Evening star., 1921-10-18
DECIDE EL0CAT|ON
FOR NEW SCHOOL
Commissioners Would Build
tuberculosis Institution at
18th and Upshur Streets.

The District Commissioners an
nounced today that they favor erect
ing the new tubercular school on the
city-owned property at 14th and Up
shur streets.
They made public statement ex-
planning why this decision was reach
ed. A copy of the statement will be
submitted to the board of education,
with an invitation to the board to ex-
Col. Charles Keller. Engineer Com
missioner, also Informed his col
leagues at the board session this
morning that he has instructed Mu-
uicipal Architect Harris to proceed at
once with the preparation of plans
and specifications for the building.
Waste Of Time Denied.
The charge has been made that the
Commissioners wasted time in ham
ding the tubercular school project.
which was authorized in q deficiency
bill approved several months ago. The
statement made public at the Dis
trict building today indicates. how
ever, that the sole object of the Com
missioners in not taking hasty ac-
ton on the location of the school was
a desire to consider carefully all
available sites.
Opposition from citizens to the plac-
ing of the school at 14th and Upshur
streets was another factor which
caused the Commissioners to weigh
carefully the merits and drawbacks
of all available sites before deciding.
The following memorandum was
presented to the borad by Col. Keller
and approved:
Memorandum Sent to Board.
Herewith is a statement prepared
by Maj. Brown in cooperation with
Mr. Harris, the municipal architect
r.IN ~ Ia
question of the site for the tubercular
school. 1t will be noted that certain
conditions ii. laid down as prerequi-
sites. To these must be added another
condition, wais,l. il valid, disposes Of
many of the sites that have been sug
gested; this is that ne encroachment
upon the limited number of small
parks available in the District of Co.
lumbia should be permitted. AS to
the soundness of such a policy, there
is apparently no room for argument.
A further minor condition is that
the site chosen should be such that
il the use of the building as a school
for tubercular children is hereafter
discontinued. the building may then
prove to be usefully located for some
other public purpose, preferably for
expansion of school facilities in the
neighborhood concerned. A final
condition not mentioned by Maj.
Brown is that the site chosen should
be as near as possible to the exist
ling and probable future center of
population. so that it may give maxi
mum service during the time of its
use as tubercular school.
Favor Upshur street Site.
Having in mind all the limiting
considerations laid down and after
consideration of every piece of pub
licly owned property in the District
of Columbia. l concur in the recon-
mendation of Maj. Brown that the
site for the proposed tubercular school
be chosen at 14th and Upshur streets,
and that these papers be forwarded to
the president of the board of educa-
tion with an invitation to the board
for an expression of Its opinion in
the premises.
"I desire to inform the board that
instructions have already been given
to the municipal architect to proceed
at once with the preparation OF the
detailed plans and specihcatlons Tor
the tubercular school as far as such
work can be consistently done in ad-
vance of the choice of a site. This
involves no waste of time or effort,
and all work now done will be of ad-
vantage, no matter what site may be
chosen AS soon, however. as a SITE
is definitely fixed upon. progress may
be made at a more rapid rate in the
completion of the preliminary work
requisite before a contract can be
made"
The Commissioners also made pub
lie the following report prepared by
Mai. Cary H. Brown. Assistant En-
ginaer Commissioner. setting forth
reasons why all other public property
was eliminated from consideration.
Maj. Browns Report
deficiency bill approved June Is.
1921. provides for the erection Of
building for the care Of tubercular
pupils, $15O.000.' No appropriation is
made for site; building must. there
fore, be located on property now pub
licly owned.
"ouoting from or paraphrasing the
report Of the health officer under date
of March 90, 1921. as to location of
this building the following is perti-
nent: The site should be on as high
an elevation as possible. with ample,
ground surrounding. If street car
Transportation is depended upon it
would be advisable to select site
easily accessible to both car lines. In
case q merger and universal transfers
are established, or motor transporta-
tion, in whole or in part. is adopted.
wider choice of locations would be
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column 81