Evening star., 1920-12-22
SCHOOL OFFICIALS
ASK SENATORS TO
INCREASE BUDGET
Appear Before Committee
With Appeal for Greater
Appropriations.
$4,000 FOR COMMUNITY
CENTER WORK CUT OUT
Senate Understood to Be Inclined
to Be as Liberal as Possible to
Educational System.

10 be as L10er8l as 1OSSlUlc W
Educational System.
Officials of the public schools to-
day appealed to the Senate's appro-
priation subcommittee in charge OF
the District appropriation bill to in
crease the proposed appropriations
for the schools. The District Com
missioners backed up many of the
requests of the school officials.
DIR. Abram Simon. president of the
board of education; Supt. Ballou of
the public schools and Asst. Supt.
Kramer and Asst Supt. Bruce were
before the committee. and also Miss
Cecil Norton, in charge of the com
mucity center work in the public
school buildings. and Miss Alton, in
charge of the Americanization work
in the schools The subcommittee was
urged to increase the appropriations
for additional school buildings and
facilities and school improvements.
Additional appropriations for the
public schools. il is believed, will be
recommended by the appropriations
subcommittee. 1t is understood that
a new plan is likely to be devised
which will make it possible to in
schools.
Total About $10.OO0.OOO.
The board Of education estimates
for the schools total about $4,000, 900.
The District Commissioners reduced
these estimates for the schools to
about $7,e00.000. and the House cut
the amount down to about $6,000-000.
The District Commissioners are linn
tied in the estimates that they may
submit to twice the amount of the
estimated revenues of the District,
and for that reason a reduction in
the amount asked by the board of
education for the schools was made
necessary when the Commissioners
sent in their estimates.
Although the appropriation for the
school system. as provided in the
District bill as IL passed the House
is more than $1.0oo.000 in excess for
the fiscal year 1921-1922 than for the
current fiscal year, it will fall far
short OF providing adequate accom-
modAtions for the children now en-
rolled in the schools. In fact. school
officials contend that the appropria-
eiao.rooms eisa " nos sa f shs present needs
of the system. and will not provide
the incfeases In salaries they recon.
mended for school employees.
Bales Points to survey.
Before leaving his office at the
Franklin School to go to the Capitol
today Supt Ballou pointed out that
tenn showed the immediate need Of
1e3 additional classrooms. The
school appropriation for the next fis-
cal year allows only sixteen Of the
1873 additional classrooms-twelve
rooms at the Wheatley, four at the
Cooke and $4,000 for a site for a
building near the Mott School
1t was pointed out that provisions
for new buildings made In the House
bill and additions to structures now
in use will make but little improve
ment in the present overcrowded con-
cluded in the last appropriation. on
which work already has begun.
Therefore. these classroouB are not
included in the number indicated as
being needed in the report Of Supt.
DIR. Ballou estimated today that to
carry out his emergency building
project an additional appropriation
Of $5.3o0.0o0 Is needed. Unless the
Senate adds this amount to the school
rious condition in the schools next
year than ever before.
See Inerea.e i'm Needs.
without any additional buildings,
DIR. Ballou indicated that next year
with the prospective increase in enroll
ment. which is estimated at about
100. he will have no alternative
but to put more classes on the two
shift system of operation. thus giving
children in such classes only 50 per
cent of a normal education More of
The f1imsy. frame portable structures.
it was intimated, also may have to
be put into use. There are 1S such
system. despite the fact that they
are undesirable.
In the House, on a point of order
by Representative Walsh of Massa-
chusetts. an item of $4,000 for COM
munity center work in the school
buildings was stricken out. Miss Nor
ton asked the Senate subcommittee
Today to restore this item, which is the
same amount contained in the pres
ent law. Unless an appropriation is
made. the community center work in
the public schools will not be able
TO continue. She pointed out that in
many of the other cities much larger
appropriations are made for this char
acter OF work.
Miss Alton. appearing on behalf of
canization work in the schools. urged
the committee to increase the amount
20 $29 900. the estimate submitted by
the board of education. The House
sionerS estimates was for $l5.500. The
sioners' estimates was for sl3.5o0. The
foreign population. as estimated by
officials of the bureau Of naturaliza-
tion. warrants the proposed increase.
Miss Alton said.
other Items to BE Conaidered.
Following the hearings on the
school items the subcommittee will
consider the items for the police and
fire departments and the charities.
Col. A. E. Randle requests the sub
committee to increase the item for
the reclamation of Anacostia fats and
eh< Improvement of Anacostia Park
from $soo.o to s3eo. 200. the amount
estimated for by the Commissioners.
While the subcommittee has taken
no action upon any part of the bill.
and is not expected to do so until the
hearings have been completed. il is
understood that the senators are in
clined to be as liberal as possible to-
ward the public schools. Senator
Curtis, the chairman of the subcom-
nittee; Senator Jones of Washington
and other senators have expressed