The Washington times., 1912-05-24
CONGRESS TO RULE
ON USE OF SCHOOLS
AS SOCIAL CENTERS
Effort Will Be Made for
Provision In Appro-
priation Bill.

''The schools should be used as social
centers, but all activities In them should
be under the control of the Board Of
Education and any purpose for which
they are used should be broadly educa-
tional." ..-
So declared Superintendent Davidson
at a meeting of the board, where was
read a letter from the Corporation Coun-
sci OF the District. which said that as
the law stands now the school buildings
may not be used at all except as
schools. It was decided that Henry p.
Blair of the board and the superintend-
ent draft a resolution to be embodied In
the appropriation bill, If possible to get
Congress to put 1t there.
Mr.. Blair suggested that IL might be
well to instruct himself and the SUPER
intendent just what the board wanted
enacted and after lengthy discussion. II
was decided to ask Congress to leave
the use of the buildings to the board
and let 1t go at that.
I'VE are 100 years behind other cities
In the use. of the schools as social CEN
ters," said Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey,
"and something ought to be DONE"
Davidson's View.
DR.. Davidson. in response to inquiry,
said he was In favor of limiting the use
of school buildings to organizat ations or
institutions under school control"
Would you let Boy Scouts use the
buildings for their meetings"
School Boy Scouts" replied the su-
perintendent.
Some difference OF opinion was mani
Tested, several members saying they
thought that citizens associations ought
TO be allowed the use of the schools. DR..
Davidson backed up his position by re-
terr1ng to the experience of Rochester,
n. Y, In wide open movement, and to
the annual. report of the National Edu-
cation Association. -
We'll. anyhow" said President Oys-
ter, there IS no assurance that Con-
shall use the buildings"
That's only too true" sighed the 9TH
er members in chorus and the subject
was dropped.
Cadets Win.
The case of ]. P. Eckert and I. Frank,
the Mckinley Manual cadets who lost
promotions in military rank through al
legged unfairness. came up once more be-
fore the board on votes to approve or
dissapprove the minority and majority
reports OF the committee on military af-
fairs.
The majority report was sustained by
a narrow margin and the two cadets
now. have. what satisfaction they can
get out OF that document, which praises
their scholarship and character and de-
clares their loss of commissions due ito
misunderstanding" The minority re-
port declares that on the face of the
evlosnce "unfairness" was shown them.
r. r; Horner led the contest in their
pehalf, but was beaten 4 to 3.
The board referred TO the superintend-
ent q petition from the w. G. T. u. of
the District, signed by Mrs. Anna Shell
ton, asking that one or two teachers of
Temperance and purity be assigned to
the schools next fall.
Two teachers would not get very far
another member suggested that the
money was not in sight for extra teach
ers. The board decided with unanimity
to make DR.. Davidson a present of the
9uestion, and the resolution was re-
Dentists of the District will care for
the teeth or 200 indigent school children.
es seereta 1,str'Gt Dental Stdh Society. through
board that 100 members Of the society
VIII care for two poor children each.
The offer was accepted.
Superintendent's Report.
The following report of the superin-
tendent was adopted:
Accept resignation OF Miss ]. n. dill,
tsacher of the third grade. johnson
tlNISlOll.
Transfer Miss E. B. Dill. teacher Of
INC third grade, from the Ross School
to the Johnson School. third division.
Promote Miss NJ. +. Mckee from the
hrst grade to the third grade and trans
Ter from the Orr school to the Ross
school. third division. +.
Appoint Miss L. NJ, Trusheim as
teacher OF the first grade and assign to
the Orr. School. ninth division.
Eskstein as teacher Q, the third grade,
Powell school. third division.
transfer Miss A. NJ. Smallwood