Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-03-31
URGE new sCH00LH0UsE
Labor and Fraternal Organizations
Unite to Further Erection of High
School Building

A joint meeting of number of COM
mittees, representing various labor
and fraternal organizations of the city,
and having for their object the fur
therance Of the cause of education in
Alexandria, was helG in the rooms Of
the Alexandria Trades Council Satur-
day night.
The meeting was the result OF a
movement started at a meeting of the
Trades Council about three weeks
ago, at which a committee of Chree
was appointed to ask for a hearing
before the joint committee on finance
and schools of the City Council on the
ordinance providing for the erection OF
new high school building or of the
unions affiliated with the Trades
Council and any other organizations
interested were requested to appoint
similar committees to cooperate with
the ore from the Trades Council. The
meeting Saturday night was one COM
posed of the members of these various
committees and from the number pres
ent an dthe interest manifested the
meeting was great success.
An organization was erected by the
election of Howard T. Colvin, Of the
Trades Council, chairman, 0. II. Dan
iels of the Order Of f1raternal Amer
leans, vice chairman, and I. r. Zones,
of the Carpenters and Joiners, secre-
tary.
| The Chairman briefly stated the
objects of the meeting, calling atten-
! tion 20 the large number OF school
children in Alexandria who are at pres
ent attending school only one ses-
sion a day by reason Of the crowded
condition of the schools and to the fur
ther fact that in all probability large
number of children would be denied
admission Ito the schools at the next
school session, unless some steps were
speedily taken to remedy the condi-
ton. An ordinance providing for the
erection Of high school building mao
been pending in the City Council for
some months he said, but for some un-
accountable reason ne action had up t
to r;he present time been taken with
reference to it. The organizations rep
resented had appointed the committees
present to ask for hearing before the
joint committee on finance and schools
on The ordinance referred to.
Councilman A. d. Brocl:ctt, who was
present by special invitation was ther
introduced and for nearly an hour dis.
cussed the question of the Importance
of education with particular reference
to Alexandria.
Mr.. Brockett called attention to tht
fact that there are 1T the present time
2S5 children in thc schools Of AleXan
dria between the ages of S and I.
years attending school only one ses
sion a day. He said this meant that
for many Of four children years were
receive in years; that boy or cir
at IS years of age would have only III,
education he should have at Is year!
of age. This he contcnded was wrong
"an injustice to the children who ar,
to become the future citizens Of tho
commonwealth" Alexandria boys anc
girls the speaker said would have Il
conrpe-e in the business and industrial
world with boys ard girls educated If
Washington and elsewhere and fol
| that reason no stone should be left
unturned to bring The public schoo
system Of Alexandria up to the stan.
! Continued on page six.)