Evening star., 1922-11-09
SCHOOL EXTENSION
NEEDED, IS CLAIM
Parent. Teacher Association
Urges TWo-Story Annex to
b the Weightman.
LUNCHEON TO RAISE FUND
Proceeds Will Be Used to Purchase
Playground Supplies
for Pupils.
LUNCHEON TO RAISE FUND

Tired of waiting for Congress 10
sppropriate funds to provide adequate
equipment for the Fairgrounds anu
improve the undesirable physicai con-
ditions at the Weightman School, at
I'D and NJ streets. the newly organ
lied parent-teacher association OF
the school held a luncheon at the
building today to raise money lot
these purposes. The luncheon marked
the initial step Of the organization IN
its campaign to remedy unfavoraole
conditions at the school
In some respects the situation at
the weightman is characteristic OF
that found in Utler public schoois Oh
its age. For instance. its equipment
is antiuuated. il has no assembly hai''
its walls are badly in need or repain'-
ing and the ma jority of Its text books
are obsolete.
There are, however. some condi-
tions at the school which cannot be
found. perhaps, In but few OF tne
other schools in the system. Among
these are the total lack or toilet
facilities for the teachers ana klnuer-
garten children and a suitable rest
room for the teachers.
Equipment Needed.
The weightman has an improrised
rest room for teachers, but IL Is 100
small and insufficiently ventilated 70
accommodate more than TWO OF tne
nine teachers at any one time. Actuai
measurements show the room 10 ne
eleven feet and seven inches long ana
seven feet ten inches wide. A lounge.
table two-burner gas stove ana AN
antiauated wash basin virtually MI
the room. which is located on the top
floor of the building and has its sole
entrance through Gle sssroom
Outstanding among the numerous
undesirable conditions criticized by
the parents and teachers Is the single
passageway to the toilet and play
rooms in the basement. which neces-
states the boys and girls entering
the undersurface rooms side by side.
Resides, the lavatoriss are old. as
we'll as inadequate. TO meet the needs
OF pupils and teachers.
Fortunately the Weightman has an
ideal playground. which many Of the
schools lack. The favorable features
of the play yard. however. are COM
pletely reversed by it's lack of equip
ment. The entire equipment consistf
of two seesaws and three swings
The school has an enrolment OF 80.
pupils. The teachers pointed out tha.
not more than seven OF the children
can possibly use the play apparatus
at time. and therefore. the remain.
ing 800 children are forced to stand
idly by and watch them.
The basement rooms are without
heat and light. They are cold in the
winter. while on dark days the teach
ers declare that IL is almost impossi-
Bile to see. There are but two bench
es in the plavrooms-one in the boys
and the other in the girls-for the
use of the pupils when inclemen:
weather prevents play in the school
yard
Too Few ClassfOoms.
The school does not have sif'ie!en'
classroom accommodations FOR the
coaching classes. and consequently
such classes have TO be conducted
either on the stone steps in the build
ing or in a dark hallway.
Like many other schools in the DIS
trict, a great majority of the text
books in use at the Weightnan are
out of date. unsightly and inSaHftary
Many Of the civics books used in the
eighth grade were published as lar
back as 1905 and therefore fan 10
make any mention Whatever OF the
sixteenth. seventeenth and eighteenth
amendments to the Constitution and
other important laws enacted in re-
cent years The commercial Seogra-
phies likewise We're published years
ego and contain no Information OF
the new and important Industries Of
the world, such as the airpiane or
automobile industry.
Much of the furniture in the class
rooms is antiQuated and does not con-
form TO the present standards of seat
ing pupils Some classrooms have
the modern adjustable seats and
desks, while others have the old
fashioned stationary desks and chairs
Of one size which must 5e used by
short as well as tall child.cn.
Extension Urged.
To improve some of the uniavorable e
conditions at the school the teachers
and parents recommend that a two
story extension be erected on the east
side of the building. where space is
available. They also urge that the
first floor be remodeled so as to con-
rain q kinder garten toilet. teachers
teachers room be equipped with
lunchroom and lavatory. and that the