The Washington herald., 1919-12-31

f-Frstucut OF board OF Trade, and
leader In Inauguration of move
ment 10 better school conditions.
are more important and pressing needs
to put the schools on a sound basis.
A report on the five important needs
OF the system-more schools. more
teachers, more and larger school
buildings. a business manager with a
sufficient staft of well-paid clerks. and
provision for retiring the superan-
nuated teachers which will be pre-
sented To- C"ngress-was read by A. r.
Seymour. secretary OF the Chamber.
who iS also acting a. secretary Of the
school committee. This report was
prepared at the direction OF Col.
Harper and y. r. Moran. who is
chairman of the Chambers school
committee. but who is out of the city.
DIR. Arthur Ramsay. vice chairman,
presided 1T yesterdays meeting.
Would Elect Board.
The committee went on record at
this time for election Of the Board
Of Education by popular vote Of the
people. However. il is understood
that this point viii not be pressed in
the present :loy emcnt. the platform
Of which is considered already made
up Of the most necessary needs.
This report Of the school committee
will be submitted 10 the board Of di-
rectors at meeting next Tuc>day y
night together with a report OF the
school committee Of the results OF
the joint meeting 10 he held in the
District Building Friday evening. Al
that time the matter OF raising the
necessary funds to carry on the cam
paiCn Will be taken up by the board
of directors. il was stated last night.
The sentiment Of the speakers at
the school committee meeting was
;hat no question OF reorganization OF
the school system should be urged
at this time. when every effort was
being bent toward getting relief for
the school children in the way OF
better buildings and for the teachers
by providing adequate pay. II was
pointed ont that il anv changes in the
present school system were needed
they should be eft until that time
when provision has been made for IN
election OF the Board OF Education by
the people Of the District. when the
member would be directly responsible
TO those whose education they were
providing for.
Grounds OF Economy.
Ono feature Of the building pro-
gram which viii he pointed out to
Congress when the organization 10
fight for better schools is formed
is that the longer il is put of the
more expensive it will be. That j..
instead of being able 10 buy vacant
lots m which ,N1a hA
buildings. the city will have to buy
improved real estate. This will be
all the more expensive FOR the rea-
son that most Of the new school
buildings will have 10 be placed in
those sections OF tho city where
new houses are being erected.
Throughout the outlying districts
rows Of houses are growing up in
great numbers which will mean an
increase in the already large school
population. IT is i'm these sections
that the big problems OF furnish
ing sufficient and Efficient ecuca-
tiunal facilities Will have 10 be
solved
Although :he school buildings In
the old sections of the city are
well-filled. IL is pointed out that the
school populations there are about
stationary ard no very great in
crcaSes need he looked for. At any
rate the crowded conditions in Them
will he relieved to a large extent
by the construction of. other build
Ings. for as the home building pro-
crosses the population generally
shifts in the direction Of the new
homes.
Many OF the present buildings can
be made 'arger by eight or sixteen
room additions as when built
ground was reserved for this pug
pose. But in the outlying districts.
even now. there will be some diff
Guilty in finding proper sites with
out condemning and raging build
ings recently put up.
Piney Branch Situation.
One Of the buildings which long
ago has outGrown itself from the
standpoint OF increasing school popu-
lation is the Joseph Rodman West
School on FarraGut street northwest
in what is known as Piney Branch
Park. at the head of Fourteenth street
northwest. This school reached its
normal capacity two years ago when
the number of students numbered ~.
Now II has 533 students. or lO4 more
than its capacity which results in
overcrowded classes This school now
consists of an eight-room building
and two of the make-shift portables.
Two more ire under construction hiIt