Evening star., 1933-12-31

architectural establishment for the new
william Howard Taft Junior High
School, and the controversy over au-
thorizing the use of a public school
gymnasium for intercollegiate boxing
bouts, were but momentary flashes in
ali otherwise grim" year.
The year ends, however, with the
new deals" effects entering the class
rooms themselves to give humanitarian
relief to needy pupils in the form OF
free hot lunches.
Saved Positions for All.
Need for strict economy was thrust
upon the public schools when vigorous
slashes were made in the appropria-
tons on which they were to operate
Prominent among the cut items was the
personnel fund. which reduced by $95.-
600 the actual money available for
teaching service. Early in the Spring
When this slash was first indicated, the
school authorities set about laying plans
for the operation of a teaching person
mel which was to be charged with re-
sponsibility for teaching a larger stu
dent body than had ever attended the
public schools. After weeks OF serious
study, the authorities evolved a pro-
gram which resulted not only in the
saving of positions for every efficient
teacher in the system, but produced
what was considered a higher-grade
teaching staff than the system pos
sessed before the economies became
necessary.
the Board of Education following their
proposal by the school officers, the only
persons dropped from the statfs were
those whose positions were precarious
anyway by virtue of low efficiency
ratings, those who had reached the re-
tirement age and. through the oper-
alton of the Federal multiple employ
ment ruling. those married teachers
whose husbands were employed else
where in Government service.
At the same time. the Skillful planning
of the school authorities resulted in
adequate teaching service for the pu-
pills themselves by allocating to many
instructors burdens which were only
slightly greater than they carried form
erly in the way Of numbers of pupils to
be taught. This was effected further
by requiring all persons capable of in
dition to their administrative duties
This plan applied particularly to heads
OF departments.
Public Demand for Cupoia.
The first "rrhoaval" of the year CEN
tered about the cupola or the Taft
Junior High School. The late Albert
l. Harris. the municipal architect. had
designed that school i'll his typical Co
lonial" style Its croWning embellish-
ment was the cupola. Mr.. Harris plans
were approved by the School Board and
the Fine Arts Commission. In letting
the contract, however, the Commits
sionerS caused the cupola to be elimi-
mated. In response to public demand
the Commissioners reinStated the cupola
over the protest of Engineer Commits
sioner Maj. John c. Gotwals The
building then was actually under con-
struct1on. and it developed that inclu-
sion Of the cupola at that stage meant
expenditure Of money that was, In thu
opinion Of Maj Gotwals. out of pro-
portion to its utilitarian value. He n
turn brought the subject before con-
gressional committees and they, agree
ing with him, ordered the cupola
dropped
Another "roW" centered about thu
petition Of a law school for permission
to stage its intercollegiate boxing bout.
in the Mckinley High School gym
nasium. Public sentiment was agitateo
and board members argued. The pc
tition was lost ir tie vote. But thai
was early in the year. The law schoo
renewed its petition in the Fall wher
new members had been named to the
School Board. That time-in Novem-
berthe permission was granted. A.
the year ends. however, no bouts have
yet been scheduled for presentation In
the gymnasium.
New members named to the School
Board In July were Henry l. Quinn
Washington attorney and prominent
member of the Federation of Citizens
Associations, and Charles Houston
dean of the Howard University Law
School. Mrs. Philip Sidney Smith was
reappointed