Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-08
D. c. BILL HEARINGS.
WILL END TODAY
Item for ID More Teachers,
Turned Down in House,
Faces Fight in Senate.

The District subcommittee OF the
Senate appropriations committee prob
ably will conclude hearings on the
local appropriation bill this afternoon
with the item for "a additional school
teachers which was turned down by
the House looming as one of the
most important controversial items 10
he decided by the Senate committee.
delegation from the Citizens
Advisory Council was at the Capitoi
10 be heard by the subcommittee. ou'
Il is understood the council members
were not prepared to say defnite-
" that in their opinion the Item Tor
more teachers should be approved.
The spokesmen for the council are
said TO take the position that IT the
subcommittee itself finds from other
testimony before Il that the teachers
ere needed, then they should he pro
vided for. According 10 reports, the
council members feel that they are
not in q position to advise the SUB
committee as to the merits OF the
item.
A group representing the Congress
of Parent Teacher Associations was
also ready to testify today in support
of including funds for assembly halls
in existing school buildings not so
equipped. to urge that paper towels
be provided for school buildings ana
that the allotment for janitor serV'
ice be increased.
Two Schools Mentioned.
The need for assembly halls In the
John Eaton and the Takoma Schools
was brought to the attention OF the
subcommittee. The Citizens ADVISORY
Council members also will tell tne
committee. 1t Is understood, that the
i+enn for a water main in Alabama
avenue southeast and q number OF
street paving projects that were ap-
proved by the Budget Bureau. out
left out of the bin IN the House, should
be inserted.
Most of the morning session was de-
voted to the testimony of Lieut. Col.
Grant, director Of public buildings
and parks. in explanation of the work
of the National Capital Park anu
Planning Commission. =,
II is likely the subcommittee Will
give consideration to the experiences
of the Commissioners and the park
officials in trying TO buy land undef
the limitation placed in the law last
session restricting the purchase price
TO 25 per cent above the assessed
value. Whether the Senate suhcom-
mittee will advocate any change IN
this restriction, however, is not
known at this time.
Report Likely This Week.
The District Commissioners gave
their testimony on the entire bill yes
terday, and 1t is expected the subcom-
1.xdn
afternoon. The BILL which carries ap-
proximately $36 900. 600 as passed by
the House, is likely to be reported to
the Senate before the end of the week.
While the Senate committee probably
will recommend a number OF changes.
II is not expected that they viii ma
terially alter the total of the bill. The
bill is in charge OF Senator Phipps,
Republican, of Colorado.
In connection with the teacher item,
it was made known at the Franklin
School today that curtailment of spe-
cial activities and elimination OF coach
ing teachers in crowded classroom
units necessarily must be resorted TO
in the public school system unless the
Senate is able to persuade the House
to reinselr the $121.00 item in the
District bill providing for "a addi-
Gtonal teachers. This, 1t was Indicated
at the Franklin School today, Is the
only course that can be resorted TO
in order that the new schools opening
next year can have the required mum.
Der of classroom teachers.
Sees Loss If Coaching Ends.
An economic loss will be sustained
If the coaching teacherships must be
abolished, it Is stated by school ofil-
oials. These teachers give special at
tention to pupils who are necessarily
absent for long intervals through con-
tagious diseases and who need special
attention in order to prevent them
from being kept back and having to
be taught the same work again dur
ing an entire semester. II is esti-
mated that Is % per cent of the
pupils fall in this class.
Cutting down of special activities
is another strong possibility IL the ad-
ditional teacher item is eventually
lost, inasmuch as there are not as
many as IA coaching teachers.
In this connection it was pointed
out today that the parent-teacher
groups at this time are sending out
petitions regarding the curtailment Of
sewing in the third and fourth grades
while, at the same time. they are
represented as being strenuously OPP
posed to the appointment of "a ad-
ditional school teachers. Sewing is
one of the special activities which
might have to be further curtailed If
the teacher retrenchment policy
ultimately is necessarily adopted.
Hit Reliance on Figures.
Another problem confronting the
school system, which complexities the
teacher situation, is the one existing
in the atypical and ungraded schools.
These schools necessarily have ex-
ceedingly small enrollments per
teacher and yet the need for the edu.
cation of mentally deficient children
is apparent. 1t is explained.
The unfairness of buying to deter
mine the teacher need of the schools
by the mere manipulation of figures
was pointed out by school officials
today. 1t was stated, that a school
in the Southwest section might find
a classroom teacher with an enroll
ment of Is pupils, whereas, one In
Petworth might find a teacher with
an enrolment of 45 pupils, and yet
It would be impra cticable to send the
Petworth pupils into the Southwest
in order to equaliZe the enrolment
between these two classes. They
further declare that a normal class
room might have an enrolment OF
40 pupils while an atypical class
might have an enrolment of 2s
pupils, yet the average proves moth
ing.
The comparison by opponents oil
the school administration before the
House District appropriations sub
committee of costs in other cities
and the pupils and teachers per
classroom was challenged today BY
school officials
System Here Specialized.