Evening star., 1921-03-22
Board of Education Expected
to Take Action at Meet
ing Tomorrow.
EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR
MAY BE PUT IN CHARGE
Officials Say Action Had Been Con-
templated, Deny 1t Is Sequel
to Federation Resolution.

Initial steps designed to revise the
rules and regulations governing use
of the District public schools by COM
munity centers probably will be taken
by the board of education at a spe-
cial conference in the Franklin
School tomorrow afternoon at 3
o'clock. called today by DR.. Abram
Simon. president of the school govern
ing body. for the announced purpose .
of considering many improvements
which school officials believe are nee
essary to place the school system on
an efficient foundation.
If the board takes up the question
of amending the community center
rules. IT is reported that an effort
would be made to correlate the COM
munlty centers with the special
schools thereby placing them under
the jurisdiction of Walter b. Patter-
son. director of special schools Ii
inns action is taken. il is said. Miss
cecil h. Norton, general community
secretary. would be retained in her
present position. but Mr. Patterson
would have ultimate direction over
the centers.
Ignorant Of Change.
School officials, however. indicated
today that they were ignorant of such
a movement.
The proposed plans for revising the
community center rules. il was point
cd out, are not sequel to the action
taken by the Federation of Citizens
associations Saturday night. when IL
ADOPTED recommendations of its COM
Hlttee on education to request the
schooi board to amend the community
center rules and regulations SO that
citilehs associations and other repu-
table organizations may use the
schools without unnecessary restric-
tions. Several school officials stated
that such action has been contem-
plated by the board for some time.
They admitted, however, that the fed
erations action hastened the board
to a decision
Ihe improvements which school au-
snorllies feel should be made in the
school system include a proposal for
the enlargement of the boards OF
examiners. establishment of a regular
paid corps of substitute teachers and
the appointment of business man
ager. II also Is likely that plans for
king an appeal to the extrr session
or congress TO carry out the $4,000. eaa
school building program will be dis
cussed.
Building Program ParamsQ.t,
The building program which schoo'
oncials, civic organizations, trad,
Dodfes and clubs made a futile effor-
TO nave Congress approve at the In.
session undoubtedly is paramouu'
among the subjects to be discussed "a
the conference
IL is understood that the board will
submit the same building program 10
congress at the extra session thar !,
aid during the last session. This calls
Tor an appropriation sufficient to con-
struct 1S3 additional classrooms.
Enlargement of. the boards of ex-
aminers. school officials state. is nee
essary Immediately to relieve m.
present members Of some of their
work. Supt. Ballou already has
pointed out that the problems CON
fronting these boards are many fold
larger than when they were created
in 1906. He believes that the men,
bership on the board should not only
be enlarged. but they should be con-
stituted on larger basis.