The Washington times., 1919-10-02
SCHOOL CHAOS
SHOWS LITTLE
IMPROVEMENT
Teachers Carrying Double Bur-
den As Result Of Crowded
Conditions.

] Conditions bordering on chaos,
which have prevailed in the District
schools since the opening OF the fan
term, are showing little improvement,
Virtually all schools in the city,
/ high schools in particular, are over
/ crowded and Handicapped BY the lack
/ Of teachers. II was the concensu8 Of
/ opinion among school principals today
/ hat a great loss Of time viii result
| from these conditions.
In several schools, the elEss work
/ has been extended, and teachers are
/ carrying q burden nearly double that
Of normal times Each school shows
a heavy increase iu enrolment, with
prospects OF further increases.
Eastern Hlrh Crowded.
Outlining conditions existing At the
Eastern High school. Principal
Charles Hart said today:
ave have the largest enrolment
In the history Of the school, total
Of $50 pupils. There i8 not an extra
seat IN the whole building and We
are wondering how we win care for
pupils who enroll during the next
two weeks"
Corridors on the three floors OF
the building have been turned into
class rooms, and "a this way we are
accommodating six extra classes. The
library and assembly hall have like
wise been converted into class rooms.
ave have Just q sufficient teaching
stan to take care 0R our present
needs. I doubt IL it viii prove guRis
eleht 70 meet the requirements a. the
term progresses. How we win care
for the increase after the holidays
Is indeed q puEzling problem. Con-
ditions here are the best argument
in the world for a new school build
ing"
TuFa Em AW1y AZ Teeh.
Assistant Principal c. ". RipDey,
Of the Mckinley High school, said:
I'VE also have heavy increase over
our normal. enrolment. Others are.
coming in each day, and g e certain
that we may refuse admittance 70 as
many as 200 students. These will be
sent to the Junior High school.
in the manual training and gcieu-
tiic departments. we have been forced
to extend the periods fEom six 60
eight, and this places q heavy burden
on the teachers. Some pupile 81 these
are forced to tGke their
classes after their regular school
hours.
''This works q great hardship on
the students as we'll - the teachers
We are discriminating against the
freshmen. and some OF them will be !
forced to review their work Ct the |
Junior High School. Otherwise, We |
are not seriously hampered for this /
semester, but conditions after the /
holidays, when we lose only dfty stu |
dents and gain nearly 200, will be /
serious indeed"
Western HdldleaDDods
At the Western High school, DR.. Z.
S. Newton. the principal, said the /
stan was under q big handi- /
cap. "Our teachers are overloaded, |
and I don't know what will happen.
The enrolment Is proceeding in an
manner, and BY next
week we will have ten full classes
without teachers. We have sufficient Il
space II we only had the teachers"
DR.. Newton sounded q note Of alarm
Over the teacher situation, and de-
clared that the most drastic action
should be taken to obtain more teach
srs, regardless Of the salaries that
must be paid.
Principal Allan Davis, Of the Busi-
ness High School, said that while
are bad, his school viii be
able to proceed with its work with
lut serious results. "Our teachers
ire working overtime. They realize
he conditions we are placed under
Ind are doing their work heFolcally.
We are better off than most schools."
Conditions at the Junior High
Ichool are the best 70 be found in the
District. There are plenty Of teach
rs and plenty Of space. It Is e1-
,ected that the overflow from othCF
high schools will be sent here, but
he delay in appoFtioning the pupils
s resulting in a great loss OF time,
eachers declared today.