Evening star., 1932-08-29
Old Business High Must Be
Improved, Crane Says
in Warning.
DELAYS ALSO FEARED
FOR TEACHERS COLLEGE
District Construction Director Re-
ported Blocking Program Ap-
proved by Congress.

Public school authorities were prepar-
ing today to file a protest against tie
reported efforts of Harold Baker, di-
rector of construction in the District
government, to eliminate certain items
which Congress had approved specif-
ically and appropriated for in the cur
rent appropriation act, in order to effect
economies.
Advised that Baker planned to elm
mate four items from the improvement
project at the old Business High School,
which is to be occupied by colored chill
dren following its abandonment by the
present school, Jere j. Crane immedi-
ately voiced dissatisfaction.
Crane. who is business manager for
the public school system, said today he
had informed Baker that these items
have got to &c through
Seeks $4,000 Saving.
The specific eliminations sought by
Baker are the painting of the building,
the cutting in of three new windows in
each of several class rooms to make
them usable for their new personnel,
the laying of linoleum on the floors Of
the clerks and the principals offices
and the laying of new wood floors
throughout the building. By cutting
these items he is said to have expected
to turn back to the Treasury approx
imately $4,000.
Crane said today he was preparing
to write formal letter outlining the
position of the school authorities in OBJ
tanning the Improvements already ap-
proved by Congress. Garnet c. Wilkin-
son, first assistant superintendent in
charge of colored schools, who ap-
proved use of the old building only
when promised that it would be put
in flrst-clasS condition, also is plan
ming to act.
Crane pointed out that each of the
four items was submitted to Congress.
and defended before that body. which
approved the appropriations He added
that the projects can be done more
cheaply this year than they could be
again, since the bids on the work have
been very much in our favor"
The school authorities also are ex-
pressing increasing dissatisfaction over
Bakers handling of the improvement
project at the Wilson Teachers Col
lege, which was evacuated last Winter
on recommendation of Harold Marsh.
chief structural engineer of the NUM-
cipal Architects office, who declared the
structure unsafe.
Has $4,000 Available.
Baker, with an appropriation of $780,
600 available to put the buildings
foundations into proper repair, was re-
ported to have declined to accept
Marsh's verdict and has hired another
engineer to make a separate investi-
cation. With that engineers verdict
about to be rendered. Baker was said to
have engaged a second man from New
York to come here to make a brief sur
vey
Baker has contended the college
building can be made usable by rebuild
ing the badly cracked bays and patching
the existing cracks. Then, he has said,
if future conditions warrant, more ex-
tensive foundation corrections will be
made
Crane today visited the Columbia
Junior High School Building, in which
has been housed temporarily the per-
sonnel of the Wilson Teachers College
The Columbia building, he said is to
be refitted at cost of $4,000 or less
to accommodate the Wilson College
student body and faculty for a more
extended period. Virtually no work has
been done this Summer at the teachers
college.