Evening star., 1921-03-20

AFTER DEBATE OF more t1oH ~ "
hours on the rules and practices gov
erning the use of school buildings by
civic and ether organizations nni"r
the community center department the
Federation of Citizens Associations
last night voted to ask tn" board o.
education to amend these rules in
several respects
Submits Long Report.
The school committee. headed by
Jesse c. Sut5-. submitted a report oil
thirty typewritten pages on the sub
ject of fees charged for the use oi
school buildings under the community
center department. which report end
ed with the following recommended a
tions:
the board of education be requested
to amend the rules and regulations
90 that the citizens associations ana
otA0r reputable organiza tions which
contribute to the tax for the sup
port of these centers wholly from the
revenues of the District of Column
bia may use the schools as the law
intended without unnecessary re
strictionS ami conditions and that
the collection of fees for the us"
of the buildings be abolished. That
all organizations using the buildings
be required to pay only FOR damage
to the buildings and equipment.
where it is evident that the as
1ooiation or organization is not en-
gagged in a money making enterprise.
but where it is necessary to charge
q fee for admission in order to defray
the expense of the lecture. meeting
or entertainment that they may do
80 without a compulsory contribution
to the community center department
and without accounting to the depart
ment for the collection and disburse-
ment OF such fees.
'SThaf the rulaS and regulations be
no amended that no funds except
the public appropriation shall be con-
trolled directly or indirectly by the
community center department of the
public schools; that reputable organ
fzAtions and institutions shall not be
required to publish or announce that
their meetings. lectures and enter
tAinments are under the auspices of
the community center department.
and il il be found to be neces-
sary that additional funds are needed
over and above the public appropria-
ton that the board of education sun
NIT through the Commissioners an
estimate of their needs. and that it
united citizens insist that the appro-
priAtion be made contingent on the
restoration of the half-and- half COM
pact. as many of the patrons of these
centers are not taxpayers"
Report Ii Opposed.
Before these recommendations were
put to a vote Delegate George Finch
offered an amendment. under which
the federation will request District
omcialS to obtain an accounting of
funds collected for the use of public
schools. and also to seek an opinion
from the legal officer of the District
as to whether there is authority of
law for the collection Of such fees.
Adoption Of the report and the
amendment was strenuously opposed
by a number of delegates. who urged
that 1t be referred to a special com
mittee with instructions to take up
with the school board the questions
involved The report was adopted,
hoWever. 25 to g.
Before 1t was adopted. D. A. Ed
wards. who is a member of the board
OF education. told his fellow dele
gates that regardless Of whether they
adopted the report the school board
plans to carefully consider in the
near future the rules Of the com
muAity centers. with q view to deter
mine whether they are fair and
preeer.
On motion of H. ". speelman of
Columbia Heights. the federation
adopted resolutions heartily indors-
Ing the appointment Of Commission
ers Rudolph and Oyster, whose true
worth. the resolutions stated. has
been proven by long years of valua-
BILE service"
At the request Of William Mex.
Clayton. chairman Of the committee
ON utilities. the federation went on
record in favor of q reduction in
car fare to four tokens for 25 cents,
with free nter-cmDanY transfers