Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-15
SURVEYOR SCHOOLS
TOBE WIDESPREAD
Phipps Says "a Additional
Teachers Can Be Voted in
December if Needed.

With the District appropriation bill
ready to be taken up in the Senate
as soon as there is a lull in the
pending business. Senator Phipps of
Colorado said today that if the survey
of the school system to be made py
the Bureau of Efficiency upholds the
need for the "A additional teachers
asked for by the school officials, Con-
gress can provide for them in a
deficiency bill next December, without
unduly handicappiRg the system
He pointed out that the schools
close for the Summer before the
appropriation bill now under con-
sideration becomes law and that Con-
gress will be back in session with the
findings of the Efficiency Bureau
available shortly after the next school
term starts. Thus, while the District
hill as reported to the Senate yester-
dav makes no provision for enlarging
the teaching force, Senator Phlpps
indicated today that the proposal
could be carried out during the COM
ing fiscal year If the efficiency experts
agree with the school authorities.
Reveals Scope of Inquiry.
Senator Phipps also revealed today
the scope of the inquiry he has asked
Herbert d. Brown of the Efficiency
Bureau to make, including the follow
ing questions:
Classroom congestion: the number
of teachers required for the NUMBER
of pupils in average daily attendance;
the degree of efficiency in the methods
of instruction in use; administrative
Sl N hnOkS
supplies; whether buildings are being
Droperly maintained and repaired;
whether buildings are properly light
ed. by natural methods in daytime and
artificially at night, and whether the
janitor force is adequate.
"In short" said Senator Phipps, I'VE
want to know whether the system as
whole is properly supervised, and
the Efficiency Bureau will have until
the next session of Congress opens to
ascertain these facts for us.
Will Investigate ZOning.
I'VE want to know if some build
ings are overcrowded while others are
problem. we want to find out if the
zones from which each building is
supposed to draw its pupils are laid
out to the best advantage.
I'VE want to ascertain whether
there is proper administrative super
vision of the teaching force. AS to the
physical condition of buildings. we
want to find out if present appropria-
tions are adequate for repairs. We are
told from time TO time that the funds
for this purpose are not sufficient"
Senator Phipps said that while the
subcommittee. of which he is chair
man, was touring the city last week
preparatory to acting on the appro-
priation bill, it visited several school
buildings and found evidences of un-
tidiness. He said he did not notice any
structural conditions that needed re-
pair in those particular buildings. but
that the walls appeared to need clean
ing.
One Omission Cited.
A study of the text of the bill as
reported yesterday brought out the
fact today that in transferring the
power of appointing the corporation
counsel from the District Commits
sioners to the President the commit
tee did not write in this amendment
any requirement that the appointee
must be a resident of the District of
Columbia.
The law providing for the appoint
ment of the District commissioners Dy
he President stipulates that they must
have been bona fide District residents
for three years next preceding appoint
ment, and in creating new Public
Utilities Commission at the last seS.
sion of Congress provisions were en-
acted requiring that the new utilities
and the peoples coun |
sci also must be District residents.
Adoption of the corporation counsel !
in the pending appropria- |
ton bill would, it was thought today. |
be a departure from the custom of
municipal appointments to
District residents.
Bills Total Further Increased.
The total of the bill as it now stands
awaiting action in the Senate has been
further increased to the extent of
S137 900, which Senator Phipps will
ask the Senate to insert on the floor
for the Improvement of Meridian Hill
Park on Sixteenth street. The bill
as reported from committee yesterday
carried $50 1856, ,125, which was an in
crease of $640,430.
AS reported from committee, the bill
$4,000 for continuing
work on the establishment of Merid. |
ian Hill Park. The amendment to be |
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