Evening star., 1930-06-23
BaIIou and Officials Held in
Doubt by Status of
1881 Bill.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
ASSUMES AGREEMENT
Superintendent Cannot Believe
House-Senate Deadlock Will
Kill Measure Entirely.

Headed by DR.. Frank w Ballou, su-
perintendent, Washington's school off,
cials today are sitting with the District
Commissioners at the District Building,
discussing the $l5,020,S01 worth of
items sent forward by the Board Of
Education as the school estimates for
1892.
Authorized by the school board to
"advise" rather than recommend, +"
DR.. Ballou and his staff are attempting
in effect to counsel the city heads on
needs which are not even known and
which cannot be even guessed at as
long as the current deadlock exists on
the 1881 bill. In framing its estimates
for 1892, the Board of Education op-
Grated on the assumption that the 1891
bill as approved by the Senate would
pass both houses of Congress.
Hence the school needs as estimated
for 1892 were based entirely on the
assumption that the progress contained
in building and ground and in ad-
ministration items of the 1881 bill
would actually go into effect.
Feels Some Bill Must Pass.
Just what the Commissioners could
do in the present atmosphere of doubt
DR.. Ballou would not hazard In discus
sing the situation with The Star. He
was frank to say, however, that he
didn't know just what he and his staff
would do in event the 1881 bill failed
IN the Senate-Hous deadlock. The
loss OF the 1881 bill, he cortended,
would be tragic blow at the school
system, which, even at best, is strug-
Cling for advancement and the loss
OF q whole year would entail damage
which he would not even estimate. II
Is DR.. Ballou's feeling that some sort of
Dill Will, by virtue of absolute neces-
&ty and reason, "have" to be passed.
The 1882 figures as forwarded to the
commissioners by the Board of Educa-
ton contained several items which of
necessity bear close relation to the 1881
FUNDS. There is an item, for instance,
of $3,215,000 for buildings, which was
prepared on the natural assumption
that some sites, carried in the 1881
bill, would be purchased and ready for
structures during that year. The
building total alSo includes funds for
the continuationsof construction sched-
uled to have been begun with 1881
moneys. Similarly, the 1882 estimates
contain an item of $917,500 for the
purchase of land which sum is slightly
more than twice as much as contained
IN the 1881 bill. The great increase in
the amount of money requested for
land in 1882 is attributed to the fact
that there already is an insufficient
number Of school building sites. Just
what would happen to this item In
event the 1881 figure Is not carried
Is unknown.
Text Book Item May Be Changed.
The 1892 figures contain also an item
OF $225,000 for text books and supplies
from grades ! through IL, embracing
the elementary, junior and senior high
schools. This item is $140, 900 less than
the total text book and supply items
carried in two sections in the bill now
In Congress. The reduction was made
In the estimates on the assumption that
the initial funds for the provision of
Tree text books and supplies for high
school pupils would be carried in the
1881 hill, which lists an item of S24O,-
600 for that purpose of alone and an
other $l25,000 for the elementary school
books. With the failure of the 1881
Dill only the books and supplies for the
nrSt eight grades would become avail
able, and parents of high school pubils
would be required to buy these materials
Tor another year. Such a possibility
would alter the 1882 text book and sup
ply items.
Another doubtful item before the
commissioners and the school officials
today Is the unusually large furniture
and equipment item of S403,159. This
item which is S338,l59 more than is
requested for the same purpose in the
pending bill, was brought about by the
inclusion in the pending bill of an un-
usually large number of new school
houses, which would be ready for fur
niture by the time the 1882 moneys
are being spent. The failure of the
pending bill, as suggested week ago in
The Star, would likely result in a num-
Der of completed school houses being
useless by lack of furniture and equip
ment
With DR.. BaIlou in his difficult role
OF counselor in the face of SO much
doubt are Stephen E. Kramer, first as
sistant superintendent in charge of
white high schools; Jere j. Crane, first
assistant superintendent In charge of
school business affairs; Garnet C
Wilkinson. first assistant superintend-
ent in charge of colored shoots, and
Robert L. Haycock, assistant superin-
tendent in charge of white elementary
schools.