The Washington times., 1922-04-16
SCORES.
HIGH SCHOOL PLANS
Civic Body Wants Engineers
to Pass on Safety Of
New Hall.

The fight over the question OF
whether the auditorium at the new
Eastern High School conforms with
the District Building Code or not
broke out afresh last night at meet.
ing of the Federation of Citizens
Associations in the District Building
After an extended argument 1t was
voted to request the District Com.
missioners to submit the plans TO q
committee of competent engineers
architects and builders as wes done
in the case of theaters. and to ask
that this committee have the as
sistance of the Corporation Counsel.
At the last meeting of the Fedora
ton a fortnight ago the question
was brought before the Federation
on resolution from the Connecticut
Avenue Citizens Association. A.
that time II was decided to have
Jesse c, Suter, chairman of the Fed.
eration's committee on Education
take the matter up with the munici.
pal architect and the District Com.
missioners and to report back to the
Federation.
Mr.. Suter at last nights meeting
introduced A. l.. Harris, the mu'
nicipal architect. who defended this
present plan for the auditorium. Mr.
Harris contended that the audi
torium could not be classed as 9
theater, but rather an assembly hail
and that Therefore the present plans
conform in every respect with tbs
building regulations. He read pas
sages from the Building Code de
filming q theater and assembly hall
Snowden Ashford, former Munici
pal Architect, and a delegate to the
federation from the American In
stitute Of Architects, and w. b
Westlake of the Connecticut Avenu'
Citizens Association maintained tha
the auditorium was a theater. MIR
Suter reported to the federation tha
the commissioners sided with thu
Municipal architect in saying tina
the auditorium was an ASSEMBLY
han.
Mr. Harris stated that the plani
for the building were prepared b,
Mr.. Ashford when he was In the Dis
trict service, and that contracts TO
foundation and basement were lie
when he came into office. Mr.. Harris
said he changed the plans of thu
wooden roof to one Of concrete ant
fireproof construction; provided foI
a fireproof curtain, and changed tn
construction of the proscenium arci
upon the recommendation OF th'
principal of the school and with thu
consent of the Board OF Education
so that the stage could be used fol
dramatics. The altered plans wer'
approved by the Commissioners. th'
building inspector, the fire depart
ment, and the School Board, accord
ing TO Mr.. Harris.
'Education by Hypnotism."
Mr.. westlake said the tip that th'
assembly hall was not being erecte,
according to the building code cam,
from the Senate Committee. which
reported that the plans had beer
changed at the request of com
munity centers and by a man wh,
was not an architect, but an advo
cate of a system of education b,
hypnotism.
The recommendation of the TslSo
ma Park Citizens Association urgins
that the Board of Education abandon
secret sessions and transact Its pub
lie business in public. except com
mittee meetings dealing with ap
pointment of teachers, was adopted
c. w. Gilmore was appointed Il
the committee of charities and cor
rection: s. T. Cameron and y. II
Bellefieid to the membership com
mittee. . '.t.
Eleanor Brannin, at the Invitation
of G. Baker, president OF the as
sociation, extended an invitation u
the wives of the men delegates ans
women members OF citizens associa
tions to participates In the dedication
OF the new National Woman''
/ Party headquarters, opposite th'
Capitol, on May 81. w..
Mrs. Frizzell, OF the Federation o.
Woman's Clubs, asked for the co
operation of the Federation IN tn,
celebration OF Fourth OF July, ne th'
day OF citizenship. The matter wsi
referred to the committee on pub
| lft, celebrations