Evening star., 1925-03-08


lie education in the Nations Capital"
Referring to school legislation en-
acted by Congress at the last session,
DR.. Ballou pointed out that it came
not as bolt out of a clear sky, but
was the result of three or four years
of united and untiring efforts on the
part of all those interested in the
welfare of the public educational sys-
TEN. A memorandum regarding this
legislation, prepared by Or. Ballou
exclusively for The star. follows:
Review OF school Gains.
Substantial educational progress
will be made in Washington, as a re-
suit of Legislation and appropriations
which We're made in the short session
of Congress which came to Il close on
March 4. Congress passed compul-
sorry school attendance and school
census law and tive-year school
building program Ii passed legisla
tion recognizing the surplus in the
United States Treasury as belonging
to the District and made that sur
plus available for schools, parks and
Fairgrounds. 1t passed the largest
appropria tion bill for the District
that has ever been passed, which bill
includes larger appropriations for the
schools than have heretofore. been
made.
'The compulsory school attendance
and school census bill provides that
children from I to Is years of age
shall be required to attend school,
except that child who has reached
the age of ii years and who has
completed the eighth grade may be
excused from school II he is reGu-
larly employed.
"The bill also provides TOR a census
of all children between the ages OF .
and is years, which viii make II
possible 10 enforce the school at
tendance law and which Will make II
possible for school officials to pre-
pare more adequately for increased
enrolment.
Extra Workers Provided.
in order that this legislation may
be put into effect, Congress made
an. appropriation of $4,000 for the
salary of director for the depart
ment of school attendance and work
permits; $500 for six census in
spectors: s7.020 for six clerical en-
ployes in this new department, and
$4,000 for Office equipment, cards ana
other office supplies
The five-year school building pro-
gram authorized appropriations for
schools and high schools sufficient in
number so that by June 80. 1889, the
schoolhouse accomm odations in
Washington will be sufficient to ac-
commodate adequately all OF the
pupils who are now enrolled and the
Increased enrolment anticipated dur
ing this five-year period.
''The bill provides for the erection
of new buildings for the Business and
Z
ICES the purchase of additional land
at the Armstrong and the Dunbar
Schools and provides for the equip
ment of athletic fields at the West
ern. Mckinley and Dunbar High
Schools.
EnIargements Made Possible.
"Enlargements of present junior
high schools are provided for Mac
farland, Langley, Randall and Hine.
The Jefferson will be replaced by
new building. Eight other new Junior
high school buildings are pro-
vided, as follows: Georgetown, Reno,
Brightwood, Broohland, Stuart, vicinN
ity of Kingsman School, Francis,
vicinity of Garnet Patterson.
There are Is new buildings pro-
vided: Fifth and Decatur. Thirteenth
and Montague, replacement of Force
Adams, replacement of Langdon, re-
placement of Lincoln, Calvert street,
Grant road, Potomac Heights, Fifth
and Sheridan, Fourteenth and Ogden,
Alaska avenue and Holly street, re-
placement of Abbot, South Dakota
avenue and Rhode Island avenue. re-
placement of Randall, vicinity of
Lovejoy School.
Provision is made for additions to
% elementary school buildings: jan
prie hi rlE a nd
Bancroft, Park View. Burroughs, Blu
chanan, Bryan, Fairbrother, Bruce,
Wilson. Phillips, Garrison, Deanwood,
Burrville, Birney, New Bell, o Street
Lenox, Amidon, Military Road, Reno,
Smothers, Crummell, Harrison, Sy
phax.
Purchase of Seven sites.
''Phovision is made for the pur-
chase of seven sites for future use, in
addition to land needed for school
buildings to be erected during the
five-year period, as follows: Connec-
ticut avenue and Upton street, Fox
all road and Calvert street, Wesley
Heights, E. V. Brown School, Six
teenth and Webster streets, Rhode Is
land avenue and Twelfth street
northeast, north of Michigan avenue
extended.
THE bill authorizes the construc-
tion of a combined assembly hall and
gymnasium in eight elementary
schools which were designed for such
facilities. as follows: Eaton, West,