Evening star., 1925-12-09
SCHOOL ITEM CUT
IS NOW PROPOSED
Reduction of 81 ,504.000 in
Budget Expected to Wipe
Out Available Surplus.

Reduction from S4,l76 500 to s. 2.672,
500 for school buildings and grounds
.is one of the most important cuts
under present appropriations found
in the District budget. With a s19,-
600 900 program covering five years
the proportionate annual appfopfla-
ton would be SO 800 900. SO that in
this second year of the school build
ing program serious reduction Is al
ready proposed.
With this reduction comes the reali-
z9tion that at the end Of the coming
fiscal year practically all Of our
S5.2J6.5"S of accumulated surplus In
the Treasury will have been spent.
In the current fiscal year Congress
authorized the use of :2.63l,ooo of the
surplus as part of the initial install
ment of the fve-year school building
program. The new budget PROVIDES
for the use of g. 025 900 more of the
surplus toward next years school
building list, which means that only
S641 800 will be taken from the gen
era1 revenues for school buildings and
rounds next year.
s6O0.OeS.15 of Surplus.
This will leave only S6o0.e2s.'o bal
ance in the surplus fund. which IL Is
proposed to he used for acquiring the
remaining land for the Rock Creek
and Potomac Parkway connection. In
acquiring 81 per cent of the necessary
land authorized by Congress IN 1919
the total authorized cost of 81 800. 900
has been expended. IT will be neces-
sary to get an increased limit of cost
of 81 900 900 This will use up
tho balance in the District surplus. as
col. Sheriff. is asking $4,000" In the
present budget to complete the Rock
Creek and Potomac Park purchase.
In submitting the estimate. how
ever. the Budget Bureau explains that
with the school building contract
authorizations proposed the amount
s2.672 800 will make provision for
carrying along the five-year program
without materially retarding the work.
In further support of the contention
that the five-year program will not he
retarded on the basis of the new bud
get recommendations, Maj. Daniel j..
Donovan. District auditor, today an
aIyzed the progress Of the school build
ing program thus far.
For the current year. he said. Con
cress appropriated s4.17S 800 to begin
the five.year program. The new bud
set sent forward today recommends
only so.672 500. which. If granted.
would represent total amount appro-
pria,ed for the first two years of
6.SI9. 600
Mai. Donovan pointed oul. however,
that in addition to this amount there
would he contract authorizations of
sl.55O. 900. This would make the total
amount authorized for the first two
wears SIS 399 900.
Dividing this total authorize ton of
$500 900 by two gives an average of
Approximately $1,000 900 a year for
each of the first two years. Ma !.
Donovan declared. 'One-fifth of Il
$40 900 900 five-year program would be
ONLY S3SDO 900 Therefore. by taking Z
into account the authorizations asked
for as well as the actual appropria-
tions. he ive-year program is being
adhered to-
New Work Proposed.
The specific items urged by the
Budget Bureau to he carried on under
the S2,672 500 appropriation recon-
mended for the coming fiscal year are
as follows: S325.600 for the compile
ton of the Francis Junior High School
At a cost. not to exceed 100000.
$4,000 for preliminary studies on plans
for a new school building for Business
High School. 800 900 for NE purchase
of a site on which to locate a new
wood. 800. 900 for the purchase of a
site for a new 16-room school building
in the vicinity of Fourteenth and Og-
den streets. 500, 900 for the purchase
OF a site for a new 16-room school
building in the vicinity of Sixteenth
and Webster streets. s17.500 for the
purchase of land in the vicinity of the
Morgan School for playground pur-
poses. 100000 for continuing the con
struction of the new building for the
Mckinley Technical School. S245. goo
for the construction of an S-room add
ton and combined assembly hall and
gymnasium to the Burroughs School
$50 900 for the construction of third
story addition to the Amidon School
$500 900 for the erection of 24-room
building to replace the present Garnet
Patterson School building at n cost of
not to exceed $500 900, SS5 900 for the
construction of A 4-room addition to
the Smothers School, including neces
sary remodeling:, $4,000 for the pur.
chase of site for a new Sroom school
building Potomac Heights or vicinity
SIS 900 for the purchase of site fol
new 16-room school building in the
vicinity of Alaska avenue and Holly
street, $15, 900 for the purchase of land
| III the vicinity of the Wheatley School
for playground purpose. 5000. 900 for a
/ junior high school building in George
town at a cast not to exceed $500 900,
$4,000 for construction of an addi
ton, including assembly hall and
gymnasium. to the Langley Junior
High School. S100, 900 for the construc.
ton of an addition to the Hine Junior
School. 100000 for the purchase OF
land in the vicinity of the Dunbar
High School, SIS, 1000 for the construc
ton of combined gymnasium and as
sembly hall at the Petworth School
and SIS, 900 for the construction of a
! combined gymnasium and assembly
hall at the West School.
PIrNn IIEI n JNAnEAJ- ATE