Evening star., 1926-03-14
Former D. C. Architect Says
Repair Money Went to Com
pIete New Buildings.
TESTIMONY ENDS GASQUE
BILL PUBLIC HEARINGS
Subcommittee Indicates It Will
Make Favorable Report on
Measure Soon.


by Snowden Ashford, for II years mu-
nicipal architect. that the District En-
gineer Commissioner since Ashford re-
signed in 1921 has flagrantly violated
the law by using money appropriated
for school repairs In finishing con-
struction OF new school buildings and
that the five-year building program
has been mangled at the hands Of DIR.
Frank w. Ballou to the detriment of
Washington taxpayers. members Of
the House subcommittee considering
the Gasque elective school board bill
voted to close public hearings at the
sixth session held in the House Office
Building last night.
The members of the committee
made 1t plain to the audience which
packed the committee room they will
order a favorable report on the bill.
Chairman Reid Of Illinois announced
he would call the executive session
next week after the return of Repre-.
sentative Norton Of New Jersey. who
requested that she be given an op.
portunity to voice her approval OF
the Gasque measure.
Tells Of Resignation.
Mr.. Ashford. the first witness to
testify last night, informed the com.
mittee that for the first time he in.
tended to reveal that the real reason
he resigned as municipal architect
in 1921 was because he was ordered
by Engineer Commissioner Kutz not
to make any more repairs at the vari.
Gus schools unless they were an.
proved by DIR. Ballou.
II resented these Instructions" con-
tinued Mr.. Ashford. They resulted
in my repair force being idle for two
months. August and September. in
1920. when most of the repairs are
made, simply because DIR. Ballou was
out Of town and instead Of being com.
PEELED to violate the law I resigned"
MIR. Ashford said that DIR. Ballou for
four years has directed the affairs Of
the public schools of Washington end
that his making public prematurely
OF 1872 items OF proposed school site
purchases resulted in the prices being
Jumped" 100 and 200 per cent, adding
unwarranted expense to the flve-year
building program.
Charges Law Was Defled.
Citing statistics, Mr.. Ashford said
that $5,442.66 was used out of the
school repair fund for completion Of
the new Eastern High School: that
$5,372 for completion of the Bur-
roughs School end $11.024 in the COM
pletion of the Macfarland Junior High
School. all Of which money was mis-
appropriated in defiance Of the law"
He also said that $4,000 was used
out Of the repair fund for the re.
modelling Of the Franklin School at
the expense of needed repairs in
pupil-populated schools.
The hearing last night was one Of
the most productive Of germane testi-
mony on the GasQue bill Of any held.
Ernest H. Pullman. president of the
Manor Park Citizens Association,
following Mr.. Ashford on the stand. in
setting forth facts designed to prove
that the Board Of Education Is "vio-
lently hostile to the desires Of the pub.
lice" expressed the opinion that En-.
gineer Commissioner Bell and the
members Of the Board Of Education
lowe 1t to the public to resign to
atone for their errors"
DR.. Bennett GrilIed.
A feature Of the meeting was the
grilling Of DIR. F. I. A. Bennett. col
ored member of the board Of educa-
ton. Chairman Reid cross-examined
DR.. Bennett at length and after he had
obtained admissions from him that the
board Of education rarely failed to
approve the recommendations Of DR..
Ballou or Of reports made by board
committees he asked him II this didn't
sort Of bear out the rubber stamp"
charge made against the board early
in the hearings.
Dol 20 Dat
pressing for statements by him Of
progressive board Of education work
he had accomplished. DR.. Bennett
said so far as he is concerned he did
not seek membership on the board
and he is ready to resign II requested
Mr.. Reid required DR.. Bennett to
go thoroughly into the real reason"
why the Board of Education denoted
Capt. Arthur G. Newman as princi.
pal Of Armstrong Technical High
School. Evidently not impressed by
DIR. BENEFITS explanation, Mr.. Reid
requested Representative Houston Of
Delaware to make a thorough investi-
cation of the Newman case and re-
port back to the committee.
Audience Gets Laugh.
During DR.. Benefits explanation
of the Newman case the members Of
the subcommittee and the audience
were convulsed with laughter when
Mr.. Houston asked DIR. Bennett II it
took the Board Of Education six
years to find out that Capt. Newman
should be denoted and If they then
did not give him a position where he
evidently should possess as much ad.
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