Evening star., 1916-04-13

days for forum and similar purposes
| the board Of education would grant that
request. Mr.. Blair was speaking on the
Hollis-Johnson bill, which permits the
use OF school building at any time, or
application of twenty citizens. He wa:
presented to the committee by oppo-
nents of the bill. with the explanation
that he was neither for nor against the
measure. Several times Mr.. Blair in
formed the committee that the board OF
education is perfectly willing to follow
the wishes of Congress, and will do so
As for the Sunday opening, Mr.. Blair
was positive in his statement that he
believed the majority of the people OF
the District of Columbia are opposed
to it. - -- -.--.--..-
He said that when the community as
a whole demands it. the board of educa :
ton will permit it In the case of the
for Sunday meetings, MIR. Blair said
that he had ascertained that of the $50
members of that association sixty
three lived within half mile of the
school, while that neighborhood within
ha1f-mile radius probably held 10000
people. a'-.
Law Now Is, Ample. -,
Mr. Blair opened his remarks by
pointing out that there is now author
ity for the use of the buildings for just
such purposes He said the law FOR
the broader uses of the schools" pass
ed year ago, gave over the buildings
for community and social purposes, and
presented list of nearly sixty differ
ent kinds of organizations now using
the schools.
We can already, grant the use of
schools for community purposes" he
said. land the only argument arises on
the Sunday question: Further on he
said: The obligation is on the board
OF education to do what the community
wants. and after investigating the mat
ter we have come: to the conclusion
that the District of Columbia is not
yet ready to open the schools Sum
days. Figures. which he presented
showed that 1854. persons now are
using the schools outside of school
hours. these figures offsettfng the
claims that no one. could use the schools
freely. -
The broader use of the school build
mgs originated with.the board of edu-
cation itself six years ago." he said.
He then turned to appropriations COM
mittee hearings of several years ago
and pointed out the pages whereon is
printed the testimony of board mem
bers who had argued that the $16,OOO,-
900 school plant should be utilized to
its full power.
Watching Growth of Movement.
'iA' coe1i 10 --"6SNiIIlS liIc grow II
of this movement he said "and is
asking for money Just as fast as it is
needed. At present there are two ap-
plications for uses of the schools-one
from the colored community at Ben
ming and another from the Park View
people. We have not the slightest in
tention of denying these requests"
Turning to the section of the Hollis
johnson bill. which takes the schools
out of the shands of the board of edu-
cation when any twenty citizens petit
ton for their use. Mr.. Blair made a
reference to the use. of the schools by
well known organization meeting
here in convention twenty or more
years ago. Some of the schools were
used by the members and left in very
bad condition. He also called atten-
ton that there is no provision to can
eel the permission granted to organi-
cations.
In addition. several persons favorable
to the Hollis-Johnson bill made brief
appearances before the committee.
Among them were Mrs. W. E. Miller
of Indiana. Miss Cecil B. Norton. DR.
Charles H. Walters. Jackson H. Rails
ton. r. B. Watrous, DR.. Allen Davis and
E. J. Ward.