The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-01-24
CHAMBER TO PROBE
| SCHOOL QUESTION
Special Committee Meeting
Called for Tonight.
QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED
Queries Regarding Information Con-
tanned in Resolution of School
swered by Architect Ashford, but
He Denies Having Prepared Data.

| Inat the controversy arising lTOIn tlle
publication Of a resolution presented to
the committee on public schools of the
| Board of Trade for consideration, alleg-
| ing reckless waste of the school appropri-
atoms and attacking the dual control by
the Commissioners and the board of edu-
| cation has taken a serious aspect was
made apparent yesterday when special
meeting of the committee on public
schools of the Chamber Of Commerce
was called for tonight. While no definite
| information can be obtained as to just
what action the committee intends to
take, ii is certain that an investigation
by that body will result.
| Percival NJ Brown. chairman of the
| committee stated last night that II any
| Irregularities in the conduct of the school
/ system could be brought to light that
| immediate action should be taken to cor
rect them. Il do not think Mr.. Brown
said that the members of the board of
! education should be concerned by the
press without being given an opportunity
! to explain matters. So far as l can See. |
! nothing definite has been decided upon by |
| the Board of Trade. 1t would be unrea- !
sonable. of course. to take any action |
upon the statements made without first
thoroughly investigating them. Both the |
Board of Trade and the Chamber of Com |
merce have been in favor of the dual
system of controlling the schools he /,
continued, and l can see no reason for
change Of ideas at this time. L am GER |
| tain that the committee Will decide at its |
meeting tomorrow night TO Investigate |
| the matter.
Citizens Ask Question:.
/ The Rhode Island Avenue Suburban |
! Citizens Association yesterday sent a
| letter to Adds r. Browne, chairman OF
the committee on public schools of the
| Board of Trade. in which several ques- |
tons relative to the resolution presented
| to that committee for consideration were
requested answered \ copy of the let |
ter was presented to Snowden Ashford
| for consideration yesterday. He answered
the questions propounded by the associa- !
! ton without hesitancy. The letter, III
part. was as follows:
! 1t is seen by Saturdays Post that Mu- |
nicipal Architect Snowden Ashford has
! prepared i report to be submitted
| through your committee to the Board OF
| Trade, in which ne charges gross eN- /
| travasance in the conduct of the Wash |
| ington schools. traceable To the fact that
We have board of education lndepen- |
| dent of the Commissioners of the District !
| of Columbia. We seeking informa- |
! ton which would be reliable some of |
! the points enumerated by Mr.. Ashford. /
..F'irst-May We ask who erected the !
| school buildings cited in the article re-
| ferred to?
'Second-Who placed the heating !
plants in the buildings?
"Third-Did the board of education Sc
lect the type of plant for heating: |
.Fourth-Does the board Of education
purchase school furniture?
.Fifth-Does the bpard of education
condemn school furniture? If So, what
official of the board of education ordered !
over 5000 pieces of furniture destroyed?
'.Sixth-Where is the four-room build
ing that burns d ton of coal per day To-
Gated? With what sort of heating plant
is it equipped?
'.Seventh-Are the new buildings re-
ferred to in this report in the same To-
cality with the buildings with the vacant
seats mentioned?
Eighth-If so, would a board of school
visitors, as mentioned in the Presidents
message safeguard US against a repeu-
tom
Ashford Answers Queries.
Mr.. Ashford said that he denied having
prepared a report, as stated in the letter.
In answer to the first and second queS-
tons, he said that the inspector of build
ings erected the schools and installed the
heating plants, after the plans had been
passed upon by the board of education.
AS to the third question:. he said that
the board of education passed upon the
type OF heating. fourth, the board of ed
ucation does purchase the school furni-
ture; fifth, the board of education does
condemn school furniture by commit
tee under section five of the rules and
bylaws of the board of education, which
reads: The COMMITTEE on inspection and
disposal of unserviceable material shall
keep itself advised of the condition of all
school furniture, equipment. and mate
rials. 1t shall from time to time report
TO the board specific recommendations
looking TO the Improvement of said fur
niture and equipment and devise methods
for the prompt disposal of all worn out
materials of whatever kind Mr.. Ash
ford said that he understood that all I'M
serviceaLle material should, under the
law, be turned over to the property clerk
of the District of Columbia for disposal
In answer to the sixth question Mr..
Ashford said that the fOur-roOm school
building mentioned was the Reno School,
and that Il would be an impossibilty TO
burn a ton of coal day in that build
ing. The heating plant, he said. was
the same as that used in other school
buildings. In answer to the seventh
question ne said the buildings indicated
were scattered all over the city.
He said that in his opinion board of
school visitors would not be safe
guard against repetition AS to the last
question. Mr. Ashford said that it could
not be answered.
Adds B. Browne, chairman of the
committee on public schools of the Board
of Trade, yesterday stated that the news
paper interviews purporting to come
from the committee were not authorized
by him, and that much of this informa-
ton had not been presented to the COM
mittee. He said that he did not think
the committee should rush into public
print with a question that is being in
vestigated. Tomorrow evening has been
decided by the committee Of the Board