Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-06
SCHOOL ESTIMATE
PRUNING OPPOSED
Board of Education Against
Taking Orders From Dis
trict Commissioners.

Indications that the Board Of Educa-
ton is through submitting To the orders
of the District Commissioners to pare
the school systems estimated budget
every time the director of the budget
advises District heads their estimates
are too high were apparent at the
boards first meeting of the 1928-29
school year yesterday afternoon at
Franklin Administration Building.
Confronted by letter from the Com
miSSioners inStructing it to reduce Its
estimates for the year 1880 by Sl.O52,00
as its first item on the new years cal
endar, the school board took no action
in open meeting, but, at the request OF
Charles F. CaruSi. president, met to dls-
russ the question in executive session
following adjournment. Although no
statement as to what tranSpired behind
closed doors was forthcoming from any
member of the board, Mr.. Carusi told
The Star at the beginning of the meet
ing that the time when the Commits
sioners shall tell us what we need is
gone and we don't intend to submit to
that sort of treatment"
Declared Accountable to Public.
Mr.. Carusi said that in his opinion
the Board of Education is accountable
to the people of the District. at least
so far as the proper listing OF the school
systems needs is concerned. When the
estimates are cut before the budget is
submitted to Congress. he said, they
do not represent the real requirements
of the schools and place the school
board in the position of failing to pre-
sent true picture to Congress, in &C
cordance with its duty to the people.
The president of the board would not
cav Yesterday what course he and his
associates probably would follow in
their efforts to get the entire estimates
before Congress. Since the school bud
get as drawn up by the board repre-
sented. in the opinion of school Off
Gals, the bare necessities of the Sys-
tenn. the cutting Of even one item from
the list would bring about i'll feeling IN
the community affected.
While Yesterdays meeting was the
first session of the Board OF Education
since July /. when its annual reorgan-
ization meeting was held, a bare quo
rum was present. Besides Mr.. CaruSl,
who presided, the five members IN
Guided Henry l.. Gilligan. Mrs. Henry
Grafton Doyle. DR.. ]. Hayden johnson
and Mrs. Mary A. Mcneil
Business Transacted.
The items of business which the board
handled included the approval OF per-
sonnet changes in which the appoint
ments, transfers. and promotions recon-
mended by DR. Frank w. Ballou. super
intendent. were made official. The APP
pointments included that of H. Dale
Davis to the assistant principalship OF
Mckinley High School.
Mr.. Davis, whose appointment became
effective as of September l, comes to
the District school system from Column
bia University where he had charge
of extension work A native of Witch
tia, Kans., Mr. Davis brings here with
him wide teaching experience received
in elementary Junior high and senior
high schools of his own State and Ohio.
He has been principal of several insti-
tutions also. He received his A. B. de-
gree at the Kansas Teachers College
and his A. NJ at Columbia University.
Mr.. Davis is 48 years old.
Reservoir School Petition.
A petition for the grading and land
Scaping of the grounds surrounding the
Reservoir School was presented by rep
resentatives of three community bodies,
who addressed the board Miss Mary
E. Lazenby of the Palisades Garden
Club, Mrs E. c. Rittew of the Conduit
Road Citizens Association and Mrs.
Mary Burr of the Reservoir School Par
ent-Teacher Association told the board
that the school grounds had been unin-
proved for 81 years. They contended
that the yearly rain washes had carried
away much earth. rendering the lot
dangerous ravine which has been
filled with city refuse at the rear of
the grounds adds to the unsightliness