Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-08
NEEDS OF THE SCHOOLS
Conditions Considered by the
Board of Education.
new BUILDINGS, NEW SITES
Criticism of Municipal Architect
Snowden by President Oyster.
PROMOTIONS AND TRANSFERS
Other Changes Also Authorized.
Plans for the Coming Year
Under Consideration.

Behind closed doors the board of educa-
ton met yesterday afternoon at the
Franklin School building to consider the
financial needs of the public schools OF
the District for the next fiscal year. The
board did not fix the exact figures for
many of the school necessities, owing to
the fact that it is awaiting the receipt
from the District Commissioners of esti-
mates for carrying out certain projects In
the way of new buildings and new sites
1t is estimated that the projects which
were decided upon at the session yester-
day afternoon will call for an appropria-
ton from Congress next winter of APP
proximately $4,000. 900. The appropria-
lions for the public schools for the cur
rent fiscal year total $2,S00,OOO, which is
about % per cent of the total approprla-
tons for the District government.
In view of the provision in the last Dis
trict act that the estimates of the Com
missioners shall not exceed twice the Dis
trict revenues, and of the further fact
that the schools received 26 per cent of
the total appropriations for the current
fiscal year and those appropriations were
within the limit placed by Congress for
next year, the board decided that. to
meet the actual school needs, 1t should
submit estimates for a trifie larger ap-
preparation next year.
Quotation of Statistics.
In asking for even a larger proportion
of the total appropriations than the
schools received this year.. the board de-
cided yesterday that it was only asking
for what the schools need and no more
than is being spent in other large cities
where the public schools are efficiently
conducted. 1t was pointed out at the
board session yesterday afternoon, it Is
learned. that statistics of the federal bu-
reau of education show that many other
cities are spending even a larger percent
age of its total revenues for the public
educational institutions.
A table showing comparisons between
school expenditures in most of the large
cities of the country was presented to the
board yesterday afternoon. At the time the
tables were prepared Washington was
spending about % per cent of its revenues
for education. It now spends about % per
cent. Among the cities spending a larger
percentage of their revenues for education
than does Washington, as shown by the
table, are: Akron, which spends A. Ii per
cent Of its revenues for the schools. Wa
terbury, Conn. 1899; Scranton. Pa. 41.37;
Oakland. Cal. 1889; Wilkesbarre. Pa.
1874: Little Rock. Ark. 3S.41; Chicago.
1885; Des Moines. Iowa. 1868; Denver.
1898: Lancaster, Pa, 1851; Binghamton,
~ Y. 1928: Youngstown. Ohio. 1893;
Saginaw. Mich. 1897: Dayton. Ohio. 33.7 ;
Los Angeles. Cal. 1878; Lincoln. Neb..
1898: Salt Lake City. 1874: indianapolis.
70 10: Altoona. Pa. 80 a: Harrisburg Pa,
32.2: Erie, Pa, 31.12; Springfield. Ohio.
1922; Reading, Pa. D.7; Fort Wayne.
30.T; Grand Rapids, Mich. 29.42; Evans
Vile. Ind. 29.26; Wilmington. Del. 1922;
Columbus, Ohio. 29.7; Camden. N. j., 81:
Peoria. ILL.,. 1857; Portland. Ore. %: Tren-
ton, N. j., 27.79; Omaha, Neb., ZIG; Eiiz-
abeth. n. j., $3.50: Hartford, Conn.,, 26.45;
New Haven, Conn, 26. 35; Cleveland, 26.16.
In view of this showing for other cities.
the board felt that 1t should set forth, in
its estimates, the actual needs of the
schools. even though they called for APP
preparations for trif1e more than 26 per
cent, the proportion of the District APP
preparations the District schools received
this year.
List Of New Structures.
Among the big needs which the board
practically decided yesterday to ask Con-
gress to make appropriations for are:
Erection of a building for Normal
School No. 1. on site on Columbia
Heights already purchased, to cost about
$2IOOOO..
Site of about 400. 900 square feet north
of Florida avenue and west Of Georgia
avenue, for a new building for the Cen
trail High School
Site of about 100000 square feet, east Of
I'd street east. for new building for the
Eastern High School.
Site north of o street and between
North Capitol and 7th Streets and erec-
ton thereon of a new building for Normal
School No. 2.
Addition to tn Armstrong Manual
Training School. to cost approximately
$65. 600.
Completion of the Business High School
along the lines originally planned, the
cost of which has not been determined.
Purchase of site and erection of a
new building for. the NJ Street High
School near its present location.
While the board members were reticent
regarding their actions in the executive
session. it is learned through reliable
sources that all these large projects were
regarded at yesterdays session as neces-
sary to meet the immediate needs of the
schools
1t is learned that the board decided to
ask for other new buildings and sites to
relieve spresent crowded conditions and
provide for the needs OF the immediate
future.
Purchase of Sites.
Among the other projects which the
board considered yesterday, it is under
stood, are:
Purchase of a site north of street
and south of M street, west of 23d street
and east Of Rock creek, and the erection
thereon of 12-room building.
Purchase of additional ground, approx
mately 1900 square feet, near the Orr
School. and the erection thereon of a
four-room annex.
Purchase of additional ground about
$1,000 square feet. adjacent to the Ivy
City School, and the erection thereon of
a six-room building to replace the pres
ent structure.
Purchase of site west of the Soldiers
Home, east Of Sherman and New Hamp-
shire avenues, south of Rock Creek
Church road and north Of Girard street,
and the erection thereon of a twelve-room
building for which an appropriation has
already been made.
Erection OF six-room manual training
school buildings on the grounds of the
Jefferson and Cardozo schools.
Erection of four-room building at the
Fort Siocum school grounds.
Erection of an eight-room addition to
the Bowen School.
Erection of a twelve-room building on
the site west of eth street and north OF
Q street. for which site Congress has an
propriated the money.
Purchase of additional ground at LIST
and NJ streets. adjacent to the NJ Street
High School.
Equipment for additions to the Western
High School and the Mckinley Manual
Training School, for which additions
Congress has provided. and for an addi-