Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-07


could not be questioned. They also rec
ommend an appropriation for the i'm
provement Of the lower part Of the Ana
costa river in connection with the Wash
1hgton harbor front and further ap-
preparation for the preparation of detailed
plans for the Improvement Of the Ana
costa basin above Massachusetts, avenue
Banks and Building Associations.
The Commissioners believe that the law
providing for the supervision Of savings
banks In the District of Columbia by the
controller of the currency. drafted for
the Commissioners in the Office of the
controller of the currency and enacted by
Congress upon their recommendation, has
proved valuable. but that 1t now should
be strengthened as has been recommend
ed by the controller of the currency and
the Commissioners. and that similar leg
islation should be enacted for the SUPER
vision Of building and loan associations
in the District of Columbia.
The most important interest In the Dis
trict of Columbia is public education, and
1t calls for the largest amount in the es
Inmates OF appropriations. After due de-
liberation the Commissioners recommend
ed practically all the estimates Of the
board of education for the next fiscal
year, the total amount so recommended
being $4.696340. The statutory increase
in the pay of the teachers and others In
the public schools has. OF course, largely
increased the school estimates But the
item for additional buildings and ground,
including an enlargement of old buildings
and grounds. calling for $2,21S,5OO Is the
chief cause for the large amount asked.
Probably this is largely due to the fact
that the estimates for public school build
ings and grounds have been cut every
/ year. in the past, so that the appropria-
/ tons have not kept pace with the growth
of the school, but have left large arrears
of work to be done In order to provide
for the future
In Extraordinary" Glass.
Now, this year as last it is necessary
to treat the large sum required as an ex-
traordinary expenditure. not to be classed
with the current expenditures under
which school buildings and grounds ap-
propriations have been heretofore classed.
Such a building program involving so
large an expenditure and benefiting the
future as we'll as the present cannot be
taken properly as current expenditure
to be paid out of the current revenues.
Not only should larger appropriations
have been made, but they should have
been made earlier than they have been
In the past. so as to obviate the otherwise
inevitable delay in securing suitable sites
and suitable plans within the limitations
of the appropriations. This limitation has
often compelled the rejection or reduc-
ton of bids for sites and buildings and
the alteration of plans, adding to the nee
essary delay, which ought not to have
occurred and which was diSadvantageOus
to the public schools.
During the past year special efforts
were made by the Commissioners and the
board of education to improve the condi-
ton Of the school buildings especially
with view to better protection against
the dangers of fire and panic and insan-
SYnn fo1
tions were made to Congress, particularly
at the last session, for appropriations for
this purpose, and a comparatively small
portion of the money asked was appro-
priated. and employed to the best ad-
vantage. Much still remains to be done
to carry out the recommendations of the
Commissioners, and 1t Is hoped that ia
vorable action will be taken at the COM
ing session. Further investigations made
by the Commissioners through experts ap-
pointed for the purpose have yielded re-
suits confirming and sustaining the state
ments made after the Investigations OF
last winter. An important argument for
the establishment Of the Office Of munic-
fpal architect recommended in the Com
missioners estimates. with a salary OF
So, 600 per annun, to have the supervision
Of the planning and construction and re-
pair of all municipal buildings. including
public schools was found in the necessity
for a large increase in the number OF
buildings an din the repairs and improve
ments to existing buildings required by
present conditions. During the fiscal
wear ending June, 1908, nine school build
ines were completed and progress has
been made upon three others authorized
by Congress. The total enrolment of
pupils last year was:
Day schools. ...................... 1902
Night schools. S6o4
Total. -.....sss..s.s.....'.. ot,V1S
Number Of teachers:
Day schools. 1,oS6
Night schools. 30
r,.., " 1851