Evening star., 1933-01-20
CUPOLA OPPOSITION
AROUSES CITIZENS |
Inquire Why Taft Building Is
sue Was Reopened Before
Subcommittee.

The District Commissioners today
will be asked by a group of citizens
why the question of building cupola
on the William Howard Taft Junior
High School was reopened before the
subcommittee of the House Appropria-
tions Committee during its current
hearings on the 1884 budget.
Dr. Luther Reichelderfer president
of the Board of Commissioners, mean
while explained to The Star that the
question of the cupola was introduced
by Chairman Cannon himself who
asked the Commissioners during the
meeting:
How about this cupola?"
Money Held Available.
The District heads then had no
choice but to discuss what had hap
pened with the committee. DR.. Reichel-
derfer declared. In response to queries
today however, Commissioner Reichel-
derfer said he did not know just why
the present subcommittee should be
particularly interested in the Taft
project. The money for the building,
even with the cupola, is available and
is adequate, he said. and the Commis-
sioners had not planned to seek any
further funds in the 1884 bill for the
Taft School.
Aroused last year when the Commis-
sioners arbitrarily Topped the cupola OIL
the design for the Taft Building, despite
the fact that the design had been ap-
proved by the Board of Education and
the Fine Arts Commission, the Bur
10
Island Avenue Citizens Association and
other associated civic groups fought for
reinstatement of the architectural fea-
ture. The Commissioners. by 2-to-1
vote agreed to have the cupola erected
and so notified the interested citizens.
Opposition to Cupola.
Yesterday, however, letter from the
Commissioners secretary, Daniel Garges,
informed the citizens that the subcom-
mittee of the House Appropriations
Committee deemed the construction OF
the cupola after the original contract
for the building was let entirely un-
warranted" In his letter, Mr.. Garges
declared that the cost Of the cupola
would be $4,000 additional despite the
fact that the bids submitted by the
contractor originally showed differ
ence of less than $4,000 between the
school building with the cupola and
without it. Mr. Garges added that
there also seemed to be view in the
committee, not so clearly expressed, that
the cupola should not be built under
anv circumstances" Because of the
situation which developed, Mr.. Garges
concluded, it is impossible for the Com
missioners to order the cupola.
The Burroughs Citizens Associations
Executive Committee thrashed out the
whole question at its scheduled meet
ing last night at the home OF John
M. Stockard, president Of the civic
group. 1t was decided to renew the
fight it previously had believed won.
The first step will be the drafting OF
letter to the Commissioners today
asking them for an explanation OF the
reopening of the case.
Ask About Jurisdiction.
The citizens said today they want to
know why the money appropriated 1or
the school is not still available 1or lts
construction and they pointed OUT tnat
even if the cupola costs SlO,0OO the
appropriated sum still will be more than
ADEQUATE for the building. They want
to know further, they said, what Juris-
diction the subcommittee now conduct
ing hearings on the 1884 appropriation
bill. has over funds appropriated for
non-recurring purposes by previous
Congress.
The group also will seek hearing
before the subcommittee of the House
in an effort to carry its fight straight
to the House.
The cupola was Topped off the de-
sign by Mai. John C. Gotwals. Eng1-
neer Commissioner for the District,
after the design had been approved, IN
accordance with reported promises ne
made to Representative Robert G..
Simmons Of Nebraska, former chair
man of the subcommittee on District
of Columbia appropriations, to eliml-
nate "doo-dads" and thus reduce
school building costs. While no longer
chairman of the committee, Mr.. SIM
rfi ic s,aaYahoH