The Washington herald., 1907-09-27
QUESTION AWAITING ANSWER.
site and Money Rendy, Why Was Not
Mckinley school Extended

A gentleman who has made a study
Of school matters in the District. and
has kept in close touch with the pres
ent Mckinley Manual Training School
problem, yesterday expressed himself as
follows:
Considerable interest is being mani-
Tested by persons interested in the
school system over what appears to be
an iuexcusabIe neglect or the part, Of
some one. resulting in the deploTable con-
dltion at the Mckinley Manual Training
School. and deprwing some 300 pupils Of
the privilege Of taking that course OF
study which is essential 10 tit them for
their chosen life work. This IS the
principal topic of conversation to-day.
and thousands of people are inquiring,
At whose door does the fault lie?
1T Is the time-honored custom Of the
Commissioners TO transfer such responsi-
biHties TO the shoulders Of Congress.
with the statement that it failed to make
the necessary appropriation. despite the
efforts OF our three governors to obtain
IT, A brief review of the facts in con-
nection with the existing conditions at
the Mckinley School, however, proves
very interesting, as affOrding at least
one notable instance in which these gen
tlemen have not only failed to ask for
such appropriation as is needed but
have made no effort 10 avail themselves
Of an appropriation which has actually
been made.
Ground and Money Ready.
'-On June y. 1906, Congress. in the an
nual District appropriation bin. included
two items-one Of 5000 for the purchase
Of lot Is, square 44. adjoining the
Mckinley Manual Training School on
the south, and the other. OF $l55,000. for
the extension Of that school On July
Z. 1896. by deed from Flora c. Welch
10 the District Of Columbia, this ground
was purchased, but what has since been
done toward the extension Of the build
ing is not known. The act provides that
the plans and specifications for the
building shall be prepared under the su-
pervision Of the inspector Of buildings
Of the District OF Columbia, and ap-
proved by the Commissioners. and that
the building shall be constructed by the
Commissioners in conformity herewith,
The people of the District, and in
particular, the parents of the 300 chill
dren who are now being denied admit
tance TO the Mckinley School, would
ike to know II these plans and specih-
cations have been drawn, or II any ef-
fort has been made TO obtain them. II
so. what effort has been made? IL not,
why not?
Whatever the answer may be TO these
questions. it is certain that nothing has
been done in the way of constructing
the extension provided for by Congress.
and why not There are at least coo
very Indignant people here to-day who
are brought suddenly face to face with
the proposition that their children must
either abandon their chosen life work,
or devise some means Of obtaining the
necessary education at a private institu-
ton. And some twenty-five or thirty
thousand parents and their children are
also nquiring when the same conditions
will be applied to the other branches of
the local school system.
Urgency Clearly Apparent.
AT the beginning of the last scholastic
year the Mckinley School had 100 more
pupils than it could accommodate. and
the Business High School, located one
block away. was taxed to its capacity.
In order 10 accommodate the Mckinley
overflow the school authorities found it
necessary to provide for an equal num-
Der of Business pupils in the Eastern
High School So, it seems. the powers
charged with the erection OF the McKin-
ley addition cannot have been ignorant
of the pressing need for it, and there
appears to be considerable force in the
position Of those parents who contend
that their neglect under the circum-
stances is ineXcusable.
Can it be that the Commissioners
realized that this appropriation of $135, 900
was insufficient for the purpose? For
such now seems to be the fact. II so,
why did they not report that fact TO Con-
gress at its last session, and ask for a
larger appropriation?
''The principal Of the Business High
School, realizing conditions, recommended
to the superintendent of schools a year
ago that Congress be asked to appro-
PIRATE the sum Of $4,000 for an addition
TO that building. This recommendation
was approved by the superintendent, and
included by the board of education in
its estimates transmitted to the Commits
sioners, where it was stricken out. Why7
Had the Commissioners thought it |
worth while to acquaint themselves with