Evening star., 1926-10-12
PARENTS WANT SCHOOL HOUR
CHANGED. CITY POLL REVEALS
Overwhelming Vote Shows Strong Senti-
ment for New Starting Time That Chill
dren May Be Spared Traffic Dangers

Parents Of Washington have re-
sponded overwhelmingly in favor of
the proposal to change school open
ing hours SO as to withdraw school
children from the dangerous maze of
office traffic engulting the schools each
morning Just before 9 o'clock.
The census of public opinion being
conducted by The Star by means of
published ballots shows to date a
92 per cent vote in support of some
shift in present school hours-the
great majority favoring $50 instead
of o'clock as the reporting hour
for primary and elementary pupils.
Eight per cent OF those desiring a
change in the hours suggested 9:15
am. rather than $50, while about 4
per cent advocated moving the open
ing hour forward, instead Of back
ward. Several in the latter group
were in favor of $3.50 am, and one
proposed S:45 am.
BalIOu to Get Results.
The results Of the survey. which will
continue today, are to be turned over
to Supt. of Schools Frank w. Ballou,
who has expressed his desire to learn
the attitude of the parents of the chill
dren before making any recommends
tionS regarding the proposition to the
Board of Education. The change in
hours is strongly urged by traffic and
police authorities. following their in
veSrigation Of traffic conditions near
the city's public schools. The probe
disclosed that the morning traffic peak
occurs just before 8 o'clock, when
thousands of children are trudging
their way to school. Five minutes
after the school doors have closed on
the last stragglers the congestion has
completely disappeared, the inVestl-
gators found,
A number of voters. in addition to
sending in their marked ballots, added
their reasons for approving or dlsap-
proving a change. Several interest
ing suggestions are made for remedy
ing traffic dangers in school safety
zones.
One of the novel recommendations
was that Of Mr.. and Mrs. Otis G. Dix
son of 636 Lexington place northeast,
both of whom want the opening hour
moved backward to $3.50 am Ihey
suggest that "The Evening Star or
some other big organization in Wash
ington organize a Safe Drivers Cup,
to protect children and purposeiy
block any other motorist who does not
have regard for young lives. Such
clubs have functioned successfully III
other cities, the letter declares.
TrCes Greater Caution.
Greater caution by parents in send,
ing their children to school Is urseu
Inv G. Pellenbarg Of 1910 Euclid street,
an,tbe,. advocate of the $3.50 hour.
INV boy, who attends the COOK
ccbool across sixteenth street from
o,,r home. is always taken to school
hv his mother or by me- Mr.. Pellen-
harc saws, "but l notice that SO many
children go to school by themselves.
mean, of course, little children.
Even though traffic and police au-
thorities are doing their utmost 10
safeguard children, l am of the opln-
ion that parents must not let small
children go to school or come nome
nv themselves wherever there are
dangerous streets to cross. thlnK
it is the duty of the parents TO CO.
operate with the traffic department.
in protecting these children. 1t even
seems that some parents DO not care
what happens to their chlidren' ana
simply rely on the Polce department.
to take care OF them.
The writer adds that, if a later hour
is established, parents should see to
If that their children do not go to
school too far ahead of time, as they
are wont to do in order to indulge In
preliminary recreation. Such a prac-
tice would counteract the good done
by DELAYING the classes, he points out.
Suggests Earlier Hour.
Mrs. H. G. Towner of ISL North
Capitol street, writing in support or
$50 as the opening hour, explains
that practically the majority of peo-
nile here are Government workers or
clerks in stores, and must report for
duty at 9 am, creating heavy traft1c
between $50 and 9 am. Those who
are on the streets between 8 and $3.50
are not generally as pressed for time
as are the later ones, and consequent
lv exercise greater care in travelling
at a moderate rate of speed. Also
there would be many fathers who
would be able to take their children
to school as they went to office. If
the schools started at $50, and this
would help to safeguard the children. )"
John n. Cunningham of 1872 r street
mort beast expresses the belief that q
speed limit of 10 miles an hour in
the vicinity of schools will eliminate
all danger" A machine travelling
that slow, he declares, could not in.
lure a child to a serious degree.
Mrs. r. G.. Morrisette of 1920 M
street, writing in favor of 915, is
against parking of automobiles in
blocks where schools are located.
Most accidents, she says, are caused
by children darting out from between
parked cars $50 suddenly that it is
impossible for the motorist to Zee
them in time to avoid an accident"
She favors stationing a truant officer
or teacher in the middle of the block
to take the names of children who
cross in the midle of the block, in
stead of at the corner. and to report
them to the principal of the school.
Two letters have been received in
explanation of ballots against any
change. One, from Mrs. r. T. Stout,
1471 Monroe street, characteriZes the