The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-10
M'KINLEY SCHOOL
NEEDS 100000
With Two Additions Fin
iShed, All Cannot Be
Accommodated.
COBBLESTONES
MAKE A BEDLAM
Rooms Needed For 1000 Pupils.
Large Appropriation Should Be
Obtained From ConsreSs.

-Four hundred thousand dollars for
extensions and the removal Of the anti
Quated cobblestones that have adorned
the streets adjacent for thirty years.
must be obtained before the overcrowd-
ell conditions and the noise, which
caused Miss Mary Plant 70 resign her
position in the Mckinley Manual Train
ing School. can be remedied. 1t Is the
purpose of the Board of Education TO
insist upon both when the estimates
are made I'D two months hence.
Principal George e Myers was armed
today with figures showing. as claimed
by Miss Plant. that even af-cr the pres
ent addition is completed in September
enA q subse lucnC addition is completed
q year hence, there will probably be
three or four hundred pupils for whom
there will be no accommodations and
who will have to study IN rented quar-
tiers.
As Mr.. Myers talked CT ,he difficulties
which beset the teaching force at the
Mckinley, the rUmbling OF the passing
teams within thlri- feet OF his office
windows made me use OF megaphOne
almost imperative. The Mckinley
School, for what purpose no one knows.
was erected just as close 10 the side
walks on Seventh stree and Rhode
Island avenue as was possible. It IS
the only school situated 50 near a public
thoroughfare.
Noise Makes Perfect Bedlam.
The cobbIestones and teams have
ratified for thirty years without remedy
and at tiTies the noise, when the win
dows have to be opened, amounts to per
feet bedlam. The board has decided 10
ask the Commissioners TO remove these
stones, 1 understand. and put down
asphalt" said Mr.. Myers.
Later, President oyster. OF the board.
confirmed this statement, saying that
such request would be made and that
the board would also probably ask for
100000 to build additions TO the McT<in-
ley school which will accommodate its
growth.
According to Mr.. Myers. 4O1 pupils Of
the Mckinley school were aCcOmmO-
dated in other buildings last year. Three
rooms were occupied in the Central
High School, four blocks distant; six
rented buildings, some Of them four
blocks distant and all poorly ventilated
maindeT- One OF these was a wholesale
liquor house. another a store, and the
others former residences.
Fourteen Cf the twenty-five classes
were mus pTONiucO lot OUT OF the NC
Kiniey building. although all classes had
to go to this building for manual in
struction." continued Mr.. Myers.
1T is these conditions that We're COM
planned of by Miss Plant as unbearable
and on account OF which she resigned
Wednesday. Miss Plant was one Of the
hest and most praiSewOTthy teachers in
the system.
Plans for Extension Drawn.
plans have been drawn for a fur
Their extension Of the building. provfd-
ed for in the last appropriation bill
This addition will cover all Of the avail
able ground now belonging 10 the
school.
However, II this second addition
were ready for use when school opens
in September, we should be obliged to
seat about 200 pupils outside the build
ing. BY the time this addition is ready
the number will probably have increas-
ed to 300 or 400 In fact. we shall then
be face 10 face with practically the
same crowded condition which has con-
fronted Us the past year
In view of this desperate need %
the Mckinley school, Il is clear that
every possible effort should be made TO
secure a large appropriation from Con-
Eress at It's coming session. for a fur
Their extension OF the building This ex-
tension should increase the capacity OF
the school 20 200 pupils, and should
cost, with the site. not less than 500 900.
7 have asked the board TO obtain fl and
understand they will make a hard ef-
fort TO do So"
Says Teaching Is Capable.
Principal Myers. however. corrected
today any impression that might have
been gained by the publication Of Miss
Plants letter. that good teaching was
impossible at the Mckinley School In
confirming the unfavorabIe conditions
pictured by the resigning teacher, Mr..
Myers said he did not try to convey.
as perhaps might be inferred by the
publication OF such confirmation, that
the teaching force was not doing capa-
bic work
u do not believe this" he said. Good
work, excellent work. has been done
in this school in the past and is being
done now The standing taken by our
graduates in the engineering schools at
Cornell. Lehigh. Columbia. University
Of Michigan. University of Pennsyl-
Vania, and other chronological institutes
young men gathered from the whole
country who recently passed the reve-
nue. cutter service examination. were
from the Mckinley School
Teachers Overcome Conditions.
Il VIII agree that the best work can
not be done as we are now situated
in fact that much better work might
be done under ideal conditions. but I do
not grant that good work is not being
done now. The teachers are working
harder than they ought to in order 10
do IL. but excellent work is being done
Notwithstanding unsatisfactory condi-
tions.
principals and teachers Of the Nc
Kinley school believe as Miss Plant
expressed In that part of her letter
published exclusively IN The Times. that
this IS the best type Of high school for
the American boy and girl. and. be-
lieving this. are working hard to make
the Mckinley the best OF its type.
The popularity OF the school has
made it impossible for the building TO
keep up with its growing attendance.
and for this reason the appropriation
Is urgently needed