Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-19
TO PASS ON SCHOOLS
Three. Citizens Accept Maj.
M0rr0W'S Invitation.
COMMITTEE READY TO ACT
Appleton P. Clark, Jr., Chairman,
and Leon E. Dessez Is Associate.
TWO OTHERS WILL BE NAMED
Commissioner Assures Critic That
His Charge of Unfairness Was
Not Directed at Him.
COMMITTEE READY TO ACT
TWO OTHERS WILL BE NAMED

Engineer Commissioner Morrow an
nounced today that upon his invitation
Appleton P. Clark. jr., Leon E. Dessez
and James L. Parsons have agreed to
serve on a special committee to assume
the public burden of visiting the public
schools of Washington to determine their
safety and to suggest such improvements
as may be necessary.
Within the next day or so two more
prominent residents Of Washington will
be appointed to this committee.
When this examination has been COM
pleted, Commissioner Morrow Is convinced,
the public of Washington will be salts
fled that the thousands of children at
tending certain public schools are not
menacing their lives by SO doing. All
alarm over the safety of the schools will
be removed. he says.
Maj. Morrow's Declaration.
Maj. Morrow made the following state
ment today regarding the school condi-
tons:
Il note with considerable regret that
the attitude of the Engineer Commissioner
continues to be misconstrued by the Post.
The responsibility for the construction
and repair of our school buildings is on
the board of Commissioners to the extent
that funds are made available by Con-
gress. The work of carrying out these
constructions and repairs deVOlVeS large
ly on the Engineer Commissioner and,
under him, on the inspector of buildings
and the superintendent of repairs.
Even before the terrible accident in
Cleveland last spring, which resulted In
the loss of so many young lives. the queS-
ton Of the safety of children in the schools
had been regarded by us as of paramount
Importance. The question of tlreprOOhng
the building to save the building was a
minor matter, excepting as it contributed
to saving the children in case a fire start
ed during school hours. To this pur-
pose all our efforts have been concen-
trated for at least the year and halt In
which the engineer department has been
under my supervision.
Il do not care to enter into any further
controversy with the Washington Post
Il am asking a committee of five to as
sumo the public burden of going over as
many of our books as they cared TO, not SO
much with a view of informing the Com
missionerS of the defects that may exist,
as we have our own facilities for doing
this work. The committee. however, Will
be of such character that any SuggeS-
tons or recommendations 1t may make
will be of undoubted value to us In our
future work.
But my principal idea in requesting
these gentlemen to perform this real PUBIC
service is that their report may operate
as 1 am convinced that 1t Will-largely
to allay the fear that has been raised In
the public mind by such Warping of real
facts into sensational accounts as has
been the case in recent articles In this
journal.
Appleton P. Clark. jr.. has agreed to
accept the craftsmanship OF this BODY: l..
p Dessez and James l.. Parsons have
agreed to assist him. l shall ask one
other architect and one other builder,
both of whose names will be such as to
inspire the confidence of the public In
their report as will doubtless be the case
with the names of the three gentlemen
who have already accepted positions in
this task which will involve them In
considerable labor for which they can ex-
pect no reward except the public thanks
for a labor performed solely in the public
interest,"