Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-23
CONGRESS BLAMED
FOR SCHOOL DELAY
Carusi, in Letter to Senator
Capper, DepIores Insuffi-
Cient Appropriations.

Addressing himself particularly to the
question of sufficiency of appropriations
as probable reason for delay in carry
ing out the five-year school building act,
and declaring that only $14,268, $50 had
been appropriated of the slightly more
than $40, ,000, 900 authorized, DR.. Charles
F. Carusi, Board of Education president,
today informed Senator Capper of Kan
sas, chairman of the Senate District
committee, that the primary reason for
insufficient school building expenditures
here is the failure of Congress itself to
appropriate $4,000, 900 annually for this
purpose.
At the same time DR.. Carusi contend
ed that more liberal appropriations for
schools could have been made without
Jeopardy to the Federal Treasury or TO
the taxpayers of Washington, citing the
large surplus to the credit of the Dis
trict now reposing in the Treasury.
AS to delay in using funds which
have been appropriated as further
cause for the program delay, DR.. Ca
rusi referred the Senator to the District
Commissioners, who, he pointed cut, are
charged with the handling OF funds
and the construction Of buildings.
DR.. Carusi's statement was reply to
Senator Capper's letter of September
%. in which the latter asked for COM
five-year school building program and
reasons for the delay in carrying out
provisions of the act. Carusi presented
his reply in person to Senator Cappel
at the Capitol.
The School Board president handed
to Senator Capper as statement OF
the status of the building program the
! fifth section of the annual report oi
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent of
schools, in which DR.. Ballou cites each
| item authorized by the building pro-
gram act and its present condition. The
summary of the superintendents state
ment shows that accommodations for
total of 26,725 pupils were authorized
by the act and that accommodations
for 6.975 children are yet inappropriate
ed for.
Scores Appropriation Failure.
In a supplemental statement, DR.
Carusi points out that since the five-
year program act was passed, the school,
board has asked at various times fol
| building and ground items. OF this
| grand total, Carusi's statement indi'
Gates, only $18,534,130 worth of items
| were submitted to the Bureau of the
| Budget by the District Commissioners
and that of this total the Budget Bu'
reau in turn approved only $l3,9l5,2 $50
| Congress. the statement continues, ac'
tually appropriated a total of Sl4,268,'
| $50 for the items authorized by the five.
year building program.
whoever may be responsible for th'
failure TO secure appropriations fol
carrying out the flve-year school build.
| ing program act" DR.. Carusi's state.
ment to Senator Capper read, "al
parties concerned will be compelled II
agree, think, that the primary reasoI
is failure to appropriate $4,000,00I
per year for that purpose. The larg'
surplus to the credit of the Distric
indicates that a more liberal polio!
toward the public schools could hav'
been pursued without increasing tn,
burden upon the Federal Government
or upon the taxpayers of Washington
In his reply to Senator Capper, Dl
Carusi answered the queries of tn
Senator categorically and chronolog
ically. Information as to the exac
status of the items in the five-yea
building program, he advised the Sen
Continued on Page S, Column o.