Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-01
PTIMISM Is the watchword in
the public school administra-
ton Offices at the Franklin
Building TODAY as 1929 ends.

1t Is an optimism born OF the
most generous school budget ever SUBJ
mitted to Congress, both from the stand
point Of the funds 1t seeks and the con-
structive policies 1t anticipates. But it
is an optimism which blankets too thinly
a deep concern over the fact that 1929
has closed without recording the relief
of school congestion, which the five
year school building program was to
have provided by this time.
School authorities have gone afield
in search of new educational progress
for Capital children. Some Of the prof.
ects they sought have been accom-
plished, others merely have been
launched or anticipated, but nevertheless
are fitting entries in the asset column
of the school systems 1929 ledger.
Against these entries, however are the
pessimistic facts of the kind that are
written in red ink in another column
of the yearbook. There are today. for
instance, II one-room, frame, portable
school buildings In active use. Five
years ago there were only five more.
Today there are 95 part-time classes in
the schools. Five years ago there were
127 such classes.
Construction Brings Relief.
Construction now underway from
starts made during the year just end
ing, however, will provide some relief
for the ills Of the system, and so 1929
may lay just claim to a share in the
future developments. The present year,
for instance, may point with pride to
the policy carried in the 1891 budget
of erecting four-room permanent school
units instead Of waiting until there are
sufficient children in a community to
warrant the construction of an eight
room school. 1t may point also to
studies and proposals made during the
past IL months, leading to the use of
buses to transport children of outlying
sections to already established school
buildings. And perhaps. best of all, it
may call attention to the public senti-
ment in favor Of more generous treat
ment of the city's schools, which 1929
saw rise from a mild, almost apathetic
interest in school congestion to strong
public condemnation of the lack OF
facilities which confront Washington's
children.
DR.. Charles F. Carusi, president OF
the Board of Education, was largely
responsible for the focusing of public
attention upon the schools. Late in
1928 he addressed himself to the
citizenry at large, asking whether it ap-
proved the ALLEGATION of one-third of
the total District revenues to school
purposes, and whether it believed the
school board estimates should be SUBJ
mitted as prepared directly to the
Bureau of the Budget with such recon-
mendationS as the District Commits
sionerS may wish to make in view of
other District needs. These questions
were holding the limelight when 1928
began and the answers were practically
100 per cent in support Of Dr. Carusi's
proposals.
DIR. BalIOu Aids Work.
The impetus given public opinion as
1t regards schools by DR.. Carusi was
carried on by DR.. Frank w. Ballou
superintendent, when the latter official
| concerned over the safety Of Washing
| tons children in portable schools, asked
the board to have each and every
| portable inspected. DIR. Ballou's request
was inspired by two instances of wind
damage to portable schools which, but
for freak of chance, might have taken
toll Of child lives. The public quickly
took up the bludgeon and a cry arose
against the continued use of portables
The four-room permanent building
units which are provided by the Budget
Bureau in the 1881 estimates, and the
bus-transportation proposal are direct
results of this public condemnation OF
the flimSy and too-old portables.
Nineteen hundred twenty-nine may
point, too, to the new building programs
which have been presented to Congress
The Board of Education prepared a
second flve-year school building bill
calling for the authorization of approx
imately 100000 worth of new build
n In
| the approximately $5000,000 worth of
items left over from the first building
| program, making virtually a new $1l,-
600, 900 program. Representative Robert
| Simmons Of Nebraska, who during the
last month Of 1929 has become known
as critical but jealous judge Of WASH
ington's school system, also drew UP a
| school building program bill. He would
spend another $10,000,000 on schools,
but, as he prepared his original bill, he
would have repealed all outstanding
was attacked by the school board and
when its significance was outlined to
Mr.. Simmons, he subsequently amended
his bill to overcome this objection. At
present, much of the opposition to Mr..
Simmons bill seems to have been with
drawn. Between the two bills. however,
| Washington schools can hardly do less
than benefit.
DIR. Carusl Answers Capper.
Senator Capper, chairman Of the
Senate District committee, drew atten-
ton to the failure Of the original five
year building program, when in october
he requested DR.. Carusi to state frankly
what he believed to be the cause. The
school board president framed a reply
in which he asserted that the program
failed because $4,000 900 a year was not
appropriated for buildings and grounds.
Mr.. Simmons recently delivered an adj
dress on the floor of the House of
| Representatives in which he answered
DR.. Carusi with tart replies, which drew
into the controversy that followed the
municipal architect and the Park and
Planning Commission. The controversy
still is unsettled so far as its purpose
! of establishing blame for the failure of
the program is concerned, but 1t further
promoted public interest in District
school affairs.
The past year was marked also by
the school boards adherence to its new
policy OF refusing to cut its estimates
at the request Of the District Of Column
bia Commissioners. When 1t prepared
its estimates for 1881, the board invited
Mr.. Simmons to sit with it to hear its
discussions. Mr.. Simmons subsequently
refused in terse terms and later, when
the Commissioners asked the board to
sit in on its deliberations on the Dis
| trict budget, particularly as it pertained
to schools, the board refused. Dr. Ballou,
however, was instructed to attend the
conference in an informative" capacity.
Among the program achievements in
the school system would be recorded
first. the establishment of four-year
teachers colleges upon the foundation
OF the original normal schools. The
| f1rst-year classes which enrolled In the
Wilson and Miner Colleges last Sep
TENDER were the first freshman groups
to enter the new institutions.