Evening star., 1921-05-03
SCHOOL ESTIMATES
Of ONLY S1,989,000
SENT TO THE HOUSE
Supplemental Program Pro-
vides Only for Part Time
7 and Overtime Classes.
NO PROVISION MADE NOW
TO ABANDON MAKESHIFTS
Necessary Buildings and Play
grounds Asked-Portables ana
Rented Houses Must Wait.

grounds Asked-Portables and
Rented Houses Must Wait.
Supplemental estimates of appropri-
ations for the emergency school bulld-
ing program amounting to s1.9S9,ooo
were transmitted TO Speaker Glliett OF
the House today by Secretary OF
Treasury Mellon at the request OF the
District Commissioners. These estl-
mates provide only for the elimination
of the part time and oversize classes,
leaving to the future as less press
ing need the replacement of the sew
enty-eight one-room portables and
undesirable rented buildings
The estimates also carried an ap.
preparation of $4,000 for branch OF
the Public Library.
Accompanying the letter of Secre-
tary Mellon was one signed by Com
missioner Rudolph, president OF tne
Board of Commissioners. acting through
DIR. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent OF
schools, in which he said:
"The board of education. acting
through the superintendent of schoois
has recently requested the CommlS-
sioners to submit to Congress esti-
mates to cover the cost of certain
greatly needed school buildings and
certain school sites needed for build-
ings to be hereafter erected and Ger
tain school Fairgrounds adjoining eX-
listing school buildings.
in a report prepared Dy the su-
perintendent of schools last Decem-
ber it was clearly shown that IN order
to provide adequate and satisfactory
facilities for the education or the
children of the District of Columbia
200 additional classroomS should De
proyided within the next year or two.
This program was based upon DONG
away with part-tlme Schools Win
diversified schools. with the use OF un-
suitable rented buildings and with
the use of portable buildings adopted
as an emergency measure during the
war.
The present request does not cover
all the needs as outlined IN the re-
port referred to. but only those that
are regarded as more or less innpera-
tive: in other words, those designed
to do away with part-time schoois
and with the diversified schools, leav-
ing to the future as less pressing
need the replacement of the portables
and unsatisfactory rented buildings.
Program Carefully Pared.
~rhe Commissioners have carefully
examined this reducedr~program ana
have prepared estimates of cost OF
current prices, both for land and
buildings. The prices for buildings are
still considerably higher than pre-
war prices, but are approximately
33 per cent less than similar prices OF
year ago. :.
Is unusual to submit supplemental
estimates to Congress after an an
nual appropriation bill has been
enacted, but the need for additional.
school facilities is pressing one
and the reduction in the cost of build
ing is such that they believe Congress
may be more willing to provide for
additional schools and school sites
now than il was at the time the orig
inal estimates of the Commissioners
were under consideration by the ap-
preparation committees of Congress.
I'm submitting estimates covering
these unusual needs, the Commission
ers desire to call attention to the fact
that there is in the Treasury of the
United States an accumulated surplus
,of District revenues which were COL
Iected under the provisions Of the act
of Congress of June II. 1873, which
provided that so per cent of ali
amounts appropriated by Congress
should be paid out of the revenues of
the District and 50/per cent out of
money in the United States Treasury
not otherwise appropriated
II is believed that these much-need-
ed schools might. with great pro-
priety be provided for by charging
half the cost against the accumula ted
surplus: but whether provided for in
this manner or as other items are
provided for in the appropriation act
approved February %, 1921, is ques-
tion that Congress should determine
Tn the estimates submitted the
Commissioners have included an item
for the purchase of site for a branch
of the free public library in the south
eastern section of the city. They fee
that this item is intimately connected
with the educational needs of the
District, and the particular reason
for including it in these estimates
is that unless such a site is acquired
at this time the District will lose d
gift of about $4,000, offered by the
Carnegie Corporation OF New York
for the erection of branch library
building on a site to be acquired for
the purpose.
Only Most Urgent Needs.
The Commissioners also desire to
call attention to the fact that though
there are other municipal needs
which are urgent at this time and
for which no provision has beenNnade
they have confined these supplemental
estimates to urgent educational needs
They feel that they are justified in
delaying all other projects, but thai
they are not justified in failing tC
bring to the attention of Congress
the present serious need for adequate
school facilit. es for the children OF
today"
The detailed estimates follow:
For the purchase of the site for
branch of the Public Library, SO, 900
For school buildings and grounds
For the erection of an eight-roon
extensible building in the immediate
vicinity of the Moot School, $3.50. 900
For the purchase of additional Ian,
adjoining the John Eaton School
$4,000
For the erection OF an eight-roor
addition to the John Eaton Schoo
sl55.0OG
For beginning the erection of
Junior high school. north of Taylo
street and east of 18th street on la n
now owned by the District. $500. OOt
And the Commissioners are hcreb
authorized TO enter into contracts TO
said buildings at cost not to excee
5450.000.
For the purchase OF a site Of
Junior high school building in tn
vicinity of Gage. Emery and Ecking
ton schools. $4,000.
New Junior High school.
For beginning the erection Of
junior high school on the site in tn
vicinity of the Gage, Emery and Eek
: ington schools, 100000.
And the Commissioners are author
ized to enter into contract for sal
buildings at cost not to excee
s450.0O0.
For a new sit< in the vicinity of tn
Smothers School. $4,000.
For the erection of four-roor
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