Evening star., 1926-10-10
PUBLIC SENTIMENT
SOUGHT ON CHANGE
IN SCHOOL HOURS
Star Ballot to Give Views of
Parents on Plan Now
Under Study.
HALLIDAY CLASSES
PRESENT ONE PROBLEM
But Officials Realize Menace Which
Lies in Concerted Rush of
Traffic at 9 O'Clock.

With public school authorities an.
nouncing yesterday that they are
awaiting the public reaction to the
proposal to set back the opening hour
Tor elementary schools in order to
avoid the perils of traffic -consested
streets tor the army of school children
walking to school. The Star TO-DAY pre-
sents ballot to gauge and record the
sentiment. favorable and adverse. to
this suggestion.
BY nlling out the ballot. which an
pears on this page, 1t is believed that
parents OF school children may assist
the school authorities in reaching the
solution of an important problem
how best to safeguard the lives NJ
their children
The proposal is to set back the time
lor opening elementary schools from
CLOCK as at present, to $50. when
the heavy traffic so menacins to
child pedestrians has appreciablv de-
creased In volume. Before 9 o'clock
washington is moving to work in a
long line of vehicles from all parts of
the city. Before o'clock school chill.
dren are crossing streets filled with
heavy trafic. After O'Clock this
traffc drops off more than so per
cent. at a conservative estimate.
Ballou to Make Study.
The attitude of the authorities of
the school system is that the plan has
us merits and deserves consideration.
put pr r. ". Ballou, superintendent
OF schools, declared he was not pre-
pared to urge or to oppose it until
tnere mad been thorough investiga-
tlon or its reaction, not only upon the
executives of the school system, but
upon parents and the public of Wash
lngton. The next meeting of the
Board of Education will be a week
from Wednesday. BY that time there
Will be sufficient period for the pub
lie to express its approval or disap
proval OF the plan. To aid in this ex-
preston the ballots appear in The
Star today
The expression of public interest
may come. also. in the view of author
tiles OF the school system not only
from individuals. but through the me.
alum or citizens associations, parent.
.edcher oooles ana civic organizations
in general
While awaiting the expression Of
pue3c interest the school authorities
VIII be recording the reaction to the
proposal felt in the school system il.
SELF 1t Is recognized that the public
interest and the interest Of the school
system coinc1de in this matter.
Would Affect Half Day Classes.
DR.. Ballou has already announced
Tor the school authorities that at pres.
ent they are open to conviction. While
the plan has merits. deserving care
rul consideration, he said, obstacles
| may arise in the school system. which
should receive careful investigation.
For instance, in some 200 classes. the
halliday system is necessitated. I'm.
der the present school rules this
means that at least three and one
half hours Of instruction are given
to such pupils. Switching the hour
back to $50 would not have a had
effect on the morning half of this
group, but on the afternoon half it
would still constitute a problem, as
these children-though in minority
would enter classes at 1:3O O'Clock
only to be discharged into the streets
at the hour of the o'clock traflc
peak, which in the Winter time Is
accompanied by the extra hazard Of
darkness.
Another consideration is that teach.
ers meetings would be disarranged in
the afternoon by the necessarily later
hour for closing schools. DR. Ballou
pointed out
1t might not be necessary to change
the hour for all elementary schools
In the city, however. and some ar
rangement might possibly be worked
out for the halliday pupils
OvershadovinS all these objections.
however, is the undisputed fact that
II later opening hour is decided upon
the children on their way to school
would cross streets carrying only half
the volume of traffic that they have
at o'clock. DR.. Ballou points out
this fact as being important.
Will Await Public Action.
The policy Of the superintendent of
schools, he stated informally. will be
to await first Of all evidence Of public
interest in the project; to gather the
opinion Of mis- fellow educators in the
school system; to sum up the merits
and demerits Of the proposition, so far
As possible in the limited time, and
then, In case sufficient interest has
been evidenced in the project, TO pre-.
sent the matter to the Board Of Edu-
cation at it's meeting a week from
Wednesday for such consideration az
the board may deem proper, together
with a report and possibly a recon-
mendation.
Informally" he said. "I am going
to look into the proposition from the
standpoint OF an executive of the
school system. I hope that all mem.
hare of the eChooI aysfar, 1rJII f,...>