The Washington herald., 1908-08-23


concerted and determined effort on
part OF the board OF education and
District Commissioners has been
I'd W the object Of procuring sufH-
apprcp cpr5arions from Congress 20
e absolutely 1rep-o0f every graded
high school building in the city OF
LilgrOn- The erection Of q new cen
hiFl school IS included in the plans
i'm The opening day Of the coming
=-- u year but q few weeks or. the
---.- OF education is doing all IN its
Ee-er % make safe the various school
la. .IrEs with the S5t171 appropriation
s-a-Jed BY Congress last year. after
request for SO so had been made by the
Commissicrers-
This amount OF money IS Inadequate TO
meet the needs OF the present situation,
according 10 the statements OF President
oyster. Of the board. and Commissioner
HTest
Beyond Reasonable Danger
The sum askez-s-11 1l1-was offered as
the lowest possible SUN needed % place
the buildings beyond any reasonable dan-
ger Because of tle failure or -l= House
10 allow The appropriation 20 81 through
-lEEestef. the safeguards tending 90
he Buildings o1c gf danger from sud-
uIlzes were c-- 90 less than one
% OF their original size
---e lie school buildings VIII not he
q ar The opening OF The year a most
gl- watch is % De kept on them %
r-. ea- any possibility o- a repetition OF
Co-Ilwo0G disaster. and in the
E-De the board o- e-rea-.17 with
Commissioners. intend seeking -Ee
~ Na=ls-Etgu.s citizens IN forcing
rrazz % provide "a SUM -la- VIII pre-
.e any chance Of sudden l-e-
rllr-sz50re- West decla-ls tie school
G.1Es OF Washington should be sub
% regulations as strict as those now
-r--e relative TO The erection OF thea
Especially. ne says. with regard %
Central High School. there IS q cry
need for q new and absolutely fire.
Of e[--Ce To- take The place OF the
lG.-z-
resident Oyster refers u The present
Hrru-il-5ru as totally Inadequate 10
=t the needs of the buildings and
scarcely sufficient O materially Increase
the safety ot The schools generally"
Indorsed by Mr. west
ION
unlssio1er West last night .-a movement
70 safeguard the lives Of the thousands
Of children in the District OF Columbia
who are attending school The ideal
Condition. 0F course. is 10 erect only 1re-
proof buildings. and there Is reason TO
believe that 50 far as future structures
ere concerned. this most desirable result
Fgiu be reached
During the last session Of Congress.
and as the result OF -le grea- Collin
wood disaster. the limit OF cost Of con
ze1p-l-eC buildings was increased. SO as
70 take -l=u out Of the -olE-a proof
class and believe and hope -la- when
ever other new school buildings are pro
posed IN the future. enough money VIII
be Appropriated 10 make them absolutely
safe This does not. however. meet the
entire situation There are school build
5Dgs in use III the District which have
been built FOR many years-vvere erected.
IN fact before modern ideas Of c0us-rUc-
zion pTevz5Ie6-aud these cannot De abau-
doned without seriously diminishing the
educational facilities which must De pro-
T5ded for the children
The condition Of these buildings was
made the subject Of official reports. after
Thorogg investigation. and these reports
were ~ turn made the basis OF an esti-
mate by the board OF education for an
appropriation OF S--l.1l1- The Commission
ers forwarded this estimate To Congress.
and it was allowed by the Senate com
11ittge-
IN conference. however. il was re-
GGceI 10 S1srl With this amount. SO
much less than The figure asked. the Com
-nlssioaers are doing all in their power 10
improve conditions
The present Central High School has
been built for more than twenty-five
yeas. and should be replaced by a struc-
Turs worthy Of the name Nothing can be
done. however in this regard suless Con
sress makes the necessary appropriation.
In the meantime I hope the necessity OF
making this building and all either school
buildings safe from danger by FIRE VIII be
sr-enuously urged and when .his result
shall have been reached there VIII be a
sense OF security on the part OF parents
which cannot now be universally felt
Capt. Oysters Opinion.
while We are doing all in our power
70 improve the school buildings with the
funds al hand" SAID President oyster.
'the sum granted us By Congress is man
lfestly Inadequate
The buildings were carefully gone over
last fail. and at that time an estimate
was made after close calculation that
would barely suffice TO bring all Of the
school buildings UP 10 the standard de-
sired
We are doing all We can with the
funds al our disposal and VIII be able 10
make uUc5-leeded improvements. But Il
IS necessary that a much larger fund be
furnished US # we are 10 accomplish the
needed innovations
The great necessity now IS a thorough
overhauiilS OF The larger school buildings.
and this cannot be done with the an
preparation granted Us by Congress last
session
The citizens OF Washington should
make it their business TO see that Con