Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-05
CRITICISM IS RED HOT
Lanqdon School Building Call
ed Monstrosity.
ALTERATION Is DEMANDED
Citizens Associations Committee
Prods Up Trouble.
DISTRICT OFFICIALS SCORED
Roast for Architect for Designing
worst Ever Structure-His
Name Asked For.
DISTRICT OFFICIALS SCORED

Declaring the Langdon School annex a
"monstrosity.' the Rhode Island Avenue
Suburban Citizens Association which
has taken the place of the East Brook-
land Citizens Association. has written
letters to District officials and to the
board of education protesting against sew
| eral features of the new building
The committee. writing in behalf of the
association. admits that it does not pro
pose to go on record accusing the
party or parties responsible for this
| building of knowing their business; asks
| if the architect confines himself to mon
strosities. or whether he has some real
work to his credit. and adds that 1t
agrees with a statement credited to the
District Commissioners that the exits
| might be thought of in case of panic
Congress May Hear of It.
The committee IS composed of Charles
L. Mendel Everett NJ. Pierce and S. 5.
Symons. In a letter to Capt. ]. F. Oys-
ter. president of the board of education,
the committee says:
THE Langdon School building is
farce
1.-The proof of the pudding is in the
eating. and likewise the proof of poor
judgment, IN the structure mentioned, Is
In the alterations. The exits put in are
two to a room in the center. and the
end rooms are without protection These
fire doors open out of closets or cloak
rooms and a hail. and. the Commits
SionerS say. They might be thought OF
in case of panic.
The changes are not satisfactory to
this association. We may have to take
this matter to Congress next session. and
we are sure this committee can get
hearing.
We will surely make life a burden for
some one until Langdon School. the only
one In this section of the city. is given
some thought at the District building"
Compliments Paid Chief Belt.
Complaining to Fire Chief w. T. Belt
of the exits of the new structure, the
committee says:
AN inspection of this building by this
committee shows there are two exits
provided for the two middle rooms and
these open out of dead closets cloak
rooms or hallway. This leaves the four
end rooms without any attention.
"Certainly If the exit proposition at the
Langdon School was anything but
farce. they should have been placed in
the rooms proper. If you pass the Lang
don School annex. it will. to our minds
show that you have no set standard Of
inspection.
But no doubt you have found that out. :"
The committee makes few pertinent
remarks to the District Commissioners In
letter under date OF June =. in which
ii says:
Under date of May % this committee
wrote you concerning your attempt to
shift the responsibility onto Congress for
what was intended as school building in
Langdon. We have not received reply
to this communication advising whether
or not you are giving the question OF
fireproof stairways consideration. Won't
you kindly let US hear from you?
Since your letter of May 10 has been
received the committee has inspected the
school building as we'll. as the dictionary.
We are agreed that you stated advisedly
that the emergency exits might be
thought of In case of panic.
Screed for Building Inspector.
Building Inspector Snowden Ashford
was not overlooked. To him the commit
tee wrote. In part:
This committee is in receipt of your
letter of June L. We beg to advise you
it is not at all clear to u.s. You state
the plans for the Langdon School do
provide for water in the building, and
yet you indicate that there is to be de-
Walton from the plans. Why? There
is no time like the present to erect this
building as 1t should be put up. and save
this matter being aired before Congress
at the next session.
The fact that alterations were made is
proof positive that mistakes occurred in
the District building, and our association
don't propose to go on record as accusing
the party or parties responsible for this
building of knowing their business.
''Inasmuch as this is a District of CO.
lumbia affair. would you mind giving this
association the name and address of the
architect OF the nonstrosity. equally as
we'll known the Langdon School an
mex? Would you also advise whether
or not this architect confines himself to
monstrosities or whether he has some real
work to his credit?
Apology Made to Office Boy.
I'VE have no doubt but what the arch
itect for this building was badly over
worked and had to leave some of the de-
tails to the office boy. But 1t also occurs
to us that we doing the Office boy an
injustice. We have some members In
our association who were raised on a farm
and have worked more or less with too.s,
but not one of them was ever guilty Of
doing a job like the Langdon School.
But as to water. Today one of the
rooms was supplied with two pitchers
full Of water and all took a turn. This
is modern indeed when water is Al the
corner and should be put in the building.
What can this committee say to its asso-
citation to the deviation from the
plans. If this building is not put in Dis
trict of Columbia standard shape you
will never be able to accuse the Rhode
Island Avenue Suburban Citizens Asso-
citation of being cutters