Evening star., 1927-10-23
SCHOOLS FEEL AID
OF FFVE-yEARP PLAN
Facilities Provided for 4,535
Pupils in 1926-27 Program.
Dr.. BaIlou Reports.

the public school system OF the LIS
trict of Columbia has begun to fee
the effect of the five.year school build
ing program. it is set forth by Dr
Frank w. Ballou, superintendent OF
schools in the first section of his an
nual report, made public today.
Recording the fact that buiidne
and classroom facilities had peer
made available for 695 high schoo
pupils and 1900 elementary scnoo
nunils in the two new junior hlsn
school buildings and the tnree Junio,
high school additions, and that sii1liIai uIu
nrovisions had been made for 2,24O eie
io,ootarv school pupils in four new ele
,,entarv buildings and two additions
Dr RaIlou declares that 1.-The schoo
ynar 1926.27. saw an unusually large
,,,n,her of additional school facilities
opened"
RuiIding Space Increased.
The first building to become avail
able from appropriations made unGer
the provisions of the five-year build
;ne program were opened September
% 1926 and embraced four new ele'
roantarv school buildings and two eie.
nnentarv school additions. The more
recent school building expansion was
completed during February ana
March, 1927, when the new francls
and Stuart Junior High Schools ana
additions to the Randall ana Mac
Farland Buildings were opened tor ocI
cupancy. The addition to the hine
Junior High School, completed TOO
late for opening before the close Vi
school last June, was occupied rof
the first time only last month, Or
Ballou's report shows. The initial
section of the report is. in erect,
log of the school year, 1851.
While he makes no personal con-
ment upon the affair, DIR. Ballou mas
INCORPORATED in this section all or the
ofTicial correspondence of the contro-
versy aroused by Maj. Gen. Amos A.
Fries over the definition of socialism
which Henry FURY, teacher In East
ern High School, submitted to the
Forum Magazine last October. Inc
letters contained in the superintend'
ent's report include Gen. Fries first
letter of complaint addressed to
nr Rallou. DIR. Ballou's reply.
Gen. Fries subsequent letter to
the superinendent, Mr.. Flury's COM
munication to DR.. Ballou in which ne
defended his out-of-class rights, the
letter of commentator for Mr.. Flury
written to the Board of Education by
Charles Hart, principal of Eastern, and
that of Harry o. Hine. secretary OF
the Board of Education. outlining the
boards action to Gen. Fries, thereby
closing the incident as far as the an
nual report is concerned.
Vocational School Lauded.
-. e. A. z,,oaoe- - tI,a Tlau
nison Vocational School for Girls, an
innovation during the year to permit
girls to receive practical training SIM
liar to that received in the masculine
field by the boy students in the Abbott
Vocational School for Boys, is con-
tanned in DR.. Ballou's report. On this
subject, the superintendent fncorpo-
rated in his own volume the annual re-
port of Miss Emma S. Jacobs, director
of domestic science, whom DR.. Ballou
describes as lone of those most re-
sponsible for the organization and the
success Of the school,"
While setting forth the vocational
or trade limitation of Washington "a
non-industrial city-the quoted report
of Miss Jacobs declared:
THAT there was marked improve
ment in the girls was attested
by teachers, friends, girls themselves
and observers having no connection
whatever with the school. Many
of the girls proved they had in
high degrees the qualities of initia-
tive, leadership, dependability and
steadfastness, good fellowship and
sympathy. qualities which are re-
quired for success in business"
The report continues: 'On the
strength of this, plans are being made
to accommodate at least twice as many
girls as were enrolled during the first
term.
Reviews Opening Hour Study.
DR.. BalIou reviews the inquiry and
study made last year into the advisa-
bility of instituting staggered hour
opening time for the schools as a
means of lessening the traffic danger
to children enroute to school. He re-
calls the ballotting which The Eve
ming Star conducted in its effort to
ascertain the concensus of public opin'
ion on the proposed plan and the sub
sequent canvass of the various parent.
teacher associations for the same pur.
pose.
DR.. Ballou includes in the initial
section of his report the establish
ment of the Board of Education
"unfavorable" attitude toward specia
"weeks." He recalls that the board
refused to authorize a narcotic
week." fearing that direct attention
to the evils of drugs might work
real harm to the young pupils. Thai
action ultimately brought about ths
boards adoption Of its present policy
regarding s'weeks" on the grount
that so many special events seriously
interfere with the orderly conduc
of the schools"
Bus Line to Be Continued.
The experiment of bus transpor
tation for children to the tuberculai
school, in lieu of the issuance Of
street car tokens for use OF the pupils
on the trolley lines, proved so success
full during the year, DIR. Ballou re
ports. that it will be repeated during
the present year.
The superintendent reported al
length upon the proposals made durint
the past two years to lengthen TIT
classroom day and lessen the amoun
of home work assigned pupils. Public
opinion, he points out in his report
was opposed generally to the proposed
schedule. and he recalls the vote taker
by The Evening Star and the inquir,
made by the Board of Education 1t
self both of which furnished the cross
section of the opposition.
Reporting the pupil field day In thu
American League Base Ball Park las
May, DIR. Ballou incorporated the en-
tire program OF events Of the festiva
and the letter of appreciation ant
commendation which he wrote to DR.
Rebecca Stoneroad, director Of phys
ical training. who was largely re
sponsible for the success Of the meet
The letter. subsequently was pre-
scented to the Board of Education an,
made a part Of that body's records.