Evening star., 1928-12-05

Continued from First Page)
made next year, the building program
would be practically cleaned up"
At the conference between citizens
and school authorities last April, the
total remaining school system needs
under the program were considered and
1t was decided that instead of attempt
ing to secure a single appropriation
to complete the program, the needs
would be divided into two parts.
Hopes Are Blasted.
The estimates Of $3.715,3o0 which the
school officials submitted to the Com
missioners and the Bureau of the Bud
get this Fall represented approximately
one half of the remaining needs. Any
struggling needs which the system
might feel after the second appropria-
ton had been made-the second half
of the wind-up appropriations, the au-
thoritieS hoped, would be made one
year after the scheduled completion Of
the program-would be taken care of In
regular annual appropriations. Hopes
for this procedure, however, have been
pretty thoroughly blasted by the Bud
get Bureaus estimates now before Con-
gress, the authorities feel.
A careful study of the appropriation
and the specific items will be considered
by the school officers and the Board of
Education and formal statement will
be forthcoming in the near future, it
was indicated at the Franklin Admin
istration Building today.
Program Meets Opposition.
The biggest surprise which the school
authorities received in the budget was
the proviSo which the Bureau of the
Budget tackled on the item of $500, 900
for the beginning of the new Business
High School. At the last meeting of the
Board Of Education. held two weeks ago,
fight on the old structures use. as
a colored elementary school was fore
cast when the three colored members of
the board launched their opposition to
such program. DR.. j. Hayden johnson,
Mrs. Mary A. McNeill and Rev. F. I. A
Bennett united in citing reasons why
the building was not suited to elemen-
tary school use. On the contrary, other
board members at that time, indicated
that with a need for 81 elementary
classrooms for colored children already
present in the vicinity of the building,
only the transfer of the structure to
the colored divisions of the system
would be wise.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, member
Of the board. urged then that unless the
board could agree on the use of the
old building the status before Congress
of the $500 900 item for the new build
ing would be endangered. The board
was expected to continue its considera-
ton of the matter at this afternoons
meeting.
1t is felt in some circles of the Dis
trict Government today, that the Bu-
reau of the Budget had stepped COM
pletely out of its jurisdiction and into
administrative and legislative affairs
when it made the specific recommended
ton concerning the use Of the old
Business High School.
Funds for Junior Schools.
A shaft of light was found in the
budget. however, in the inclusion of
sums for the construction of the Reno
Junior High School and for an addi-
tion to the Paul Junior High School
Considerable apprehension for the
Business High School item was felt
when the District Commissioners placed
that structures construction funds in
a supplemental estimate over the pro-
test of the Board of Education The
Bureau of the Budget had consistently
Contended that the idea that supple
mental estimates were not given due
consideration was entirely wrong.
Hence the bureaus inclusion of the
new high school item in the budget was
not surprising to the officials at Frank
lin School. 1t was pointed out today.
however. that while this supplemental
estimate item was allowed, other items
which totaled more than the 100000
allotted to the Business High School
had been stricken from the regular
estimates.
The increase noted in the budget for
operating expenses. 1t was explained
by school authorities today, was caused
by the normal increase Of salary ratings
and similar items provided for under
existing legislation. The total operating
expense item in the budget is SO 633, $50.
as compared with s9,538.53o in the cur
rent appropriation. .-
Trafic on the principal waterways of
France Is now nearly equal to that of