Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-01

Continued from First Page)
| eral average throughout the country
"That my figure must be accurate
| is shown by the overcrowded condi-
| ton of the Washington schools. Mrs
| Bannerrnan even admits that. But
/ fortunately we do not need her adj
missions. 1t was shown in the hear
ings that 40 pupils per teacher or
class was the maximum for the COM
fort and advantage of both teacher
| and pupil"
He then presented a table show
| ing there are % white schools and
| 81 colored schools overcrowded-all
of them needing additional teachers.
Simmons Opens Debate.
Contending that the majority of the
IA new school teachers asked for by
DIR. Ballou---or 44-are for Junior high
schools, for which the plans have not
yet been drawn. Mr.. Simmons, who
opened the debate for the subcommit-
tee on the school question, answered
DR.. Ballou's statement regarding
school teacher needs as follows:
1.-THE request ror IA teachers is di-
vided-25 for elementary schools, Al
for junior high schools and for senior
high schools.
HE charges then that refusal to
grant these rs elementary teachers viii
materially increase the size of classes
IN elementary schools. He testified
that the average increase anticipated
in 1929 will be 900 in elementary
schools. There are now !, 482 regular
classroom teachers. Thus the average
| increase per teacher is 6 of one pupil,
and the same increase per room, for
. AL @+sax
However, his estimate as to increases
/ is not borne out by his own figures.
| The table shows the average increase
| during the last five years to be 72S df
| 1925-26 Is included and b91 Qf 1925-26
| Is excluded.
Elementary School Plea.
| "He asks for Is extra elementary
school teachers. OF those but Is were
regular classroom teachers. The other
| 10 are for manual training and do
nestle art. Add 900 to the total en-
rollment and Is to the regular class
room teachers and you will have 3d.
| 500 enrolled and /, 497 teachers, and
| the number of pupils per classroom
| teacher will be 35.8 instead of 35.5, as
at present.
HE charges that it will be impos-
| sible to organize small classes of
| typical children who need special in
| struction. Now on what basis is that
statement made?
mo increase was asked in the
teaching force for that purpose. These
| Is teachers were to be for regular
classes, manual training and domestic
art. He now has 81 teachers in this
class of work. No increase or de-
crease has been asked for or made in
| that service.
He charges that this action means
| the assignment to regular class
room instruction of all supplement
| tary teachers now employed in our
| larger elementary schools There are
now 81 supplementary elementary
teachers on the pay roll. A refusal
of 25 means, according to his state
ment the removal of these 81 from
their present assignments.
Completion of Program.
''Ie asked for Is regular teachers
to add to his present list of 1,482--
and for 10 special teachers to add to
his present list of 229. When the
| five-year building program is cem-
pleted there will bel ,434 regular class.
rooms in the elementary schools. We
are now appropriating for 1,482 reg
ular classroom teachers, or there are
As more regular classroom teachers
now on the pay roll than there will
| be regular classrooms when the five.
year building program is completed
| He asks Al teachers for the Junior
| High School. If he does not get them
he must materially increase the
classes. Those teachers have not
| been asked for as a general addition
to the teaching force. but for special
| locations in specified buildings. OF
| those A teachers, IL are for the Gar.
net Patterson and II for Gordon
| (Georgetown) Junior High Schools.
| The plans not done, the contracts not
| let, not one bit of actual work done
on the schools, no one knows when
| the buildings will be completed and
yet he demands teachers, and il we
] do not give him the rs teachers to put
| In his blue print schoolhouses, he will
| be compelled to reduce the quality
of instruction in the schools.
"Of the remaining III teachers asked
for in the Junior High schools, are
for the Hine School, for the Francis
School, "A CO.. tiae am3aAk school and