The Washington herald., 1920-01-14


garten class.
In addition to the eight, rooms in
the main building there is a teach =
ers' room. where backward pupils
are coached. After a teacher fin
ishes her regular morning work,
certain children who have not kept
up in their studies must come back
for personal Instruction. neces-
sity due to overcrowded classes.
There are thirteen classes in the
building. taught by fourteen teach =
ers. the extra one being used as an
assistant in the kindergarten. The
principal has no help in the per-
forms nee of her nuItitudinous
duties of teaching, following up
necessary paper work. and attend
ing to disciplinary matters. One
afternoon a week, she has a brief
respite from teaching, when her
boys and girls go to manual train
Ing school and cooking school.
In this modern school building there
I is no provision for a carpenter shor
or cooking school. A poor substi.
tute Is found by sending those chill
dren to the BriRhtweod and G. r.
Powell schools. each about a mile dis
tant. This results In the loss of valu-
abel time which should be spent in the
class rooms.
Glasses Ovcrcrowded.
Practically every one of the thir.
| teen classes in the schools is over
sized as classes are looked at nova
days. They number forty-tive to fifty
children. In one case in the portable
the number ran to fifty-three.
These numbers wbuld be even larger
II children who properly should 70
to this school were not sent to other
sections where the rooms are not SC
crowded. The distribution Is effected
very well. but the pupil is made to
suffer. The territory intended to come
within the Jurisdiction Of this build
ing Is extraordinarily large, extending
from Upshur street north to the Dis
trict line, and from Georgia avenue
on the east to Rock Creek Park on
the west.
WITHIN the very shadow OF the
school there is sn immense grading
and building operation going on.
Thirteenth, Hamilton and Ingraham
streets are being cut through, and
immense steam shovels are IeyelIinR
the way for building constructors
Just north of this building opera
ton there are several long rows OF
/ houses being completed All through
the section, building operations are
/ going on. And this means many
more children for the West School
There Is ample playground space
here for the children but the equip
ment Is insufficient. consisting. of a
rev see-saws for nearly GOO chill
dren. The wash room facilities
too, are insufficient. as they have
to be used by the additional chill
dren in the portables. \
Children sit On Floor.
In this school there is a sewing
class for girls. one day a week
But when this day Genes along the
teacher has to take children from
the fourth grade, which occupies
the room, and uses the principors
| office, small room, wholly made.
quate and unsuited for the purpose
The children have to occupy UNI
suitable chairs, without desks. In
some cases they are forced to ST,
on the floor. s. ~
Plans for the eight-room addition
to this school, including an as.
sembly hall, already are on file I'm
the office of the nIuniciral archl.
tect. Estimates were made ON the
! work before the beginning of the
war. The Piney Branch Citizens
Association Is seeking renewal OF
the pre-war recommendation.
The increase in the school popu-
lation of this section in the past
four and one-half years has been
figured at IS per cent. It Is said
to be the largest Increase in the
city.
Tsmerre,v morning. The Herald
viii diseuss the problems mt the
Charles y. Powell and Johnsor
schools, known ~ arhe .Joknsea-
Poweir' group, located at HINT
place and Lament street.
Watch your STEP Is q. fihe slogan