Evening star., 1922-02-18
WOULD GIVE EDUCATION BOARD
ENTIRE CONTROL OF SCHOOLS
Supt. Balleu, Before Congressional Com
mittee, Protests Divided Authority.
Refers to Curtailed Appropriations.

have attended school. just because
there was no census of children of a
school age. He urged the passage OF
the bill pending before the Senate for
this new law.
DIR. Ballou said the District has 154
school buildings. There is need of
money to make the repairs on these
buildings to keep them from deteriO-
ration. He said that 100000 was
provided. although the schools had
estimated that $4,000 would be
needed.
He told the committee that assembly
halls. which could be used also as
gymnasiums, were greatly needed.
After DR.. Ballou's discussion of the
need of giving the board Of education
matters, and ample appropriations.
Senator King suggested that the
times are not normal and that it was
necessary to econOmiZe wherever pos
sible. To this DR.. Ballou replied that
it was poor economy to reduce school
ficient system of education could be
maintained.
Cites Plan for Branch Libraries.
The superintendent called to the
attention of the joint committee the
cooperative plan entered into by the
board of education and the board OF
trustees of the Public Library, where
Dy DranCn are u Dc cStdu-
lished in a number of the schools. for
the use of the children and also for
the people who live in the neighbor-
hood. At his suggestion DR., George
r. Bowerman. librarian of the Public
library, submitted the plan in detail
value of this work. DR.. Bowerman
called attention, in his statement, to
the fact that so far there has been
provision made for only one branch
library in the metropolitan district,
and that in cities of a similar size a
dozen or fifteen branches would be
found. He laid stress upon the value
of the education obtained through
use of libraries. and said that the
branch libraries and stations MAIN
tanned in the schools would do a
great amount of good.
Four members of the board of edu-
cation, Mrs. Howard L. Hodgkins.
acting president; James T. Lloyd. Mrs.
Susie Root Rhodes and William F.
Houston. were present and gave to
theocommittee suggestions regarding
the schools. Mrs. Rhodes, who is
as well as a member Of the board Of
education, told of the cooperation
between the municipal playground
administration and the schools for
the benefit of the children.
DR.. Ballou was questioned by Sem
the community centers and whether
the centers were a hindrance to the
schools. DR.. Ballou replied that he
considered the community centers
were doing excellent work.
COfored Schools Represented.
Mr.. Houston, a colored member of
the board, told the joint committee
that he believed the estimates for the
colored schools had been pared too
greatly by the Commissioners, bureau
of the budget and the House. He
said that 81 per cent of the school
population of the District was COL
ored. The estimates as submitted by
the board of education had been u
per cent for the colored schools and
73 per cent for the white. The pro-
portion had been cut, however, until
as the bill passed the House the pro-
portion was 80 per cent for the white
schools and 10 per cent for the col
ored The figures. he said. had refer
ence to schools buildings. He urged
the need of granting all the appro-
priations needed by the white schools
as well as those needed by the col
ored schools.
The assistant superintendent Tor
colored schools. Garnet c. Wilkinson,
gave strong Endorsement to the pro-
posed compulsory education law, to
the bill for free text books for high
school pupils, to the plan for junior
high schools and other recommenoa-
tions Of the board of education.