Evening star., 1924-09-20
DISTRICTS SCHOOL PROBLEM
Inadequate Facilities for Education of Youth Re-
proach to the National Capital
BY LANES E. CHINN.

again last year by a gain of 418.
With the junior high schools aid
ing the senior high schools, the peo-
| PIE of Washington must squarely
face this stubborn fact: That with
| the additions to Western and Dunbar
the overflow of pupils from the FIVE
other high schools would fill a new
nigh school larger than the new
Eastern.
Central High School. Washinston's
artistically beautiful and largest school
house, which has displayed an over
crowded sign ever since the war is ex-
pected to establish a precedent by be-
ginning the 1924-1925 scholastic year
with student body smaller than the
preceding year The problem of con-
Sestlon, however, will not be minmiZed
stephen f. Kramer former assistant
superintendent of schools and now prin-
clpai of Central. after carefully study
ing advance enrolment records. said
today that Central will open Monday
with registration of approximately
$500 pupils-100 less than last years
record breaking enrolment of 3,4O0
Mr. Kramer did not include in his fig
ureS, however, those pupils from out of
town schools which the high school ad-
mission board will assign TO Central
The Mount Pleasant high school in
varlably gets the largest percentage of
the admission boards assignments, and
when its work is completed the pros-
pective enrolment figure may be in
creased to $500 less than last
years peak. At any rate. Central does
not expect d larger student body than
last year
To the gradually developing system of
Junior high schools Mr.. Kramer pays his
respect for keeping Centrars ever
increasing student body within it's 1928
1924 bounds. The new Macfarland
Junior High School, on Iowa avenue at
Varnum street, is Central's greatest aid,
because it Will enroll in its ninth grade
many of the pupils who otherwise would
have entered the freshman year at Cen
tral.
Although advance figures show that
CentraPs student body Will not be
enlarged. the staggered hour system
OF operation, adopted several years
ago as temporary means of relief
from overcrowding, will be continued
throughout the new term. only on d
larger scale. By this arrangement
classes viii report at different hours
The freshmen and sophomores will
be assigned to- classes opening later
than the junior and senior classes
and VIII remain at school longer in
the afternoon.
Mr.. Kramer has planned TO put
more of the first and second wear
classes on the staggered hour pro
gram this year than last. and there
by give more pupils an opportunity
TO take a complete program Some
classes last year were precluded from
taking such subjects as drawing and
physical training on account of the
abbreviated program.
Theoretically, the capacity of Cen
trail is $500 pupils. 1t is comfortably
filled with 2.300. With a student BODY
ofH3, 400 it is not hard to understand
why the facilities at the Mount Pleas
ant institution. despite its size, have
been overt; Xed.
Central first began to feel the in
fuN of pupils during the scholastic
year of 19191920, when Robert A
Maurer was principal. The enroll
ment then totaled 200 pupils, and it
was found impossible, with but so
recitation rooms in the building to
organize the school on a six-period
basis. The staggered-hour system
was created and the school was
opened at $50 o'clock instead of 9.
The problem has become increas-
ingly complex annually. Every avail
able room in the building is taxed to
capacity throughout the day Now
with what appears to be a peak in the
schools enrolment, Mr. Kramer is
planning TO give every pupil the best
education possible under the handicap
of student body 100 larger than orig
inally intended.