Evening star., 1922-01-24

the public school system of the
District the Joint congressional
committee has unquestionably
learned that the primary need Of the
local school system at present is for
new buildings. Other considerations
-iusthe survey ofSthe local school re.
Quirements become Of minor inn
portance as the urgent necessities in
respect to physical equipment are re-
garded. The committee has been
told by school officials and by citi-
Gems Of this need in practically every
part of the District. Specifications
have been supplied showing the in
adequacy of every present school build
ing In point Of capacity. the overcrowd-
ing Of every classroom and the conse-
quent lessening Of teaching efficiency on
the part Of the instruction staff.
This condition is the result Of a
long series of inadequate appropria-
tions for schoolhouses in Washing
had complete outfit of school build
ings. 1t has always been In arrears.
Additions have been made, of course.
from time to time, new buildings and
old ones enlarged, each such increase
giving some relief. but never In a
one time .for the immediate school
population'2and. of course. in conse-
quence. never providing for the as
sured increase.
This condition has not been due to
any neglect OF consideration or at
tention by Congress. The matter of
schoolhouse equipment has been very
thoroughly examined on at least two
previous occasions and the immediate
and. prospective needs of the local
system have been made known and
Systematically formulated with the
hope each time that action would
follow. But beyond spasmodic in
creases. never in accordance with any
large. broad plan, neither of these
congressional studies has led to
results.
Just forty years ago under a reso-
luton of the House Of Representa-
uves a commission was appointed to
examine and report upon the char
acter, condition and fitness Of all
school buildings in the District This
commission reported that a serious
! shortage of schoolhouses existed at
from It's report is Significant:
"The amount appropriated for the
construction Of new buildings In the
has not been sufficient to do more
than meet the demand for accom-
mediation, due to the annual increase
of pupils during the same time. II
is believed that this statement sui.
fciently accounts for the fact that
hoe
in the number of rented buildings
notwithstanding the number OF new
b"tldirgs which have been con-
save in the matter Of rented struc-
lures that same observation might be
truthfully made today by the pres
ent joint committee, for the situation
is virtually unchanged In respect to
arrears. There were then, in lSSZ.
1O9 rented schoolrooms out OF total
of 39S. or more than p per cent
Physical conditions are much better
now, but stiII the schoolhouses are
crowded, classes are too large, and
the provisions for increases are bare
lv sufficient to cope with the an
nually swelling tide of school popu-
lation. Again in 1906 provision was
made for q schoolhouse commssion
solidation Of certain Schools. the
abandonment and sale of others. and
the character. size and location OF
future buildings. This commission
not only examined all the schools OF
washington. but visited nate ,,s sevsntss1 rannr,
upon observations made there: II
reported February 25. 1908, and SCI
forth a comprehensive plan of re.
placements and aeveiopments. HAD
| that plan been followed. with SYSTEM
attic annual increment provisions n.
schools would not prevail. But
again, as following the report OF
| 1882, Congress contented itself with
making barely adequate annual ap-
| propriations and reducing provisioni
for new buildings to minimum OF % the
| up the arrears.
In 1920 third study was made Of
| local school conditions. not by com.
mission, but by the superintendent, who
showed the need Of at least 1873 addi-
tional classrooms in the District tc
! accommodate the school pupils as OF
| November 1. that. year. This survey
showed that Is new rooms were needed
to eliminate portable buildings. IS tc
eliminate rented quarters and undesira-
bic rooms, 81 to reduce diversified classes
! to classes Of 40 pupils and IS to elm
| mate part-time classes:
| At that time more than 2,100 pupils
were accommodated in portable houses
There were 269 classes ranging In
size from Al to IS pupils. 1856 classes
ranging from 46 to SO pupils and Is
classes of more than 80, a total OF
444 classes in the District OF Colum
bia beyond the size which experience
has shown to be the limit-and q
high limit-of effective school work
In 1920 there were at Central High
School ASST pupils. which had q sea
pacity" of $500 and was designed
for the comfortable, eccommodation
school is today 5000. or 700 in. ex.