receive a compensation of $3,000 per annum. That merely changes the titles of the officers now in existence. A teacher shall not be promoted from one class to another Mr. RAGSDALE (interposing). Just as a matter of information: You say there are a little over twice as many white children as colored children? Mr. NEWMAN. About 30 per cent colored. Mr. RAGSDALE. You devolve the same duties on each of these assistant superintendents. You provide one superintendent for twice as many white children. The colored assistant superintendent would have only about one-half as many children under him? Mr. NEWMAN. We took the current law in that respect. Mr. RAGSDALE. I ask if that is the fact, that you provide two assistant superintendents? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir; one for the white schools and one for the colored schools. Mr. RAGSDALE. Although you know there are twice as many white children as colored? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir. Mr. RAGSDALE. And then you pay them each a like salary? Mr. NEWMAN. Yes, sir; that is the present law. This merely changes the title and leaves the compensation the same as under rhe present law. A teacher shall not be promoted from one class to another, except by the director of education, upon the recommendation of the officer having direct supervision of said teacher, and in the case of colored teachers upon the additional recommendation of the colored assistant director of education. Teachers shall be promoted for superior work from group A to group B of class 6 only after oral and written examinations by the board of examiners upon recommendation as follows: All high and normal school teachers and teachers of the manual training schools upon the recommendation of their respective principals. No teacher, head of department, principal, or supervising principal shall be appointed to any position in the graded schools, high schools, manual training schools, or normal schools; and no director, assistant director, or teacher of special studies shall be appointed until he shall have passed an examination prescribed by the boards of examiners. No person without a degree from an accredited college, or a graduation certificate from an accredited normal school, such normal school graduate to have had at least five years of experience in a high school, shall hereafter be appointed to teach any academic or scientific studies in the normal, high, and manual training schools. This is the current law that I am reading now. This provision for examination shall not apply to teachers coming from the normal schools, or teachers being advanced from the different classes in the graded schools: Provided, That no teacher or officer in the service of the public schools of the District |