Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-12
SCHOOL LIBRARY
FUND IS TREBLED
Item, With One for Central
and Dunbar Stage Equip
ment, Among Estimates.

More extensive reference Libraries
will be established in District Of Co
lumbia senior and junior high schools
and modern stage equipment will be in
stalled in the Central and Dunbar High
School stages If two items. included in
the 1892 estimates by the Board of
Education, are incorporated in the ap-
preparation bill for that year. The IL
brary expansion represents an innova-
ton, while the equipment of the two
stages merely restores to those schools
facilities which they had prior to the
erection of FIRE protection measures.
On previous years the junior and the
senior high school libraries have been
granted fund of $1,000 for the pur-
chase of reference books for all of the
buildings. This amount was included
in the contingent expenses" fund and
lacked an identity of its own. The
$4,000 which the school authorities
have included In the 1882 estimates
not only more than trebles the library
fund, but for the first time recognizes
school libraries as a phase of public
school education worthy Of separate
notice.
To Improve Standard.
It was explained in school circles to-
day that the increase which the board
seeks for the libraries will enable officials
to bring the school libraries to q stand
ard which Is more nearly compatible
with the scholastic atmosphere and
facilities Of the Capitals schools. The
funds will be spent entirely for refer
ence work and while formerly the
schools relied too much upon parent
teacher organizations and other out
side agencies for the donation of proper
volumes, the institutions heads them
selves will be able to choose the proper
reference books for the students use
If the $4,000 item is allowed to re-
main in the bill.
The board has included an item of
So, 900 in the 1892 estimates for equip
ment of the Central and Dunbar High
School stages" The equipment which
Is desired includes the facilities for
manipulating the curtains and auxiliary
Grapes on the stages. This phase OF
the stage mechanics was crippled when
steel fire curtains were installed in these
two buildings as q result of fearful
agitation following the collapse in 1922
of the Knickerbocker Theater. Stage
| auditoriums throughout the city were
the subject of close scrutiny following
the Knickerbocker catastrophe, and II
was decided that high school halls,
frequently housing capacity audiences
for school and community dramatics
should be subject to the same require
| ments that the professional play houses
were. Installation of the steel fire cur
tains resulted, but not before the exist
ing curtain and drape operating systems
had been rendered useless.
Arch Hangings Fixed.
At present the fire curtains them
selves may be drawn and raised, but
the prosenium arch hangings are fixed
temporarily so that they cannot be
moved without the use of ladders and
hand manipulation. Thus, school Of
f1ciais point out, at Central High School,
with an enrolment of 1900 pupils and
at Dunbar, where there are 5000, In
both OF which dramatics are stressed
now as never before, facilities for the
proper presentation of the student Of
ferings are almost entirely lacking.
At Central, where approximately
$4,000 would be spent, counterweight
system would be installed at cost Of
$4,000, a switchboard would be erect
ed ct probable cost Of $4,000 ant
new velour curtains at $1,000 would bt
installed A similar division of Dun
bars share of the $62 900 total prob
ably would be made for that school.