Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-08
Conditions in the Schools.

Conditions in the Schools.
"The class Of repair work we were then
getting was q disgrace to any community.
For a long time the board OF education
made complaints to the Commissioners,
with little results. The Commissioners
rested the case with the Engineer De-
partment, and We could get little salts
faction. Finally we told the Commits
sioners we would close the schools In
thirty days IL the proper repairs were not
made. Ashford refused positively to rem
edy the defects until the next year. but
when we took the stand we did the de-
fects were remedied in five days.
1.-THE schoolhouse commission vindicated
every claim we made, and also refer you
to the reports of the fire department and
the health department. II the reports of
the schoolhouse commission had been
made public l very much fear that a
great many parents would not have al
lowed their children to enter the schools"
Capt. Oyster made several compliment
airy remarks about Capt. Kelly, and told
OF the cooperation now existing between
him and the board OF education. Then,
reverting to the original subject. he said:
Take the health departments report on
the Van Ness building. The walls are
damp; there is poor light and poor venti-
lation. 1 refer you also to the fire chiefs
on the Ketcham school. Committees from
Congress have said the conditions are dis
graceful. Take the Deanwood School:
there was provided not a drop Of water
School: the sanitary conditions are bad.
Take the Langdon School; there was pro-
vided a six-room addition to the building
without way to get out Of those six
rooms except through the old building.
Who Is Responsible
WHO is responsible-the architect or
the inspector Of buildings?
Take the new buildings. Are they
built without inspection? No. The in
spector of buildings sees the plans, and
yet there are twenty-eight buildings out
of fifty without provision for ashpits or
coal vaults, and the coal and ashes are
dumped into the children's Fairgrounds
1t is a dangerous thing to indorse q prop
OsitiOn to advance a man who has passed
such plans as this. Remember. though.
am not making personal attack, and
hope that nothing have said can be con-
strued as SUCH"
Referred to Executive Committee.
Following Capt. Oysters remarks there
| was much discussion as to what should
be done with the resolution. 1t was
said that the Commissioners are holding
up any action on the appointment to the
Office of municipal architect in order to
hear from the Chamber of Commerce.
and it was finally decided that the ex-
| ecutive committee should pass upon the
| resolution and report to the board Of di-
| rectors at a special meeting to be held
| April IA.
Another matter affecting the schools
was a resolution adopted by the board
thanking Mr.. William B. Hoover, men,
| Der of the board Of education, for his
services. Mr.. Hoover may decline to
| expressed the hope that he would re-
| consider his determination in that re-
spect If he has already made one.
President GUIDE was authorized to ap-
point committee to represent the
Chamber of Commerce in connection
| with a committee from the Board Of
Trade in the arrangement of the details
Of the dinner to President Taft. The
| Oyster. Allen d. Albert. Arthur C. Moses
| and Edward b. Mclean. Mr. GUIDE is an
ex-oficiO member.
The Proposed Shoe Factory.
Arthur C. Moses. chairman Of the man,
ufacturers' committee. made an enthusiast
tic presentation Of the case of Charles ].
Green, the shoe manufacturer who wants
to start a factory in Washington. Mr..
Green's factory in Virginia was burned,
and he is anxious to organize here. and
has asked Washington to furnish half of
the $4,000 needed. An expert account
ant is examining the books of the concern
and the Chamber Of Commerce will hear
| from him before any definite action is
taken.
Another industry that is looking favor
ably upon Washington, as a home is the
Pittsburg Electric Vehicle Company.
| which makes q novel commercial vehicle,
and which claims to be able to show large
profits. The proposition will be consid-
cred further by the chamber.
Turning from business to play. B. F.
Saul proposed two-day trip for the
Chamber OF Commerce. He presented an
itinerary including Cape Henry and Rich
mond, and said that the trip would cost
each member about SIS. June ! was n2en-
4 NJ rkxio