Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14

grounds serve only to congest playrocn
and toilet facilities in those structures
while the playground itself, propor1oneo
for the number Of children the per-
nanent building can accommodate, &
crowded with additional children even
though the play space IS reduced by the
presence Of the portab!es.
Probing transportation Cost
The isolated portable groups are set
10 generally to meet congescon
brought about by new residential oevel"
opnnent IN the outlying areas OF the
unsoundness which prompted Dr.. Frank
W. Ballou, superintendent Of schools,
to appoint the committee OF school Of
fcers to study the relative costs o. bus
TRANSPORTATION to permanent Schools
and costs Of continued portable main
tenance. This committee, Of which
Mai. Wilmarth is chairman, has not yet
delved deeply into its assignment, but
its report will be made, it Is believed,
before the hrst meeting Of the Board
Of Education in September. At pres
ent the committee Is awaiting bids from
bus transporting concerns.
The members Of the committee IN
clude Robert L. Haycock, S. NJ. Ely,
J. C. Bruce, z. A. Clark, Harry o. Eire,
r. W. Holt, Miss e. A. Hummer, w. 3.
Patterson and L. L. Perry.
The committee appointed by Albert
L. Harris, municipal architect, to in
spect the portables, at the request OF
the school board, discovered conditions
which to the lay observer seemed to in
dicate lack Of repair as well as deterto-
ration through use and age. The Dis
trict repair shop, while the agency
~-I.{nt, evan1,fAs fha ARt11a1 YeRafr Unplc
on all school buildings, never has been
charged with the responsibility Of
maintaining close inspection. Similarly,
no school system oficer ever was sad
died with that duty, since none had
time for that sort Of work in addition
to his ONCE duties. Repairs were made
by the repair shop after teachers IN the
portables reported condition in need
Of correction to their immediate supe-
riors. Those officers, the f1eld supervs-
ing principals, in turn forwarded the
request for repair to Maj. Wilmarth,
who then transmitted it to the repair
shop.
Defects Uncovered.
Such defects as those uncovered by
the inspectors last week when board
sheeti1ing was ripped on to expose
badly rotted and m-eaten support
Ink Llu10SgS WOU4Q 1IOI 41Ol ~
noticed. Occasionally a teacher would
complain Of excessive vibration in her
building and, subsequent investigation
would show the cause. In case OF
emergency, such as roof being blown
OF In . storm, or sudden and danger
Gus stoppage In the plumbing, or the
SCATTERING Of q pane OF glass which
would admit cold, . teacher was per-
n,itted to communicate directly with
the repair shop.
NOW, however, systematic methods
are being set up in the school of6ces,
and the new first assistant supertn-
tendent In charge Of buildings and
grounds, ]. J. Crane, Is preparing TO
maintain close inspection Of all build
ings. MFR. Crane, who took ONCE June
1, when the salary for his position, ep-
propr!ated during the last regular ses-
ion Of Congress, became available, is
the first school o6icer ever to be ON
c!ally charged with inspection OF build
inss. He already has undertaken that
task in the permanent buildings, post
poning his efforts to determine con-
Ntions In the portables In view Of the
school boards request Of the municipal
architects ONCE.