Evening star., 1925-12-10
SCHOOL BUILDING
SLASH PROTESTED
Civic Leaders Say Appeal
Should Be Made to Re-
instate Item.

Voicing keen dissatisfaction over
the slashjng of 81 100000 from the
school building program for the next
f1Scal year by the Bureau of the
Budget in its report to Congress yes
terday, civic leaders today declared
an appeal should be made to Congress
to have those items reinstated so that
the five-year school building pro
gram, authorized by Congress last
session, might not be jeopardized.
While the coming years program of
actual construction probably would
not be halted under the appropria-
tions approved by the Budget Bureau.
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
of schools, explained today, the entire
hVe-year program, approval of which
was won after great effort, would be
jeopardiZed.
Would Extend Program.
If the full schedule of appropria
tions under the five-year program is
not granted for the coming fiscal
year, 1t must mean either that the
flve-year program Is to be extended
over longer period of time or that
Congress is to be asked for a much
larger figure than 81 900, 900 for CON
struction in 1928, DR.. Ballou explained.
Only few items of school construc-
ton actually were eliminated by the
Budget Bureau, DIR. Ballou said. In
stead, the appropriations asked for
individual items were slashed. Thus
building projects were authorized
but a total of 81 500 900, which under
the f1ve-year program was to have
been expended during the coming
year, would be put over on later year
budgets. This puts the f1ve-year pro
gram in jeopardy, according to school
officials.
Mass Meeting Called.
What is hoped by officials will be
city-wide movement to have Congress
reinstate the slashed school building
items will have it's impetus Monday
evening at a mass meeting at the
Franklin School, when representatives
of all the city's citizens associations,
the Board of Trade, Chamber of Com
merce, the City Club, Parent-TeaCher
Association. Public School Association
and other civic bodies will be present
DR.. Ballou and other school officials
and members of the Board of Educa-
ton are to explain just what effect
the recommended school budget would
have on the schools.
Jesse Suter. president of the Citi-
zens Advisory Council; Charles A
Baker, Mrs Giles Scott Rafter, presi-
dent of the District Congress of
Parent-Teacher Associations; James
G.. Yaden, president of the Public
School Association: Isaac Cans and
Others today deplored the cutting of
the estimates.
THE Budget Bureau is not the
court of last resort for the citizens of
the District said Mr.. Baker. I've
can appeal to Congress for relief
THE five-year program, if carried
out, would no more than enable the
schools TO catch up with the growth
of the city. The cuts were unwar-
ranted. The bill was moderate-it
had already been cut TO the quick
If $1,000 600 is TO be slashed from
1t, it Will but serve TO handicap the
next years program
Others Decry Slash
Others who decried cutting the e.
Inmates under the five-year program
included DIR. George Havenner, mem
ber of the Citizens Advisory Council:
Capt. julius l. Peyser. former mem
ber of the Board of Education: Mai
Gen. Amos A. Fries and Harry \
Stull. Advisory Council member.
DIR. Ballou emphasized today that
the matter of the estimates now rests
with the public. School officials have
done all they can except appear be
fore congressional committees in sup
port OF the amounts approved by the
Budget Bureau. They are prohibited
by law in asking for additional
amounts though, il asked, they may
fpn