Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-02-09
PETITION COUNCIL
FOR new school,
Ask For an Appropriation
of $4,000 For Building
ana improvements
SCHOOLS TO. CROWDED
New Structure Would Cost $4,000
Total of 400 White Children At
tending
Alexandria, Va.
February 8, 1921.

Alexandria, Va
February 8, 1921.
Alexandria City School Beard,
Alexandria, Va.
Gentlemen:
The members CT your committee
have given considerable time, and
much thought and study, during the
past two months, to the problem Of
bettering our schools in the matter
Of increased seating accommodations,
better sanitary arrangements, better
play grounds and better school sur
roundings. Your committee has been
aoly assisted in their labors by our
City Engineer, Mr.. E. c. Dunn, and
they desire to record in this report
their grateful appreciation of his
many courtesics. Your committee
recommends that the City School
Board urge upon the City Council the
necessity of their appropriating s1lO.-
100000, or a;snuch thereof as may be
necessary, for school purposes, the
same to be expended, approximately,
as fellows:
/. For school building contain
ing .(16) class rooms, no auditorium,
harmonizing architecturally with the
High School building, to be erected
upon the High School lot, at the cost
Of, approximately, sS0.O0000.
2. For modern system Of ventila-
ton to be installed in the Washing
-taH.-School; and for new sanitary ar
rangenents. making that building
suitable for co-educational purposes,
to be made at cost CT, approxi-
mately, $4,000.
8. For such alteration in the pres
ent sanitary arrangements at the
Lee School as may be necessary to
mahc+. that building suitable for &C.
educational purposes at the cost Of,
approximately, $500.
A. For putting the High School
grounds in proper condition, and bet
tering the surroundings of that
school.
5. Fer grading the lot at the Wash
ington School.
Your committee further recommend
that this Board retain the services of
DIR. E. C. Dunn in preparing plans and
specification fcG the foregoing work,
The members CT this Board WE
readily recall the emphatic talk of the
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Mr.. Harris Hart, in his recent ap-
pearance before this body. Upon be-
ing informed that the school census
for the year 1920 showed 4109 white
Children between the ages of and
20 WEARS, and that our entire enroll
ment fer the year 192O-2l was 227l
pupils. he stated quite enphat!cai y
that after making all due allowance
for the attendance at private schools,
cur percentage of enrolment was still
very low; add to this the fact that
we are unable to enforce the Law
against truancy owing to the made
quase seating capacity of our schools
and it becomes clear that our schcos $
are not fully efficient in their relation
to the community as whole.
The Superintendent Of Schools has
farn:shed your committee with re-
port cf~.he enrolment of cur schools
January l. 1921, frcm which it ap'
rears that we have eigh. schools on
half time; four schools alternating
Ga;:y, two schools 10 rccm; sis
rccmS accommodating twelve schoos $
Tha: at Washington School tht
first grade has 1856 pupils with one
teacher; that al Lee school. Sectlor
- = j., 1:g- grade has l2l pupils
VIE aas "a, :; section (2l Of ths
f.,s: gl@,.e 6as 107 pupils with ous
is@>her; ans th9t section (3) of the
f:st gra4s mas ia pupils with ont
teacher.
His report shows that nctwishstan
ing the fact that the Association o
High Schcol and Colleges Of wh:c
we arc a. member. an Association o
the basis Of whose recommendation a
high schools are accredited. fixed
prp:is as the maximum number I
teacher or section, we have at III
High School 326 nigh school s:uden;
N II rooms; and l3e grammar grad
,>,,->I- ~ {n) raeo,.