Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-24

again be urged to make this appropriation,
| as accommodations at this school are very
| inadequate, quite number of the pupils
| occupying rooms at the Central High
| School building Proper buildings for the
white and colored normal schools are also
needed.
THE board of education has asked in its
estimates for this year. appropriations for
| the erection OF eight new buildings on sites
now occupied by old and dilapidated struc-
lures.
Purchase of School Sites.
Recommendations are again made by
| your committee that land for school build
ings should be provided before the esti-
mates for buildings are made. Your COM
| mittee, in its last report, which was ap-
proved by the board of trade. recommended
an appropriation OF at least 100000 for
that purpose should be made instead of APP
propriating for the purchase of a site and
the erection of a building, and with the
alternative of accepting d site of INSULT
cient size and undesirable location and
cramped building, or of awaiting the future
action of Congress for larger appropria-
| ton.
| I'm It's estimates for the present year the
| board of education has asked for an appro-
| priation sufficient for the purchase of seven
suitable sites and the erection of buildings
| thereon.
| Recommendation is also made for the
| purchase of additional ground adjoining
| five older buildings for the purpose of their
| enlargement.
Increase of Salaries of Teachers.
ITO bring forth the best results, our edu-
ational Institutions should be conducted
on liberal, wise business principles. and on
lines as in commercial affairs. Your COM
mittee announces with regret. that several
of our experienced and efficient teachers
have resigned in order to accept positions
la other cities paying larger salaries.
The Commissioners of the District will
not embrace in their regular appropriation
bill an item for the increase of salaries OF
the teachers. They intend, however, in a
special bill. to ask for an adequate increase
of the teachers salaries, deeming that TO
be the better way than to include IL in the
general appropriation bill.
Night Schools.
There are now six night schools in the
District under the supervision of the board
of education. Sufficient appropriations
should be made to furnish ample accommo-
dations for all who apply for admission.
Your committee is glad to state that the
maximum age limit has been eliminated by
an act of last Congress.
Every encouragement should be given
those who have not had in their earlier lives
school facilities. and are now ambitious to
acquire such knowledge as they can not
obtain through the day hours of labor
Compulsory Education Law.
'Inasnuch as idleness and ignorance are
necessarily large number of criminals, 1t
would seem that to enforce education IN
some rationale and conservative way is the
duty OF the state. Many children grow up
in idleness, ignorance and vice because
proper means are not used to compel them
to go to school. If parents or guardians
fail in their duty the law should see that
they perform it. An effective compulsory
education law should be passed by all
means.
Your committee takes this opportunity
TO commend the excellent work done by
the public Fairgrounds committee during
the past season, and heartily recommends
that further appropriations be made Tor
the continuance OF this work.
lit also desires to commend the work OF
the children in their efforts to maintain
school gardens. The recent floral display
in the schools was beautiful one, and
much credit is due to the school authorities
and the Department of agriculture for en-
couraglng the chloren IN their WORK OF
cultivation
Under the auspices of the Washington
Board OF Trade, and conducted by its COM
mittee on public schools, exercises in com
memoration of Washington's birthday have
been. held for several years in the pubic
schools OF the District.
Codifcation of District Laws
The report of the special legal committee
on codification of the District laws, which
was adopted. was as follows:
mo important legislative changes have
been made during the year. Mindful of the
expressed desire that a proper municipal
code should be enacted. the committee has
conferred with the corporation counsel and
the directors of the District Bar Associa-
ton. The consensus of opinion was that,
while municipal code was desirable, the
difficulties attending its preparation would
be great; and its acceptance after enact
merit, without constant effort at amendment
and change to meet new and special condi-
tons developed from time to time, would
be extremely doubtful. = The committee
further found that the voluntary and eX-
tended labors bestowed by the members or
the bar in the preparation and enactment
os our present code of general law would
not be available in respect of municipal
code. The work would need to be done by
specially qualified persons employed ana
paid therefor The acceptance and APP
primarily with the District Commissioners.
il is the Judgment of the committee that
all the foregoing conditions impei the con-
clusion that a municipal code should hence
be prepared at public expense and by direct
approprfation from Congress, subject to the
control of the Commissioners, leaving the
Board of Trade the Bar Association and
other interested bodies free TO suggest In
matters of detail, but without the primary
obligation to formulate at private expense
an accountable draft of such a code.
at ia probable that a general incorpora-
tfon law for the District of Columbia Will
he proposed in the coming session of Con-
ersss designed to cover that entire sub
feet and to that important matter your
CON mittee will give full attention"
Report on Sewerage.
The report q the committees On sewerage.