The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-28
SCHOOL HEADS.
WATCHING BILL
IN CONF FERENCE
Future of Building Program
Depends on Reception Of
Amendment by the Senate
ALIEN STUDENTS AIDED
Senator capper, Public School
Supporter, Holds Out Little
Hope for Reorganization
By DANES RING.

Passage of the District appropria.
ton bill, carrying the $3.50, 900
school items added by the Senate
after the measures distressful jour
ney through the lower chamber Of
Congress. is the prayer Of District
public school officials.
These officers, figuratively, will
will be gathered outside the con.
ference room with bated breath.
striving by mental telepatl1y -
which is the only means left them
Ito communicate to the solona
within, strict necessity Of includ.
ing the additions in the bill In tts
final form.
FOR PRESSING NEEDS.
The items re.inserted In the bill
by the Senate are those represent
ing the most pressing building
needs of the District school sys-
tenn.
experimenting these increases
were amendments providing three
Fairgrounds at q cost Of $4,000,
and purchase OF a site for q
branch library for Mt. Pleasant.
also to cost $4,000. These items
were in the original building prn=
gram Of the school board.
While the building program. az
originally prepared by the school
authorities, was reduced apprecia-
bly, before 1t reached conference.
city school officials believe they
Jared reasonably well, in view Of
the Governments hide-boupd re-
trenchment policy.
AID STUDENT CITIZENS.
Everybody takes pleasure in
blaming Congress for all kinds Of
unsettled conditions, from the
weather to the price Of carpet
tacks, but occasionally a word OF
praise is bestowed upon individual
members.
The latest laurel has been award
ed to Senators Ball of Delaware,
of Utah, and congressman White
of Kansas and Cable OF Ohio. for
their personal interest In the public
Americanization class at the Junior
High School.
SPEAK TO CLASSES.
During the past week, Congress-
men Cable and White have ad-
dressed sthe CLASSES on citizenship
and the Senators. have given their
warm +commendataon Of the work.
The naturalization course is be-
ing given added impetus by the
Americanization Associa ion, in
whose directorate the District SUI
preme Court bench, citisens' asso-
cations, business organizations and
women's clubs are well represented.
The association is interested In
getting a larger appropriation for
the AmericaniZation classes, and
the importance OF this activity has
been impressed upon Washing.
tonians by speakers of the organiza-
ton.
The point most strongly empha-
sized is that one-half Of the $4,000
foreigners in Washington are In
need of instruction In the duties
of American citizenship.
REORGANIZATION LAGS.
Senator Arthur Capper, an en-
thusiastic supporter of the Wash
ington public schools, sees q years
delay in getting the proposed re-
organization Of the District educa-
tional system before Congress.
The plan Is embodied in the ten
tative report Of the joint committee
on schools, headed by Senator Cap
per, and the report IL expected to
be made early in the week. This,
however, will be too late to exert
appreciate influence on the Dis
trict appropriation bill.
Passage of the teachers salary
bill and the compulsory school at
tendance measure, in which IL In
corporated the long.sought school
census. is the only sensible extent
Of school progress for which the
people of Washington can hope, &C.
cording to Senator Capper.
Athird school bill, which would
provide free text books for the
local high schools. has been tenn
porarily sidetracked by interested
officials, to give a clear road to
provisions OF moro imperative i'm
portance.