Evening star., 1925-12-06
||2@M0RE ROOMS 1
NEEDED |NSCH.OOlS!.. i.
Crowding in Elementary
Grades Worse Than Last
Year, Supt. BalIou Says.

Congestion has Increased 80 ma.
terially in the Di-trict elementary
public schools that 299 additional class
rooms are needed 10 provide satistac-
tory accommodations for the excess
enrolment, according to n report IS
sued last night by Supt. Frank W.
Ballou. The report is based on the
result of the superintendent annual
survey of SchoOlhouSe accommodations
as 'of November |.
The survey last year showed that
there was shortage of $50 class
rooms in the elementary systemic
less than this year. The high school
situation, however. has been relieved
by a reduction from 2,971 to 1893 in
excess enrolment, due to increa sed
facilities.
or the 299 additional classrooms.
the largest number. 12l. are wanted
to eliminate part-time classes in the
first and second grades. The report
shows that Sc are needed to replace
pOrtables, 2S to abandon rented quar-
ters, 81 to abandon other undesirable
accommodations, 81 to eliminate over
size classes and s to eliminate part
time classes in the third grade and
above.
More Teachers Needed.
The report also shows that the num-
ber of portableS in the elementa-y'
schools increased from 81 in 1924, to
66 this year. owing to the transfer OF
portableS from the Armstrong Tech
nical High School. where they were
no longer needed with the opening Of
the new addition. The number Of
rented rooms increa sed from "a TO 26,
while the number of undesirable
rooms was reduced from SO in 1924.
to 26 this year.
The number OF classrooms needed
to reduce diversified classes has in
creased from 40 IN 1924 10 81 In 1925"
said DIR. Ballou. This results from
the fact that the limited number of
searhets sprgdpfiated for the school
year. lS25l946 Silf not permit the, di-
viding of classes of 80 or 80 pupils into
two ,classes.s There care siassens with
senipHnfnts in excess OF $50 pupils at
the present time.
The number of part time classes re-
mains approximately the same, l29
in 1924 and 1877 in 1925. This condi-
ton also is due to the lack OF sum
cient number Of teachers to reduce
diversified classes. Since no additional
accommodations have beer provided
since the schools opened in Septem-
ber, and with only a few additional
accommodations opened during the
latter part of the last, school year. for
instance, the Janney School, the in
creased enrollments in the elemen.
tary schools has TO be taken care of by
the use of a larger number Of port
ables and by increasing the number
of pupils enrolled in the various
classes.
IF teachers were available a class
of so or more pupils would be divided
into two classes, but in the absence
OF additional rooms such classes will
have 10 be put on part time. Since
that has not been possible the num-
Der of part time classes remains ap-
proNimateiy the same as last year.
High Schools Relieved.
''1n the high schools the additions
opened at Armstrong and Western
High Schools in September provide
material relief for congestion in the
secondary schools. In addition the
opening of the Powell Junior High
School takes care of more than 100
high school pupils.
The addition at .>--mstrong is esti.
mated to have a capacity of 500 pupils,
making its total capacity now Loo
pupils.
Western High School was in.
creased in capacity from $50 to 1900
as a result Of the addition to that
school.
"As n result the number of high
school pupils in excess of accommoda
tions has been reduced from 3 ,97I on
November 1, 1924, TO 1893 on Novem-
ber l. 1925"
The largest number of part-time
classes is in the tenth division (col.
ored), which has 90. The thirteenth h
division, also colored. is next with 81.
With II part-time classes the third
| division has the largest number in the
white system. as we'll as more port
ables than any other division.