Evening star., 1921-11-27

dollars. The board of education is
made responsible for the care of
school property. Through its off,
elais sn n,si, the board exercises every effort
plant of the school system. How
ever, the financial resources provid-
ed the board Of education for this
purpose do not make 1t possible to
keep the school buildings and equip
ment up to that degree Of efficiency
indicate to be essential. The condi-
ton of buildings and all permanent
equipment in the schools has reached
such a state that the board of edu-
cation would feel derelict in duty il
it did not call the attention of the
some of those conditions.
Lists SIX Items.
"The superintendent lists below six
items for which substantial appro-
priations should be made at once.
Many of the public school build
ings in the District of Columbia do
not have artificial lighting. The
buildings erected in recent years have
been wired for electricity. In most
artificial light. 1t has long been q
desire of the board Of education to
light with electricity all of the school
buildings which require artificial
lighting. There are many school
buildings used for evening school
with gas which should be lighted
with electricity. Moreover. there are
certain other elementary school
buildings where artificial light is
necessary on dark days.
Artificial lighting of school build
ings in Washington should be
al
artificial lighting is greater because
Of the part-time instruction now
made necessary in our schools owing
to lack of satisfactory school ac-
commodations. Under part time
instruction classes regularly are re.
tanned In the school building until
4:30 pm. or even later. In the latt-
tude Of Washington artificial light
after 3 o'clock during a considerable
portion of the school year Is q
necessity.
Il recommend that the board OF
education adopt a systematic policy
of requesting the Commissioners for
year for period of years. for the
purpose of improving the lighting of
the public school buildings.
Equipment In Antiquated.
Some of the elementary school
buildings, in the District of Column
bia were erected thirty, forty or fifty
years ago. They now have in them
the same furniture with which they
were equipped when they were
erected. No general replacement Of
antiquated seats and desks has been
possible with the appropriations with
which the board of education has
been provided. This furniture. Of
course. IL entirely out of date. It is
not adjustable. 1t does not conform
to the present day standards Of seat
ing pupils.
II recommend that the board of
education make every effort to Sc
cure an appropriation Of $4,000 an
nually for q period Of years. with
which to replace most of the anti
quated furniture now found in our
elementary school buildings.
There il being appropriated an
nually for repairs and improvement
proximately 100000. The board of
education has repeatedly asked the
for an increase in the
amount of this appropriation.
When one considers that the school
buildings OF the District of Colum-
bia with their furniture, heating and
ventilating systems, represent an ex-
penditure Of millions Of dollars, one
realizes how inadequate this appro-
priation 10 for keeping those build
ings in good condition. A,
rhs first demand on this fund is