Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-10
NEW CHEVY CHASE
SCHOOL DEDICATED
D. C. Fortunate in Size of
Budget During Slump,
BaIIou Declares.

District residents are fortunate ir
these times when many municipalities
are curtailing their educational pro-
grams in an effort to cope with the
financial depression which is gripping
virtually every other city, DR.. Frank w
Ballou. superintendent Of schools, &C.
clared last night in an address at the
dedication Of the new Lafayette School
in Chevy Chase.
Paul Claudel, French Ambassador to
the United States, was to have pre-
sented to the school a portrait of Mar
quis de Lafayette. but did not appear
when the picture, the gift Of the French
government. failed to reach the United
States in time.
DR.. Ballou discussed briefly the pro-
cedure by which the Lafay cite School
and al lother such structures are ap-
propriated for and constructed.
I'VE sometimes are apt to feel that
ours is fairly difficult road in secur-
ing school funds, DR.. Ballou declared,
but as matter of fact we in the Dis
trict of Columbia are fortunate in these
times, because we are not suffering from
the depression under which most ether
cities of 100000 population and more
are laboring to keep their schools going.
This past year we had perhaps the
largest school building budget in our
history, and / believe the budget now
In course of preparation for next year
will be just as satisfactory"
Teaching Corps Praised.
DR.. Ballou contended they were to
be congratulated on having a corps of
"loyal and splendid teachers who gave
the best they had to teach your boys
and girls in the face of such unsatis-
factory conditions as portable schools
and such hindrances.
"A fine building is one thing in edu-
cation, but it is in no way comparable
with fine teachers. and you have both, p"
DR.. Ballou asserted.
In order to produce the Lafayette
School quickly SO that portableS and
part-time classes could be eliminated
DR.. Ballou said the Engineer Commits
sioner's Office, the office of the munich
pal architect and the school headquar-
tiers officers worked together. with the
result that the building, which nor
mally would have become available next
February, was occupied a whole term
earlier
Rabbi Abram Simon, president of the
School Board, also spoke. He declared
the opening of the new Lafayette School
signif1ed the addition of spiritual wealth
to the riches of the community. Schools.
he explained, add spiritual wealth
to the community in which they are
CIcCIeQ. AL the raCe at which new
schools are being built in Washington
DR.. Simon declared that it will not be
long before the Capitals school system
Is abreast of the needs.
Key Presented to Principal.
Albert L. Harris, municipal architect.
presented a symbolical key to Miss
Sarah Holland, principal Of the school.
He asserted that "the opportunity to
design the schools of Washington has
given me a great deal of pleasure, and
whether the most has been made Of
that opportunity remains to be seen
with the years to come"
j. Francis Moore, chairman CT the
Committee on Schools, Chevy Chase
Citizens Association reviewed the work
Of his committee in outlining the efforts
put forth by the residents of Chevy
Chase to secure needed new school
buildings.
Harry A Karr, president Of the La
1ayette Home and School Association
presided. He presented Miss Holland.
Lafayette principal, and Miss Mary E.
Given. principal of the E. v. Brown
School, to which was attached the port
ables displaced by the new building,
with a bouquet of roses. Music was
provided by section Of the Mckinley
High School Orchestra and by Miss
Elsa Louise Raner, violin solcist whose
accompanist was Miss Marie c. Hansen.