Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-28
DECLARES WORTHY
NEEDS OF SCHOOLS
] MUST Be DENIED
De. BaIIou Outlines Policy to
BE Pursued by Drafting
Budget.

MANY OIL the requests OF ClNiS as
soctations for improvements in the
District public schools. although
Sorthy, cannot be provided for in
the. school budget the board of edu-
cation now has under consideration.
Supt. of Schools Ballou made this
clear today in a statement out
lining the policy to be pursued in
drafting the school budget for the
next fiscal year
The most urgent need of the Wash
ington school system at the present
time, DR. Ballou pointed out. is ad-
.litional olassrooms The usual build
ing construction program could not
be Carried on during the war. he said.
and the present high prices Sof building
material require appropriations nearly
three times as large as were required
before the war. An elght-room Dulld-
ing. he declared, which cost $75.OoO
10 $40. 060 before the war, now costs
nearly S25o.000.
Time for Every Pupil.
DR.. BaIlou stated his aim is to pro-
vide comfortable accommodations for
every school pupil, so that pupils re-
ceiving abbreviated instructions IN
part time classes will have full
five hours in the Schoolroom each
day.
The superiutendent's statement
read:
After reviewing the requests OF
teachers, janitors. engineers and Ia
borers for additional compensation,
and the requests of various civic or
CARNATIONS for additional facilities In
the various schools of the city, which
Of 40
hearings held by the board OF educa-
ton, it is obvious to the superintend-
ent that many of these requests. al
though worthy, cannot be Satisfac-
torily provided for in the school bud
get which the board of education now
has under consideration.
apart from the requests for sal
aries there are requests. varying from
urgent to very desirable. for addi-
tional classrooms, additional play
grounds and new school sites. which
will probably be needed in the near
future. AS guide in the consldera-
ton of these requests. the superin-
tendent drafted the following state
ment of general principles. which if
followed will result in taking care of
the most urgent needs:
Additional ClassrOOms.
Il. The most urgent need of the
Washington school system at the
present time is additional classrooms.
The usual building construction could
present high prices of building ma
terial require appropriations nearly
three times as large as were required
before the war. An eight-room build
ing which cost from 375,e00 to $50. 900
before the war now costs nearly
80 In providing additional class
rooms the aim should be "A seat in q
suitable building for every public
school child in the D. c. Sufficient
classrooms should be provided at the
earliest POSSIBLE moment to accommo.
date: tai Pupils now in portables and
rented quarters (b) Pupils in the
high schools now on part time, SO
called. aad (c) pupils in grades one,
.ss .ef Ssf s asy S Ss
cause two different classes must &C.
cupy the same room. one in the morn
ing and one in the afternoon.
49, Since the demands for school
buildings are SO great. land should be
purchased for school sites only in case
1t is to- be used Immediately for the
erection of a schoolhouse thereon.
Extensions to present school
yards for playground purposes should
be provided for at this time only in
case it seems probable that buildings
may be erected thereon by private
parties. s.....- &c. 80 -=-.
p, Adequate P1ayxrsunAs.
"In stating these guiding principles
by, which to determine what items
should be included in the budget, the
superintendent desires it understood
that he believes heartily in ADEQUATE
Fairgrounds for children and indorses
in an unqualified manner the general
principle Of purchasing unimproyed
land for building sites when such land
can be purchased most advantageous
1yfeSince the first requisite of an ed
ucatfonal system is the providing of
classroom instruction, provisions for
Fairgrounds must necessarily be made
after adequate provision has been
m&de for classrooms.
At the present time many classes
In the high schools are receiving less
than full day of instruction like
wise surprisingly large number of
cl4sses in grades 1 and 2 are receiv-
ing three hours of instruction instead
of FIVE hours. Since these conditions
in the elementary schools have exist
ed. for some time, there is danger
that the temporary expedienct of Civ
ing these pupils only a half day of
scpopling may be considered by the
public as an acceptable situation The
superintendent believes that every
public school pupil above the kinder
g&rten is entitled to. and should re-
ceiye, q five-hour day of schooling
This can only be brought about
through a large increase in the num-
Der of classrooms in the school build
ingS of the District of Columbia"