The evening times., 1899-04-22
LOOKING over Sites
FOR THE new SCHOOLS.
District Commissioners Visit
TakOma Park.
The Manual Training Building for
Colored Pupils.
Lively Dispute Over It's Location ON
Capitol Hill-Letter From
Superintendent Cook.

ihe District Commissioners spent yes
terday afternoon looking over the sites Of
fered for the proposed four-rcom school
building to be erected in Takoma Park.
During the tour particular attention was
paid TO tract of land containing five acres
which Thomas J. Fisher & Co. offered 10
sell to the District for 5000. One-half of
the plat could be bought by the District for
$1,000 or less proportion for cents per
foot.
Commissioner Ross, who has charge of
matters pertaining to schools, was favor
ably impressed with the tract and thinks
the District should purchase at least half
of it at the low figure quoted by the real
estate agents. After viewing the lot, how
ever. his associates said they differed with
him, and declined to favor its purchase.
One objection is said 10 be that ii is too
near the tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad and too far from most of the
houses at Takoma at the present time.
Mr.. Ross takes different view of the
matter. He maintains that the future OF
Takoma, as well as the present Of the
village should be considered and hat
lot should be selected which would be
most convenient for both present and fu-
ture needs.
No decision will be reached in the mat
ter for several days. Superintendent
Powell will be invited to confer with the
Commissioners on the subject and his
views may be instrumental in deciding the
question.
The Commissioners will spend the latter
part OF this afternoon viewing the sites
offered for the proposed 100000 manual
training school for the cOlored pupils OF
the city. A large number Of individual
property owners and real estate men lave
submitted proposals to sell the District
such a site, and the selection viii be one
OF the most difficult that the Commission
ers have been called upon to make for
long time. Added to this numerous col
ored citizens have petitioned the Commits
sioners to locate the school on Capitol
Hill. One of these petitions contains many
signatures and is accompanied by letter
from a prominent United States Sen n-tor
who had become interested in the matter.
Many persons have held that the school
should be located near the present Co!ored
High School. which is on NJ Street. east OF
New Jersey Avenue. This faction has
maintained that there is a certain connec-
tion between the work of the manual train
ing school and that of the Colored High
School. G. F. T. Cook. Superintendent of
the colored schools of the city, has written
10 the Commissioners, however, informing
them that there is no connection between
the work Of the two schools His letter
received today reads as follows:
In reply to yours Of the lith instant. ] have
The honor TO say that there will be close
connection between the High School and the
Manual Training School Pupils will be admit
ted TO il upon the completion of the eighth
grade course Allow TO present certain facts
in relative to the school enrolment, which may
serve in the selection Of the site. OF the enroll
incnt of this school population the per cent for
each section of the city is follows: North
west I'll: northeast. Z; southeast. II: southwest,
Is ] would also inform You that nearly IS per
cent Of the entire enrolment in schools on
the wesi side Of First Street west. and that
slightly than so per cent west OF Sixth
Street