Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-19
PORTABLES FOUND
SAFE BY PROBERS
Committee Reports Buildings
Were Never in Such Condi-
ton as to Endanger Life.

The portable schools of the District
are safe and never were in such condi-
ton as to endanger the lives or health
of the children occupying them, the
Board of Education heard at a meeting
yesterday afternoon, when the final re-
port on the subject was received and
approved.
The result of the investigation by
Jere j. Crane, first assistant superin-
tendent of schools, and j. A. Long,
engineer of the District repair shop,
was rendered to the board by Rev.
r. I. A. Bennett, chairman of the COM
mittee on buildings, grounds and equip
ment. The report carried the recon-
mendation that the portable building at
the Phelps Vocational School be
abandoned since it has not the facilities
necessary for the courses to be taught
there.
Clears Way for Occupancy.
The report clears the way for the
occupancy Monday of 70 portables in
the District. Crane informed the board
that needed repairs are now being made
and will be completed before that date.
In no case, however" he declared,
Ibid we find that the timbers had
rotted sufficiently to make the buildings
unsafe. If the rotting had been twice
what it was they could not have fallen.
The worst that could have happened
at any time would have been gradual
settling few inches of the structures
on their foundations.
The board approved a committee
recommendation that the proposed edu-
60. ,.;vx IaA oh Irav
be established in the Magruder School
instead of in the j. F. Cook School, as
was planned. 1t was pointed out that
the Magruder School offers more room,
less inconvenience to larger number
of pupils and has a steadily decreasing
enrolment. Occupancy was set tenta-
lively for October l.
Award School Contract.
Official notice was received from the
District Commissioners that a contract
for $173,419 has been awarded to the
Hofferberth Construction Co. for an
eight-room building, including a COM
bination gymnasium and assembly hall,
to replace the old Bell School at Second
and Canal streets southwest. The Com
miSSionerS also informed the educa-
tional body that they have purchased
five parcels of land adjoining the Car
berry School for $4,000.
Representatives of the Park View
Parent-Teacher Association appeared
before the board and voiced the protest
children attending the Park View School
to other institutions. They said that
they had heard rumors such transfers
were to be made at the beginning of
the term Monday.
In reply, DR.. Frank w. Ballou, super
1ntendent of schools said that 1t has
been the unvarying policy of the school
officials to transfer pupils at any time
that it was deemed advisable to relieve
congestion and that the school zone
boundaries are elastic and subject to
change to meet new conditions. He
told the Park View women that he saw
no reason why an exception to this
established policy should be made in
their case.
Want Children to Stay.
The representatives included Mrs. w.
T. Bannerman, Mrs. G. G. Leach and
Mrs. T. E. Griffith. They insisted that
the Park View School was the only
available school with the platoon sys-
tenn and they wanted their children
to stay there.
A recommendation of the committee
on buildings, grounds and equipment,
formulating policy for junior high
school athletic facility development,
was postponed to the next meeting,
october 2, to allow further study of
the question. It had been urged that
the board make ample provision for
various activities, including foot ball,
hockey, base ball, basket ball, track
and tennis; that as many activities
as possible be carried on at the same
time, and that no seats be erected for
the accommodation of the public.
After an executive session, the. board
announced that it would defer action an
application for licensing to grant de-
greeS of the American College of Up
derwriters and the Potomac University.
Since quorum was not present, the
action of the board will have to be
ratified at the next meeting. Only
four members we're present. DR.. Charles
Carusi, chairman, was among those
absent. Isaac Cans occupied his chair.