The Washington herald., 1921-05-06
SCHOOL HEAD
SAYS FIGURES
WERE WRONG
BaIlou Brands Census of
Pupils as Fabric
Of Falsities.
ASKS TWO MILLIONS
FOR URGENT NEEDS
Former Architect Denies
Overcrowding in
Classes.

Superinte ndent of Schools Frank
Ballou enlivened fhe Senate hear
ing on the Districts educational
needs yesterday by the direct
charge that Congress has been de-
liberately misled to believe that but
slight congestion existed in the
buildings and the proposed $1,000
600 program was unnecessary.
Branding such reports as It's
sue of falsehoods and predicated
upon hypothetical calculations, the
superintendent stressed the urgency
OF an immediate building program
and submitted exhaustive data and
figures to show that the need OF
generous appropriation is impera-
tive
The report criticized was made by
Snowden Ashford, former munich
pal architect, to District Commits
sioner Kutz, and the former official
last night placed the blame for any
misunderstanding upon his superior.
at the same time affirming the cor
rectness of the school census as
shown by his figures.
Ashford Answers Critics.
II what you say is true. the Dis
trict should have a new municipal
architect" Senator King, a member
of the committee, said.
THE District has a new munich
pal architect" replied DIR. Ballou.
Albert II. Harris having been ap-
pointed to succeed Mr.. Ashford"
Mr.. Ashford. the former architect,
informed of the criticism, said last
night: "In January. 1919. Represent
ative Johnson, of kentucky, made
the statement in Congress that he
was unable to obtain any reliable
data from the public school officials
on school conditions. He said, he
had made a personal visit to one Of
the school buildings, asked the prin-
cipai in charge how many children
she had there. and was informed
that she had 377. He counted them
himself. and found only III. He
deplored the fact that accurate in
formation could not be obtained. and
on the following day Col. Kutz, the
District engineer commissioner.
called attention of Superintendent
ThurstoH of the pubic schools to
the matter. asking that a correct
survey be made. Thurston said he
could not do this. and when he left
the Office Of the engineer commits
sioner the latter turned to me and
ordered me to take a census of the
schools. This I did.
Takes school Census.
Employees OF the repair depart
ment were engaged. The count was
taken, and the report made in June,
1919. ! did not send the report to
any committee of Congress, but to
Col. Kutz II il bore the date OF
1920. probably that was the date it
was referred to the committee by
Col. Kutz.
There are not $4,000 pupils in the
public schools of Washington. as
stated on authority of the school
ofiicials-not by 10,000-and there
are 1900 classrooms. instead OF l.
200. I don't care to be injected into
any further controversy on this
matter"
Urges s2.Oo0,o 900 Program.
DR.. Ballou, who attended the hear
ing in company with DR.. Abram
Simon. president of the Board of
Education. and a number of citizens
and instructors interested in better
ments, said the initial $4,000. 900 pro-
gram would eliminate part-t time and
oversize classes and make a sub
stantial beginning on a general pro-
gram doing away with portable
buildings and rented school space,
which costs the District and Fed
eral governments s1s.5o0 on nine
teen pieces of property.
The items specified include the
building of additional rooms to
many Of the buildings where base
ments are used or where children
are kept out of school because of
the part-time system, it was ex-
planned, and comprised the same de-
tails as were sent to the House Dis
trict Committee several days ago
by the District Commissioners. II
was the minimum amount thought
absolutely, necessary for immediate
relief. He said the total enrolment
OF the schools including high schools,
was $4,000 or 5000.
Favors Present Policy.
Senator King, of Utah, raised the
question whether the District should
furnish schooling for children of the
adjoining States and DR.. Ballou said
Under the circumstances he thought
the District should. He said many
OF the children were those of gov
'ernment employees who were forced
to live in the suburbs because of the
high prices and rents or Ack OF
housing in the District
Superintendent Ballou urged the
Senate committee to consider the
question of teachers salaries in
view of the proposed abolishment
of the bonus system, and was ad-
vised to take this matter up with
the school board committees tina,
are preparing two bills concerning
child welfare and truancy.
A more adequate appropriation
for repairs and alterations was
urged by DR.. Baliou, who declared
that 100000 for buildings was hard
ly tenth of the sum required.
/ Additional Fairgrounds. enlarge
ment Of the boards that examine
new teachers, who are paid only for
being heads of departments at pres
ent. and provision for. substitute
teachers corps to relieve missing
tutors were points stressed in the
demands for the emergency legis.
lation. DR.. Ballou also urged pro-
vision for a school census to en-
able the school board TO look for
ward, to attendance. y
- a. - = .