Evening star., 1925-01-21
5-YEAR PROGRAM
FOR RSCHOOLSO.K.'D D
Senate and House Joint Com
i mittee Unanimously for
Plan.

The five-year building program for
the Washington public school system
was adopted unanimously yesterday
by the joint committee of the House
and Senate District committee Fol
lowing testimony by Supt- of Schools
Ballou and members of the board Of
education, the committee, in a short
executive session, decided to bring
every pressure to bear to push the
school bill through Congress at the
present short session.
Although it was known that the
majority of the committee approved
a comprehensive school program to
bring the District schools abreast
with modern times. the decisive ac-
tiun Of the committee yesterday was
Il welcome surprise to the support
ers of the bill.
Report Is Ordered.
Senator Capper of Kansas and Rep
resentative Gibson of Vermont were
instructed To draw up a tentative re-
port on the bill and to lay the report
before the committee at a future
meeting.
DR.. Ballou told the committee that
the total cost of the fve-year building
program. according to estimates
would be $4,000, 600. This would be
reduced somewhat by sales of school
property no longer required.
Senator King asked if the board had
made any attempt to allocate the eX-
p9nditures for each succeeding year.
Dr. Ballou replied it had not, but that
it was assumed one-ffth of the
various items for buildings, play
grounds. etc, would be cared for each
year
The Senator from Utah suggested
that it would be advisable 10 make
larger expenditures the first two
Years, in order to meet the situation
as rapidly as possible. DR.. Ballou
agreed to this and said that perhaps
1t would be wise TO expend one-half
of the total during the first two years
and onehalf during the three years
thereafter.
Makes Plea for Surplus.
DR.. Ballou said that he had hoped
It would be possible to use the sur
plus revenues of the District now in
the Federal Treasury for school
buildings. These revenues amount to
almost $5,0O0,O0O. and if Congress
hnally passes the bill making these
funds available for the use Of the
District, they could be used, he pointed
out. during the first year.
The superintendent of schools told
the committee that one-fifth of the
total required for the building pro
gram would exceed by about 81. 900. 900
the largest amount ever appropriated
in a single Year for school building
purposes in the District
The completion of the proposed five
year program. he said would make il
possible for the Board Of Education
to abandon all of the 76 portable
schooihouses now in use. and 10
eliminate some Is rented buildings.
he pointed out that they are now
using two school buildings which Were
recommended for abandonment as
long ago as 1908. These buildings, he
said, are not inSanitary, but are not
suited for school purposes.
The program would provide. he said
for an increase of 500 grade pupils
per year, and $50 high school pupils.
At present, he said. there are 1900
pupils in the high schools in excess
OF the proper school facilities.
DR.. Ballou told the committee that
the building program did not con
template the modernizing or improve
ment of many old buildings. which
should be remode,ed. He said that
the Board of Education would work
out tive-ye1T repair program tc
put these older buildings in better
shape and submit il to Congress next
year. He said it would cost sac 900,
GOO to reproduce the school plant
here, although only 100000 is allowed
each year for repair. Much more
should be made available for the
repair of a plant of this size, he said.
In reply to questions by Senator
Capper, Dr. Ballou said that the
plans for the new school buildings
could be handled through the munich
pal architects Office though it would
be necessary probably to get more
help in that office.
ID. {. Architect Heard.
The municipal architect, A. l.. Har-
ris. was questioned about the cost OF
building in the District. He testified
that while it was somewhat lower
than it was two years ago, so far as
schools are concerned, the building
costs are from two to two and a
half times what they were in 1914
before the World War.
Such increases We're denounced by
Senator King as unwarranted. He in
sisted that they were due to- conspira-
cies in restraint of trade.
Mr.. Harris said that the. cost fol
school buildings here per cubic foot