The Washington times., 1923-02-26
BETTERD.C.
SCHOOLS
URGED
Senator Capper Reports Plan
for Reorganization Of
Present System.

The report on the reorganization
of the District public school sys-
tenn, as framed by the Capper-
Walter subcommittee, was placed
before the Senate today by Sena-
tor Capper.
Plans 1O-Year Program.
The salient features of the report
follow:
A ten-year school building pro-
gram.
Revision of the organic school law
so that the Board of Education may
be independent of the District Com
missioners in fiscal matters.
New and more intensive courses Of
study in the local schools.
Increasing the morale Of the teach
ing force.
1.-THE absence of a sympathetic,
constructive financial policy" said
Senator Capper, preceding the war
and during the war period, has pro-
duced conditions which should be
improved at the earliest possible mo-
ment. The housing situation in the
school system of the District is most
unsatisfactory. Overcrowded school
buildings are numerous"
Condemned Buildings in Use.
At the time of the passage of the
law of 1906, Congress created a COM
mission to investigate the housing
conditions Of the school system of
the District. This commission re.
ported in 1908, making very specific
and constructive recommendations.
THE evidence presented to this
committee shows that there are two
school buildings now in use which
were recommended for immediate
abandonment in 1908. There are
eight buildings recommended in
1908 for early abandonment that are
still in use, and accommodate more
than 5000 pupils. Seventy. eight
portable school houses are accom-.
Inodating over 5000 additional pu-
pills. Moreover there are eighteen
or twenty pieces Of property rented
for school purposes. In addition
many rooms in school buildings I'M
suited for classroom purposes have
been pressed into service.
Pupils ON Part Time.
Inadequate accommodations for
pupils have resulted in the estab-
lishment of many classes in the
elementary schools with over forty
pupils On November 1, 1920, there
were 444 classes with more than
forty pupils per teacher. BY No
vember II, 1921, this number had
been increased by fifty or more
classes. or to 494. In November,
1920, there were about 1000 pupils
who were receiving less than a full
day of education, and in 1922 and
1928, a still larger number of pupils
were attending school only part
time.
Every high school is exceeding
its capacity from 200 to GOO or
TOO pupils, necessitating a double
shift or overlapping programs in
all of the high schools.
Must Provide For Growth.
"A problem of vital Importance
confronts the schools of the Dis.
trict, which must be solved by
rational and forward-looI1ing.f financial
policies. The amount of money ap-
propriated for the schools in the
annual appropriation bills Is not
even sufficient to take care of the
increased enrolment Of the public
schools and, as a result, the &C
inundated needs of the school
system over a long period of years
are being increased rather than
satisfied. If the public school sys.
tenn is to be adequately provided
for, a systematic policy and q build
ing program covering a period Of
at least ten years, must be adopted
which shall provide for the rexu.
lar and continued growth of the
school system from year to wear,
and must also provide for the needs
of the school system which have
resulted from the absence Of such a
policy in the past"
FavOrs Higher Salaries.
The joint committee specifically
indOrses the legislation providing
for increases in the salaries of
teachers, the compulsory attendance
and school census bill, and the
measure providing for free text.
books and educational supplies,
1t also recommends increased an
preparations for Fairgrounds. eve
ming schools, kindergartens, text
books and educational supplies,
school gardens, manual training.
Americanization schools, and pre-.
vocational education.
The subcommittee also expresses
its belief that increased appropria.
tions are necessary for improving
the lighting of school buildings. for
replacing the equipment of the man.
ual training high schools.