The Washington times., 1919-11-06
CONTINUED from First Page.)

Since the war, of course, there has
been no new construction, so conges-
ton is worse than ever. We not only
have the surplus of children that ex-
listed before the war, but we have all
those incident to the big war in
crease in population.
The Commissioners and the Board
of Education don't like to set up
those portable shacks and use them
any more than you, Mr.. Senator or
Representative, and you, Mr.. Wash
ingtonian, want to look at them.
But it's a grounding case.
They either have to use those
makeshifts or shut several thousand
children out of school, and, of course.
schooling in poor surroundings is
better than no schooling.
So the first and most important
thing needed in Washington's public
school system is a BUILDING
BOOM. And, thank goodness, Wash
ington is in position to pay for it.,
no matter what it costs. In any
other town in the United States the
authorities and the public would have
to sit down and seriously and labor
iously consider whether it was POS
SIBLE for them to build lot of
new school rooms.
Other Cities Are
Badly in Debt. ..--
That is because, in practically
every other town, the municipal cor
poration is already in debt way over
its head for extravagances in the
past.
1t would have to make big bond
issue to do any big building of
schools, and it might even run
against the limitation which the
States impose on the municipalities
as to the amount of debt they can
have. They would also, in most
places, have to have an election to
authorize tax levy to pay for the
bonds.
Washington, fortunately, is tre-
mendously wealthy. With an as
sessed value of around four hundred
million dollars it has only about five
million dollars of Indebtedness
practically nothing. 1t has a sur
plus of five or six million cash in
the United States Treasury of money
collected in local taxes, and availa-
bic for use for District projects.
Just think that over for few
minutes. It's one of the reasons for
being thankful that you live in Wash
ingtOn.
Prices of building materials and
cost of construction are appalling.
NO one will criticize Congress and
the Commissioners for laying off
building during the war. From every
standpoint it was the proper policy.
Now, however, the war is over, and
our local problems again become of
greatest Importance. 1t is unfortu-
nate that high building costs exist
at this particular time, but the thing
to keep auppermost. in mind now is
not cost, but THE NEEDS OF THE
OF WASHINGTON.
1t doesn't make any difference what
the building cost. The children must
be provided for.
In considering the case of the
teacher herself, Tor himself), / sug-
gest that we go back to our child
hood, and think of the patient, un-
selfish individual who guided our un-
certain steps through the difficult
paths of-readin', writin and 'rithma-
tick. In my life, and l think in the
life of every man and woman of to-
day, there stands out one or two
beautiful characters, whose influence
L place next to the influence of my
mother. I'm sure every person read
ing this article can recall one or
more such persons, whom he met
In childhood in the school foom.
We'd do anything for those per-
sons, wouldn't we? We are grateful
to them for the sacrifices they made
for US, aren't we? Our feeling of
thankfulness and appreciation con-
corning them. is one of the sincerest
things Of our lives, isn't it?