Evening star., 1931-12-27
EDUCATION BOARD
PUSHES BUILDING
PROGRAM IN 1881
Continued From Eighth Page.)

stricken with influenza and died early
in February.
DR.. Carusi's place on the school
board was filled by the appointment of
Daniel c. Roper. The boards helm
was intruSted, however, to DR.. Learned.
The second severe loss to the school
board came in the departure of DR..
Learned for California, where he was
to resume his teaching for term in
me Leland Stanford university. Before
DR.. Learneds resignation could be
acted upon, however, he died suddenly
early in October. His place was filled
by George Whitwell retired Washington
business man. DR.. Abram Simva.
former president of the board, was
elected to the chair after MI. Whitwells
appointment
Prominent in the 1881 record of the
public school system was the action of
Congress in closing definitely all
under age" kindergartens. The school
board fought determinedly against the
action, actually refusing to close the
pre-School-age class in the Americana
zation school. Congress, however,
forced The boards hand by inserting in
the 1852 appropriation act the provision
that none of the funds carried in it
were to be used for the education of
children under years of age The
National Legislature did permit the
board to pay the salary of a matron,
who would care for the young children
while their mothers attended the citi-
zenship classes in the Americanization
school.
Special Fares Provided.
The last year witnessed also the en-
actment of legislation authorizing s.
cent car fare for school children. This
act was passed in February and the
pen with which the bill was signed by
the President was presented to J. c.
Wright, the citizen Wt9 first proposed
the low rate for pupil.
In March the School Board adopted
recommendations looking toward the
advancement OF the Capitals vocational
education system. Under the adopted
plan the vocational schools will be gwen
the rank of Junior high schools the
status of their teachers will be raised
and the general atmosphere surround
ing these institutions will be elevated
in character
Seeking still further efficiency, the
board merged the departments of phys
les, chemistry and biology to create a
single department Of science DR.. Ellis
Haworth, already teacher in the SyS-
TEN, was made the new director of
science.
The welfare of the Capitals crippled
and tuberculouS pupils occupied
prominent place in the school authori-
ties considerations of the last year,
special committee composed of edu-
Gators, medical men and welfare work
ers made a thorough study of both
nf .,
made for their education The COM
mittee's report was closely studied bv
the school board, which during the last
month adopted as its policy the convic-
ton that since the chief need of Grip
Piled pupils is for medical treatment the
schools for them should be under the
administration Of proper hospitals.
Crippled Children Aided.
Through its action the school board
Will enoeavor to secure the construc-
ton of new crippled children's schools
on the property of Childrens Hospital
and the Freedmen's Hospital. The
school boards only responsibility for
these structures would be the provision
OF teachers to instruct the classes in
them
With respect to the tuberculous chill
80 NA@' S~AN wal " NSIIG OH ItCUTQ ldVOr-
ing the early completion of the chill
drenS proposed sanitarium. 1t further
agreed that if the need for the present
health schools is proven, the make
shift facilities now provided for colored
children in the old Toner elementary
School building be replaced with
structure designed for the purpose and
built similar to the white health school
at Thirteenth and Allison streets.
Underpriyileged children came in
Tor further consideration in the last
year when move was made to enact
legislation authorizing free lunches for
needy pupils. Disapproval of the pro-
posal by the District Commissioners. to-
gether with the ready response which
the various parent-teacher associations
gave in the way Of cash donations with
which to furnish these meals, resulted
in defeat of the measure.