The Washington times., 1907-11-05
CONDUCT SCHOOL,
HURRY REPAIRS,
PLAN OF BOARD
The Commissioners and
Board of Education
Agree After Much
Discussion.

From a secret session Of two hours
/ between the three District Commission
ers and the Board Of Education at the
District building today. the following
results came:
The PetwOrth. Emery. and BeTret
schools will not be closed.
The Commissioners promised to ex-
pCdite 70 the greatest possible degree
al repairs and improvements Of school
| buildings as the need for them may
arise.
An agreement was reached that there
shall be no more correspondence be-
tween the subordinates Of the Board OF
Education and the subordirates of the
Commissioners, but all matters shall be
taken up in due form between the board
and the Commissioners.
And 1t was decided that the children
Of the Petworth School shall not be
housed in the basement rooms Of the
building II, after the basement has been
repaired. the Health officer shall pro-
nOUnce the rooms insanitary.
Before the secret conference began
there was some discussion whether il
should be open TO the public and the
press. Captain Oyster and the other
members Of the board present were glad
to have the reporters. present Com
missiOners West and Morrow aCceded to
the suggestion. But Commissioner Mac
farland thought IT best to have the pro-
csedlngs secret.
An instance OF the secrecy with which
tho consultation was held was the re-
fusA Of the District Commissioners TO
admit to the conference the committee
on schools from the Chamber Of Com
merce, consisting OF Fred G.. COldren
and Leftwich Sinclair. Trey appeared
at the District building. thinking they
might be OF help in discussing the mat
ter, but were told they would not be
admitted under any circumstances.
The members of the board present
were Chairman Oyster, Mrs. Mussey,
Mrs. Hill. and Mr.. HOTneT. Mr.. Hughes
was also present. The three Commits
siOners had neither Building Inspector
Ashford nor Health Officer Woodward
at the conference.
Engineer Commissioner Morrow took
up IN detail the situation at the three
schools, which the board had said IL
would close within thirty days unless
the repairs were completed He ex-
plained that all the plumbing and other
repairs was completed IN the Berret
School last Saturday evening.
Make Repairs.
OF the PetwOrth School, he explained
that the repairs would be complete
within a very few days. Some discus
sion then brought out the fact that the
board thinks it can rert quarters near
the school for the childr N who are now
housed in the basement rooms. There
fore IL the Health Officer thinks The
basement rooms unhealthy after the re-
pairs are made, the rented quarters will
in all probability be occUUied by the
basement room children the remainder
OF the session. Il this is not done. Com
missioner Morrow said; he may be able
10 move to the school yard the now un-
used small school building near the
Soldiers Home.
OF the Emery school. Commissioner
Morrow explained that the repairs there
have been about completed and that
they VIII be finished in very short
time
This statement about the three schools
cleared the situation TO a great extent
After further discussion the agreement
was reached that IL was a bad system
the subOrdinates OF the board
could communicate on important mat
teFs with the District officials or
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