Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-07
OBJECTION FILED
! TO STAD|UM'S USE
Central High Alumni Protest
Against Opening Play
ground to Children.

A petition for repairs, improvements
and requirements Of equipment aggre-
eating many thousands Of dollars by
Central High Schools Parent-Teacher
Association. and the presentation OF
serious objections to the use OF the
Central High School Stadium by per-
sons other than students of the school,
served to bring Washingtons largest
high school back into the limelight 1t
had lost following the construction OF
the new Mckinley High School, at the
meeting of the Board of Education yes
terday afternoon.
The same meeting of the school board
was marked by the attendance OF a
delegation of 35 Washington parents,
who appealed to the board to ask Presi-
dent Hoover to include an expression
of approval Of the free-teXtbook bill in
his message to the special session OF
Congress.
Addressing the school board on behalf
of the Central High School Parent
Teacher Association, Of which he Is
legislative committee chairman, Joseph
A. Burkhart, former president of the
District of Columbia Bar Association,
presented a list of suggested needs for
the school, including items ranging from
new cafeteria furniture to stadium re-
pairs. The list was so comprehensive
that, following Mr.. Burkhart'S address,
Or. H. Barrett Learned, vice president
bf the board, observed that only a raid
on the Treasury itself would provide the
funds sufficient to cover the list as well
as those sought by the other 179 school
buildings of the District. The board
took the petition under Amusement,
however, with view to determining the
relative urgency of the various items.
No Major Repairs.
In his brief Mr.. Burkart told the
board that since the Central High
School building was completed. in 1915.
no money had been spent for major re-
pairs or for requirements Of worn equip
ment. He pointed out that while the
structure was designed to accommodate
2,4O0 students, it had at various times
carried on its rolls 3,400 boys and girls.
He declared that besides the heavy
day-chool enrolment. Central also was
operated for night school purposes and
for various functions Of the Community
Center Department. Summer school
sessions deprive the building even of
the usual vacation respite in its ac-
tivity and wear. As result Of this
hard and almost continuous usage, Mr..
Burkhart declared, the walls Of the
classrooms needed painting, gymnasium
and armory floors were in such splin-
tered condition as to become nenaces,
library furniture and books were In
need Of re-veneering and rebinding, re-
spectively: cafeteria tables and seats
were badly worn and In need Of replace
ment by modern lunchroom equipment
and the stadium seats and stands were
in need of repair, because of the exist
ing cracks In the concrete. He cited
the schools need of additional facili-
ties, including new lockers for students,
new shower rooms for athletes, enlarged
printing class quarters and new stage
equipment.
DR.. Learned thanked the Parent
Teacher Association for its conprehen-
sive survey, but declared that apparent
ly the hopes Of the District to receive
the needed repairs In its $50 buildings
lay IN q raid on the United States
Treasury. He assured Mr.. Burkhart,
however, that the petition of the Par
ent-Teacler group would receive care
full consideration by the school board.
Objection to the use Of the Central
High School Stadium was expressed by
Sylvan King, president Of the Central
High School Alumni Association, and by