Evening star., 1922-10-15


may have been assigned to advanced
standing by the board of education
under the provisions of the statutes.
Lamenting the red tape" in OBJ
tanning school supplies, DR.. Ballou
said
Not a few OF the difficulties and
supplies for the schools are due TO
the statutory restrictions imposed by
the general supply committee. Ihis
is an agency created by law to dis
pose of surplus material in the hands
of the federal government. of sup
plies no longer needed because of the
abandonment of many bureaus or ac-
tivities following the world war.
Under the provisions of law prac-
tically every requiSition forwarded
to the purchasing officer. District of
Columbia for materials or supplies
where personal service is not in
volved-whether it be for an article
already contracted for or for one to
be acquired through open market pur-
chase must first be referred to the
general supply committee. to pass
muster before an inquiry of this
character:
Has the federal government this
article. or its equivalent, anywhere
in its inventory. either in the eNten-
sive warehouses in Washington or
The co-ordinator of the general
supply committee, as required by the
statutes. makes diligent lnvestiga-
tion to see if the article or it's pre-
sumptive equal proposed to be pur-
chased. is listed in his inventory of
government stocks. Until the CO.
ordinator's reply is received. releas-
ing same. all steps looking toward
ordering the material elsewhere are
held in allegiance. Should the article
requisitioned for, or one similar, be
in government hands awaiting dis
posal. the board of education, through
the purchasing officer. is notified OF
the essential facts. The purchase of
the government article is obligatory
unless convincing evidence can he
submitted, in writing, that it is
wholly unsuited for the purpose for
which 1t is desired. Apparently no
one ever considered the possible ap-
plication of this law to the Washing
ton school system.
Cites Delay Of Supplies.
The schools have heartily endeav-
ored to comply with all the provi-
sions of the law with a sincere ap-
probation of the economic reasons
for disposing of surplus supplies on
hand and also from motives of pa
triotism. But while the requirements
of this statute are applicable alike
to all branches of the District gov
ernment, it's operation is frequently
calculated to work a hardship to
school interests. from which other
city departments escape: for the rea-
son that many of the school supplies
and materials are exclusively in
tended for classroom needs, for pur-
poses of instruction, for scientific
uses. The application OF this state
ment Is shown in specific cases cited
"Pens.-A requisition was forward
ed to the purchasing officer for a
quantity of school pens. The gem
the Brooklyn navy yard had school
pens on hand in a quantity to meet
the school needs. An investigation
of the kind and quality of pen at
the Brooklyn navy yard disclosed the
fact that it was bankers sub pen.
which is in no sense acceptable to
teach children penmanship. The
proper pen was provided following
this consequent delay
Fire EXtinguishers.-In accordance
with recommendation in the report
of the chief of the fire department
following the Knick erbocker disaster.
several hundred fire extinguishers
were reuuisitioned for. to safeguard
certain rooms and assembly halls.
Only part of the order could be
placed with the manufacturers agent
for immediate delivery. The remain
government and shipped from the
Canal Zone, Panama, while an early
delivery was highly necessary.
''Eictrola. In the attempted DUR
chase of a victrola for suburban.
school. the outcome was the delivery
of a phonograph from the United
States Shipping Board, through the
general supply committee The
phonograph was received rusted and
with parts missing. 1t was learned
that the cost of repair would be in
excess of the original estimated cost
of new machine. The purchasing
officer was accordingly informed that
the victrola was useless. and conse-
quently the schools did not propose to
pay for 1t, and request was made that
the order be cancelled. Final ad-
justment Of the case is still pending.
The board of education, however, has
paid the delivery charges from the
naval station to the school of a vic
trola of no value"
The report referred to the over
crowded conditions in the schools;
emphasized the need of school legis-
lation now pending in Congress, and
outlined in detail the present methods
of transacting school business 1t
also quoted the opinion of prominent
educational authorities on the District
school system.