Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-13
FAV0RSBUI[D|NG
WITHOUT CHANGE
Senator GaHinger Opposes A.
teration in Design for Gen.
trail High School.
GROWTH OF POPULATION
TENDS TO NORTH, HE SAYS
Little Short of Crime, in Senator's
Opinion, to Throw Present
Plans Aside.

To the Editor Of The Star:
I have been greatly interested in the
controversy concerning the construction
of a new Central High School building,
as provided for in the District Of Colum-
bia appropriation act for the fiscal year
1914. In that act the sum of 81 ,2OOO $50
was appropriated upon condition that
the building should be of sufficient size
to accommodate $500 pupils. 1t is true
that the Commissioners recommended a
smaller appropriation and a smaller
building, but it will be admitted on all
hands that Congress was not bound to
accept the views of the Commissioners,
and that Congress acted entirely within
its rights when it provided for a larger
building at an increased cost, and it is
proper to observe that the committee on
appropriations did not act without due
and full consideration of the matter.
From Viewpoint of School Population
In the discussion of the question it
has been pointed out by the present
board of Commissioners that the center
of population in the District Of Columbia
Is at 927 + street northwest, and that the
site of the proposed Central High School
is 5000 feet from the center>of popula-
ton. 1t will be observed that the COM
putation is not made as to the center of
school population, which might show a
very different result. A table furnished
by the secretarysof the board of educa-
lation of the several sections of the city
Of Washington to be as follows:
Northwest, $3.50; northeast. SIS; south
west, Ill; southeast. 43s. Total, 4,074.
IL 1.,;fl bus hn nh <Hax ~,
west, in the very heart of which section
the proposed high school building is to be
constructed, has more than one-half of
the entire white school population-to be
accurate-63k per cent.
Main Growth In Northwest.
But even if it be a fact that the
tion is considerably south of the site
northwest. looking to the future
growth of the city. it requires no
spirit of prophecy to discern the fact
that the growth is to be northwest
rather than in any other direction. 1t
is within the period of my public serv-
ice that the population north of Flor
ida avenue. then known as the Bound
ary," was almost negligible, while now
1t attracts the attention of every man
who is interested in the growth and
development of the District
The marvellous increase of population.
due to the extension northward of 7th.
9th, 10th, 11th, 18th. 18th. 14th and 18th
streets, as well as Connecticut and
Wisconsin avenues, tells the story of
what the future has in store for that
great stretch of territory. In other di-
rections there are we'll established limi-
ia tions for growth. while the District
line is the natural limit of growth in a
northerly direction. This. to my mind
means that in the not distant future
the center of white school population
is likely to be north of the site. Sc
lected and purchased for the new Cen
tral High School building.
Advocates Building for Future.
Let US build not for today, but for the
natural and inevitable increase Of higk
school scholars in that direction. We