Evening star., 1922-02-18
NEW DELAY FACED
IN OPENING SCHOOL
Eastern High Will Not Be
Ready February ], 1923,
Unless $685. 900 Provided.

Opening of new Eastern High
will again be necessarily postponed
to September. 1923. unless an appro-
priation of s375.OOO for equipping the
new building is provided in the pend
ing deficiency bill. Charles Hart,
principal Of the school, told members
of the Home and School Association
of Eastern High School at a meeting
last night in the auditorium Of the
school.
All but approximately 100000 of
the original appropriation of $780,
900 for building and equipping the
new high school has been expended.
Mr.. Hart said. while the remaining
in condition, grading the athletic
field. inclosing the grounds and build
ing a stadium.
Much Equipment Needed.
Mr.. Hart declared no funds are
available for lockers, manual training
equipment. rifle range, lunchroom,
laundry. gymnasiums. assembly, hall,
Office training and typewriting equip
ment. domestic science equipment, all
laboratory equipment other than
furniture, domestic science equip
ment anad domestic art equipment.
No provision, he said. is made for
1anitor service and unless provided
for in the pending deficiency bill. it
would be impossible TO open the new
building on February l, 1928. the date
planned. On the other hand. he em-
phasized. it is useless to provide for
janitor service unless an additional
appropriation is made for equipment.
Contractor Has Agreed.
SsgJyA
agreed to have the erection of the
new Eastern High School completed
December /. 1922" said Mr.. Hart.
Unless provision for the above is
made in the pending deficiency bill
for the necessary equipment. it will
ing before september, 1923. The need
for immediate action is imperative"
An effor' to secure the deficiency!
appropriation of $375.000 needed to
equip the school will be made by the
following committee. appointed by
ciation: David Babp, chairman: Mrs.
Gilbert Hutchinson, Hubert A. Clark,
DR.. Charles Butler and Miss Freda D.
Egbert.
Tiretrap Charges Denied.
Charges that the new high school is
a yeritabIe firetrap were denied by
Albert Harris, municipal architect.
Mr.. Harris also defended the changes
he made in the original plans for the
building.
II is inconceivable that the Com
miSsioners and thee fire department
wtuld pass a school that is a So
cflled fire trap" said Mr.. Harris. IF
the plans for the school are defective
low they were at the beginning:
|Schanges made in the plans were
Lsight.
when the original plans were
turned over to me they called for a
steep. slanting roof. with considera-
BILE timber on the roof. This was a
asked for a reinforced concrete roof.
Thus the fire trap has been elimi-
mated from Eastern High School,"
Made One Radical Change.
Mr.. Harris said he made but one
radical change in the original plans
for the school. This change was
made to the entrance Of the building
and will make it safer and more
sensible" he declared.
The municipal architect said that
he eliminated another fire hazard at
the new Eastern by placing a dome in
the auditorium of the building, which
will supplant a considerable amount
of fnhammable stage scenery. Other
wise, he asserted. the aauditorium In
the new school will not differ essen
TALLY from the assembly halls at
Central or in other modern high
schools.
Expect $500 Pupils.
Although school officials believe
the enrolment in the new Eastern
when it formally opens will be in
the neighborhood of 1900. Mr.. Harris
pointed out that the seating capacity
Of the auditorium, which includes a
balcony, will be about 1900. 1t will
be impossible then, he declared, to
seat the entire student body at any
one time.
Subjects Of vital interests to par
enta and children were discussed by
members Of the association and the
faculty Of Eastern. The topics were
'"Obedience-Its Meaning in the Home
and School," by Mrs. Gilbert Hutch
inson and Miss Freda G. Egbert:
"Wkat Is to Follow the High School
-EducationaQy and Vocationally,"
by Daniel A Edwards, former presi-
dent of the board of education, and
Miss b. l. Gardner. Music was fur
nished by the quartet Of the Eastern
High School Glee Club and Otto G.
Lehnert Of the school orchestra, who
played several cornet solos.
Principal Hart reported that the
enrolment at Eastern has reached
999-371 boys and 62S girls. Four
years ago, he said, there were less
than 400 students enrolled in the
school.