The Washington times., 1922-11-01
DISAGREE
ON GIRLS
TU|TIO
Duty of D. c. to Educate Blind
Students Sets Authori-
ties at Odds.

What may later develop into
. heated discussion, if not more
serious trouble, between DR..
Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
of schools, and the three District
Commissioners, came to light to-
day when it was learned that
they are at .loggerheads over the
case of Delphine Desio, of this
city, a twenty-three-year-old blind
girl.
In School for Blind.
Miss Desio last year attended the
Pennsylvania Institute for the Blind
at Overton, Pa. Her tuition at the
school was paid by the District gov
ernment and the money for her
maintenance was paid by her father.
Now the District Commissioners
come forward, in a letter sent to
DR.. Ballou yesterday, and state EN-
phatically that they believe that
Miss Desio has received all the edu
cation to which she Is entitled at
public expense.
This letter is sent in rep,y to a
communication from the superin-
tendent in which he empha tically
declares that the District should
not only continue to pay Miss
Desio's tuition at school this year
but should also relieve her father
Of her support.
The matter Is still in the air. and
u expected to come to a climax at
the next meeting of the Board OF
Education.
Daniel J. Donovan, District Audi.
tor, started the bal. rolling on Oc-
tober Is when he wrote to Dr. RAJ
lou. asking his view or, that OF the
school board on a contract 10 con-
tinue the Child" in the institution
during the present year.
Taking College Course.
Auditor Donovan's letter pointed
out that there was some question
last year whether the District
should continue to provide Miss
Desio with an education, because
she Is taking a collegiate course.
DIR. Ballou replied, on October Is.
that he and the president of the
Board Of Education believed that
Miss Desio should not only be con-
tinued in school, but that both her
tuition and maintenance should be
paid by the District, regardless OF
the financial status of the girls
father.
He said that if the school board
were meeting it's full obligations II
would be providing Miss Desio with
an education within the District. but
that as this cannot be done, the
District must send her to an instiic-
ton outside the city and pay her
tuition and maintenance.
He further says the opportunities
and privileges of the public school
system are available to all pupils. re-
gardless of the financial status OF the
home, and that the children Of the
nontaxpayer have the same privileges
as those Of the taxpayer. He says
the school authorities cannot agree
with the Commissioners that The
financial status of the father can be
a controlling factor as to whether or
not he should pay toward educating
his daughter in the Pennsylvania In.
stitution.
Not a Child, They Say.
The District Commissioners re.
piled yesterday, taking exception to
terming Miss Desio. a twenty-three-
year.old girl, a child"
'The Commissioners feel" says
the latter. that II the facts in the
case, understood by them, are true,
then she has received all the cdu.
cation at public expense to which
she would have been entitled IN the
District had II not been for her af-
Fiction, which necessitated her edu.
cation elsewhere. They also feel
that the financial status Of the par.
ents should be an element for con.
sideration in the payment of public
funds for education in a special
school,"
The commissioners attitude IL
ba sed on the assumption that Miss
Desio has completed her high school
course. In the District, education at
public expense is provided through
the high schools, but not In college.
For this reason the commissioners
say they believe she has received all
the education she Is entitled to.
Miss Desio Is the daughter Of Sal.
vatore Desio, a jeweler at s26 F
street northwest.