Evening star., 1915-04-13
SCHOOLS GOOD AS
PUBLIC DEMANDS
S. E. Kramer So Declares in
Urging Understanding
and Sympathy.
CITES GREAT VALUE OF
PRETTY SURROUNDINGS
One Of Speakers Before League
Which Strives to Decorate In
stitutions of Learning.

good as the public demands and the
thing which the schools most need Is
m understanding and sympa thetic
public was asserted by stephen r.
Kramer. assistant superintendent OF
schools. In an address at the annual
meeting Of the League for the Decora-
lion Of Public Schools. held yesterday
afternoon at the homo Of its treasurer.
charles j. Bell, 1927 Connecticut ave
nue. northwest.
Tho school Is a social Institution and
its highest service Is to answer felt
needs" said Mr.. Kramer. We are
going to come to greater changes in
IDEAS regarding schools. Children DO
not come to school primarily to learn
They como primarily to grow. IL they
do not become better individuals day
by day then the mere smattering of
knowledge which we hand out to them
is worse than useless.
Children spend a large part of their
time In school, therefore these should
he places which fairly radiate. The
process Of education is bound to De
made better by the decorations such
AZ this league is putting into the
schools.
Chief Business Of School.
The chief business Of the school is
to teach children Just what the people
want them to learn. II the parents
ideals are not high enough those in
charge of the schools must raise them
This must be done as individuals, how
ever. not as ofiicials'
Snowden Ashford. municipal archt-
tect. explained plan by which money
for repairs to the schools could be d.
vfded into two parts, IL Congress would
SO allow One part would be used only
for repairs, embracing the replenish1ng
Of materials. while the other portion
could be used for the identification OF
buildings.
This would draw a line between the
utilitarian and the artistic" he said:
You cannot put on new bonnet II
your shoes are full OF holes. 80 ~ rs
with buildings. You have to keep the
roof tight nrst. Buildings must be kept
in a sanitary condition.. for the body
must be cared for as well as the mind.
He spoke OF the need for obtaining the
proper lighting In classrooms.
Physical Requirements.
That there are thousand and one
requirements to meet in building
sohoolhouses. and thousand and one
conditions to overcome. was asserted
by L. NJ Leisenrfng. an oculist-
Safety, ventilation. heating. lighting
all of these are definite physical re-
Quirements which must Do met" he
said He made numerous suggestions
as to lighting and decorations.
Suggestions for the safeguarding OF
the eyes Of pupils while they are
studying were made by Dr. r. 9. Lamb.
a Elary impression because of the pa
per of which they are made" he said.
Then. too. children are not taught to
hold book SO as to avoid reflected
light. In many instances the letters
Int
ularly German. proves hard on the eyes
of the children studying it. Gray and
gray green are good colors to use in
decorating. but red is a reprehensible
thing to have about the place.
II see the effect Of too much light and
Of too little light with the children who
como to my attention This fs due to
ths children being too near the window
in the one case and too far from II in
the other. This question OF obtaining
uniformity of light is one worthy sexi-
Gus consideration"
Selden NJ. Ely. supervising principal
of the fifth division, and Robert L.
Haycock, supervising principal of the
third division, spoke briefly in appre-
citation Of the work done by the league
for schools in their respective divisions.
Has Helped Two Schools.
The league has helped two schools
in my division. the Blake and the
Gales said Mr.. Ely, "and ! feel very
proud Of the work"
Il assure you the children greatly
appreciate what you have done In my
DIVISION" said Mr.. Haycock. Psychic
logically I believe in the great infiu-
ence of beautiful things. know. when
/ was in school. how I used to like to
sit and look at beautiful picture ]
hope that in both the two new build
ings which are to be built in my divi-
sion-the Park View School and the
addition to the Powell--that both the
municipal architect and the league will
assist in beautifying them
Officers were reelected as follows:
President. J. Rush Marshall. vice presi-
dents, Miss Leila Mechlin and Ernest
L. Thurston. secretary, Miss Myra NJ
Hendley, and treasurer, Charles J. Bell.
Mrs. Charles j. Bell and Mrs. Frederick
j. Delano were elected to the executive
council. in addition to the following,
who were reelected Mrs Ward
Brown. J. C. Fitzpatrick. L. NJ Leisen-
ring, Miss Bertha Perrie, Mrs. G. w
Richardson, Louis Simon, Mrs. Louis
simon. Miss Aline Solomons, Miss NJ
p Shipman, Miss Grace Lincoln Temple
and Miss Annie ". Wilson.
Mr. Marshall presided. 1t was re-
ported that fourteen schools had been
helped by the league during the last
wear.