The Washington herald., 1921-11-20
Citizens Win Car Lines,
Viaducts, Schools, Gas Cut
Reclamation of Swamps of Anacostia And
Many Public Welfare Betterments Shown
In Long Struggle of Organization.

tend their tracks to the station. To
this bill the association managed to
get an amendment attached, pro-
viding for the extension of the Cap
ital Traction Company lines into
the northeast section. A long and
bitter fight ensued. The House
stood by the demands of the north
east and the Senate as staunchly
opposed them.
Moneyed syndicates opposed them
as well as the Senate. Meantime
the opposing interest got a written
petition from each land owner on
the street of the proposed car line
in opposition to such action. Mr..
Tucker and his committee then
brought in the written petition of
the citizens of the southeast, East
Washington, North Capitol and
lexington. The last day of Con-
sress arrived on the second year
and still no tracks extended to the
new station. At the last momen,
tho Senate was forced to yield and
the street car extension amendment
went through also.
Get what They Want.
In the thirty years of our sx-
istence, we have always gotten
what we once started out to eet."
said Its president, and a long record
backs up his words.
When these first years of hsht-
ing began to bring in their fruits
in the form of pavements, sidewalks,
street lighting, sewerage and, above
all, the viaducts which banished
forever the old fear. a great boom
began, and the population grew
overnight Before long the schools
were crowded to an impossible
state. The fight meant long months
of appearing before committees in
Congress. of statistic gathering and
above all the fine arguing ana
clever diplomacy of that clever
little group of men led by Mr..
Tucker. Mr.. Frizzell. and DR.. Starr
Parsons, the committee chairman of
colleges and schools.
Eight fine public schools are the,
result, the Hayes, Pierce, Ludlow,
Hilton, Edmunds. Webb. Blow and
Wheatley schools
Getting a High school.
But the biggest school fight of all
came when the citizens of the
Northeast demanded a new and
large high school of their own.
rney disliked having their children
cross over into the far Northwest
nigh schools when by right of popu-
latton they were entitled to a high
school OF their own. So the citizens
gathered together and explained
their plans to the chairman of
schools. DR.. Parsons, and to the
chairman of legislation. Mr.. Tucker.
Then together they worked out a
plan OF their needs, which called for
combination high school in which
not only the arts and sciences
should be taught but business,
technical and all other specialized
training should be given. The site
itself was chosen, a fine piece of
land covering two large blocks and
obtainable for $4,000. This began
ten years ago. The Board of Edu-
cation approved the entire propo-
sition. but Congress had its own
ideas.
Meantime the high schools became
overcrowded, and II was evident
some new buildings had to be grant
ed somewhere. Again the ever
watchful Mr.. Tucker gathered sta
tistics and went before an important
hearing. The Northeast Citizens
Association fought for more school
room alone. The result of the
figures made such an impressive
showing that Congress was con-
WINGED of the facts and appropriated
$4,000 for site. By that time the
original site hoped for by the or
ganization had been bought, i'm
proved by a real estate company.
and was wholly built I'D. Further
more, all the Northeast was in the
same prosperous condition and an
appropriate site could not be found
Land adjoining the city jail was
suggested and warmly approved nv
few Washingtonians, but that was
the extent of outside help. At last,
In 1915, a site was found at Seven
teenth and East Capitol and Con-
gress appropriated 100000 for
buildings.
Then the War.
The final disbursement then
came to the Citizens Association
The war broke and the results of
their long struggle could not be
reafzed. Building prices were i'm
possible and labor could not be
found. When the war finally ended
and they, at last, were ready TO
build. they discovered costs had
doubled and the appropriations
were only half sufficient. The un-
daunted little group of men began
the work all over again. Then,
finally, last year, Congress author
lied the building to continue with
an appropriation of $1,000, 900.
THE new Eastern High School
Is to be the last word in high
school construction" said Mr..
Tucker proudly. The board of
education and architects have tour
ed this whole country and will put
into this building the best known
today. And this is wholly the
work of the Northeast Citizens AS
ISOLATION"
watchful Committee.
Last year when Congress was
working on the s2,000,000 school
program, the only Citizens Asso-
citation represented at those i'm
portant hearings was the North
east Association. Its lively COM
mittee. always watchful and work
ing, drew up its plan of ideal sug-
gestions and presented them and
their arguments before the hear
ing. These provided for a new
school in the newly settled section
north of Lincoln Park. for play
grounds opposite the Peabody
school where the congested condi-
ton was so acute that children
played in the streets during recess,
and additions to the Hayes and
Webb schools.
These and other suggestions were
accepted and now stand as an ap-
proved part of the proposed plan.
Congress depended on the local or
ganizations to present their needs.