Evening star., 1931-11-01

bs 10 and 10. square 15S. on Massachusetts,
avenue, between Seventeenth and Eighteenth
streets northwest, in the city Of Washington,
and now owned by the United States Govern
ment. These lots have a frontage of lot feet
and a depth of 1T feet and would make an
excellent site for a school building for the
children residing in the northwestern section
Of the city"
Though, apparently the minutes do not state
rust when Congress granted the trustees re
quest, yet it is evident that this done. for
in the report of the Committee on Buildings
and Repairs of the school trustees, made at the
meeting held May 49, 1879. we find this men
ton:
'As to sites for the two buildings the COM
mittee recommend that the ground on Mas
Sachusetts avenue in the first school division,
donated by Congress for the purposes. be
selected for one of the buildings and that the
ground owned by the District at the junction
Of Fifth and streets northeast be selected
for the other"
Over the plans for the building the Com
missionerS and the school trustees had quite
q time reconciling their differences of opinion,
but as the trustees were then appointed by
the Commissioners, naturally the former had
to agree to the arguments CT the latter, which,
however they did reluctantly. They were evil
IDENTIFY men of high standing in the community
and were working best they could to further
the interests of the public schools, and they
felt that their close touch with educational
matters mace Cnem Ihe D2SC Judges OF the needs
OF the Schools-but the Commissioners did not
always see it in that way. The Board of Trls-
tees for the year 1S79-80 consisted of the fol-
lowing gentlemen: Edward Baldwin, william
w. Curtis, Alfred Pope. Chaplin Brown, William
H Smith George White, Rev. Alexander Fair
ley, Talmadge A. Lambert, Benjamin G. Love-
JOY Charles NJ. Matthews d. w. Middleton,
Jr.; James B. Nourse, John H. Brooks DIR.
George G. Samson, Benjamin F. Lloyd, DR..
Arthur Christie, Thomas Somerville, John F.
N. Wilkinson and William H. A wormley.
I'M March 81, 1879 the Commissioners called
- for design for public school building
evidently having the Force Building particu-
larly in mind. This communication, addressed
'NTo All Architects" and signed by our good
friend DIR. William Tindall, as secretary, stated:
The Commissioners of the District of Co
lumbia offer a premium of $500 for the best
design of public school building, with draw
tnes, specifications and detailed estimates to
contain twelve (l2) school rooms with capacity
to accommodate not exceeding sixty (60) pupils
each. with necessary and convenient coat and
hat rooms; said building to have basement and
three CD full stories, and to contain all suit
A6ae accommodations for recreation and physi-
cal exercise. for janitors Office for heating
apparatus. Sc, with ample provision for light
and ventilation. Cost not to exceed $50 900.
All plans to be submitted on or before the
nrst day of May 1879 and when submitted
30 be the property of said District, to be used
ana oASpoSeo OF as the Commissioners may
think best.
IAN drawings to be made to a scale Of one
fourth Of inch to the foot"
When the plans and specifications were re-
cetved by the Commissioners, they proceeded
10 unload the matter on the trustees and in
The minutes of May 90 1879 the Building Com
mittee made this report
"The Committee on Buildings and Repairs
10 whom were referred by a resolution that
passed the board at its last meeting, the
three plans for school buildings submitted to
the Commissioners of the District of Columbia
under their advertisement Of March 21St last,
by MeSsrS. CluSS & SchulEe Of Washington,
ID. C.; p. H. LAuTitZen of Washington d. c.,
and Thomas S. KempSter of Chicago Ill, have
the honor to report that, after a very careful
examination of all the drawings and accom-
panying papers, they unanimously decided that
the plan of Mr.. Lauritzen entitled to the
reward offered in the advertisement, and this
decision they have communicated to the Com
miSsionerS."
EVEN this did not settle the question of de
l. sign, and it would be difficult after reading
the correspondence on tie subject to tell Just
whose plans we're used. those of CiuSs 81
SchulBe. p. H. Lauritzen Thomas s. Kemp
ster. Maybe it was a little bit of each, for we
DO know that in the end a modified plan
was used, called by the Commissioners. "the
Paris plan, and also with amended plans of
the Laurit9en building"
Here Is the Commissioners letter the
subject:
Ito the Board of Trustees of Public Schools,
DC.
Gentlemen: I am directed to acknowledge
the receipt of resolution. passed by your board
on the 30th ultimo, relative to the erection Of
Che school building in the First District, and to
inform you that after conference with the
Committee on Buildings and Repairs. and with
Its Concurrence. the Commissioners have di-
rected the INSPECTOR of buildings to advertise
Immediately for proposals for the erection of