The Washington times., 1919-12-06

school officials viii face the big
gest problem in the history OF the
Districts public school system.
They viii be called upon to care
for at least 1000, possibly $1,000,
pupils, while the capacity OF the
schools IL only a little more than
$1,000. The school administration
r. frankly worried
So serious Is the situation ex-
pected to be that superintendent
Thurston Is sndezvoring to sweep
aside all other duties and devote
his entire time TO formulating
some plan which win afford re-
lief from the congested condf-
tions.
Increased Enroliment.
The high school students win
suffer by this increased enroll
ment more than the graded pu-
pills In the seven high schools,
white and colored. there Is now
an enrolment OF approximately
5000. The capacity OF the high
schools Is only 1000. and Super
intendent Thurston estimates the
February enrollment at slightly
more than 5000. The question to
be answered Is: Can 5000 pupils
study In schools built to accom-
modate 7.0oo pupils?
And In the graded schools the :
situation is also going TO be seri-
Gus. Although the elementary
grades viii not be nearly as
crowded as the high schools they
are expected TO be at least 400
classes overcroweed. When a
classroom seats more than forty
students the teacher Is over-bur-
dened. her efficiency reduced, the
pupils is affected in that in
enicient instruction is received
Look To Thursson.
When a serious situation arises
the Board of Education always
looks to the superintendent for
advice. Accordingly Superinten-
dent Thurston was called upon
recently. In lengthy address TO
the board he told of five plans
which will relieve the situation.
His plans presented were:
More permanent schools.
Adoption of platoon system
More junior high schools
More portable schools.
Establishment of halliday
classes.
To obtain more schools win
take years. Recommendations
must be sent to Congress. plans
drawn, sites picked, and follow
ing the ordinary routine 1t will
probably take one, two. possibly
three or four years. This will not
help the present situation, so this
plan is out of the question.
AS to the platoon system II Is a
plan adopted In many of the
larger cities In the country.
Superintendent Thurston has been
authorized to put this plan into
operation
This win zfrord relief for 2, 400
graded students But there still
remains 5000 students, grade and
high to be care for. With linn
ftation on the number OF pupils
benefited by the platoon plan
school officials must look TO 9TH
er ends to relieve the situation.
Pupn. WIN suffer.
It is almost out of the ques-
ton to obtain more junior high
schools Immediately. They are
no available buildings to open
these schools. More buildings
win have to be built, which means
waiting for several years.
Everybody, including the su-
perintendent OF schools and the
public Is set against erecting
more portable buildings. This
puts this suggestion into the
waste basket
To establish half day classes
would rob students Of the full
education due them II will be
only as last resort that this plan
will be put into operation.
1t can be easily seen that with
ave plans OF relief. hardly any
OF them practical, that Washing
ton schools officials face a serious
problem
1t will probably be necessary to
change high school hours and es-
taolish half day classes in graded
schools, IL the conditions con-
tinue to grow worse, which Is
evident II also can clearly be
seen that the students cannot pos
sibly receive their full and ef-
ficient instruction. when II be
comes necessary to make radical