Evening star., 1926-12-08
NEW ESTIMATES FOR SCHOOLS
WILL SPEED BUILDING PROGRAM
Total Increase of 81 ,439, $50 for All Pur-
poses In the Department Is Approved
By Budget Bureau.

Allowing for greater progress or
the school building program, the Bud
get Bureau has recommended a tota
of S12 ,344.701 for all expenses of tht
public school system for the next fis
cal year. as compared with curren'
appropriations of $40 905.311.
This is total increase in schoo
estimates of s1.439,33o of which ap
proximately 500, 900 is being added te
the construction program. The re
mainder of the increase Is distributed
among other routine school expenses
In addition to recommending the
actual appropriation OF $12.344.1Ol
the Budget Bureau has recommended
that authority be given the Commits
sioners to make contractual oblga
tions in excess of that amount bS
S1,195,50O. For the current fiscal year
the contractual authorization is only
$3.50 900 in addition to the actual ap
preparation of s10,905,37l.
Excluding the items that make up
the building program, the new estl.
mates for the running of the school
system next year total 50 9,337,' 'ol, as
against current appropriations OF
only IS, ,609,31
The new estimates for buildings
and grounds amount to S3,Uoo, 'oo'
while the appropriations for the cur,
rent year under this heading totaleo
s2296. 900.
While this is a substantial step for
ward in the effort to provide adequate
school facilities for the children or
washington. il still is less than would
i,e required to keep the construction
work going on the basis of f1ve-year
program.
When the school building program
was authorized several years ago II
was figured that $40 100000 was need.
ed to overcome the accumulated
shortage in classrooms. On that oasis
the annual allotment for CONSTRUCTION
work would have to approximate
81 900 900 a year in order to carry out
the program in FIVE years.
Construction Figures.
The building items recommended IN
the budget are as follows:
For the completion Of the construc-
ton of the Gordon Junior High School
in Georgetown. s275 900; for the erec'
zion of a four-room extensible building
IN Potomac Heights, $4,000; for the
construction of an eight-room aodl'
ton. including a combination gym
nasium and assembly hail. to the
Barnard School. located at Fifth and
Decatur streets northwest, including
the necessary remodeling of the pres
ent building, S115, 900; for the prepara'
tion Of plans and specifications Tor the
erection of an extensble junior nlsh
school building in Brightwood, in ac'
cordance with the plans Of the Macfar-
land Junior High School, modified as
the limits of the site may require,
&5 1000. and the Commissioners are au-
thorized to enter into contract or con-
tracts as in this act provided for SUCH
building at a cost not to exceed S4fo,-
600, S5 900, for the preparation OF
plans and specifications for the erec-
tion of a 24-room building, including
a combination gymnasium and assem-
bly, halt on a site already purchased
at Nineteenth street and Coium-
hia road. $1,000 and the Com
rtssioners are authorized TO en-
ter into contracts for the construc-
ton as In this act provided for such
building at a cost not to exceed $780,
600. IS 900; for completion Of the con-
struction of the addition to the Lang.
Iav Junior High School. S31o,0 900. ana
tI7e authority to enter into contract
or contracts for this addition con-
tanned in the District of Columbia ap-
nropriation act for the fiscal year
1927 is hereby increased by s15,ooo'
s375,00O; for the erection OF lb-foom
building. including comblnatlon
gymnasium and assembly hall, TO re.
place the present Langdon School
Building. s275 .000i for the preparation
Of plans and specifications for com
bination gymnasium and assembly
hall for the Wheatley School, 81. 500!
and the Commissioners are authof-
ized TO enter into contract or con"
tracts for such addition at . cost not
TO exceed SIS 900. 81 800: for the CON
struction of "A sikh room addition to the
BRYAN School. including the necessary
remodeling of the present building
S125 900: for the preparation or plans
and specifications for the construc-
ton of an eight-room addition TO the
Morgan School. including a comnlna'
tion gymnasium and assembly hall,
and the necessary remodeling of the
present building $4,000. and the Com
,nissioners are authorized to enter into
contract or contracts for such addl-
tion at a cost not to exceed Slh0,ooo,
81 600; for the completion OF the
Garnet Patterson Junior High School.
so75 600. for the construction OF an
eight-room addition 70 the Margaret
Murray Washington Nocatlonal
School, located on q street. including
the necessary remodelinE OF the pres
The construction of the Mckinney
Technical High School. S1,000.00o; for
the construction OF a siX-room addl-
lion TO the Crummel School. includ'
ing the necessary remodehnE or 1he
nresent building, 100000.
In addition to these constructor
nroiects. the budget calls for S157.25o
for the purchase of sites for school
buildings and for school Fairgrounds,
at the following locations:
In the vicinity Of the Langdon
School. to provide for the erection OF
= new 16.room school building to re-
Mace the present Langdon School; IN
the vicinity of Ninth and Euclid
streets northwest for new health
school for colored pupils; land ad-
Joining the site on Grant ROAD now
owned hv the District of Columbia; IN
the vicinity of the Peabody Schoo1 Tor
nlavground purposes: in the VlcihltE
Of The Wormley School for playground
purposes.
In all. s157.o5o. 10 be dishursed and
accounted for as building ana pay
cro,,nd sites. public schools and for
that nurpose shall constitute one fund
and shall remain available until June
20 1929. Provided. That no part OF
the appropria tions herein made shall
ha exnended for the purchase or any
sire the cost of which shall exceed
the full value assessment of such
property last made before purchase
thereof plus 25 per centum OF sucn
assessed value Provided further
That if any of the sites above emu
roerated cannot be purchased under
said limitation as to price. tnen an.
Of said moneys remaining unexpended
or unoblieated by reason Of such price
1initat may be expended. subject
10 said limitation as to price, in the
purchase of any or all other land
authorized 10 he acquired in the D
,-ear school building program act. ap,
nrpved February 26. 1925 FortN-third
st.tutes. pas" 1861