Evening star., 1934-04-22
CITIZENS DRAW Up
DIVERSE PROGRAM
T0BETTERSCHOOLS
Northeast Group Approves
Analysis Just Before
Summer Recess.

The Northeast Citizens Association
at its last meeting of the season ap-
proved a program for elementary
school improvement in it's section, as
reported by Alfred D. Calvert, chair
man Of the associations School Com
mittee. Mr.. Calvert has prepared for
The Stars Sunday civic page resume
Of his report and the recommends
tions as adopted by the group, which
is presented herewith:
There is no section Of Washington
where the elementary schools have
been allowed to deteriorate to the
same extent as in that portion Of
the Northeast between the Pennsyl-
vania Railway and East Capitol
street. Many Of the buildings are
positively dismal in appearance, more
or less run down, and with improper
recreation space or lacking it en-
tirely.
Needs Are Outlined.
Nothing contributes more to the
upkeep Of neighborhood than a
Well-kept, attractive school house, and
nothing contributes more to strength
ening the morale of a school than a
properly drained, ventilated and
equipped ediflce. Drainage Of our
northeast school yards received scant
consideration when the buildings were
erected, and scholars find difficulty in
using them for play except in dry
weather. The lack of all these needed
features is the burden of our COM
plant.
In addition, the heating apparatus
in at least two of the schools is so far
gone as to be a menace.
This is particularly true OF the
Blair School, on street near Sixth
northeast, where escaping gas from a
WORKOUT furnace has for the last
three or four years sent both teachers
and students home frequently in bad
weather.
The heating apparatus at Pierce
School, Fourteenth and G. streets
northeast, is no better. Not only does
the SCOT permeate the entire building,
but the chemical action causes the
paint to peel and curl so that the
walls and ceilings are disgrace. A
very inferior grade of bituminous coal
is used in most of our northeast
and at this particular school
1t has to be carried about 80 feet
through the boys toilet and the bar
row emptied at the entrance to the
room used by the boys for recreation
In stormy weather.
Must Play in Street.
Girls must reach their recreation
room under practically similar con-
ditions, and when the weather is fit
for outdoor play the boys must block
of the street in front of the school
and take their exercise in the road
way.
The boys attending the Hilton
at Sixth street between B and
G streets northeast. are compelled,
also. to use the street as a playground
for want of proper place, while the
girls have a small side yard for exer-
cising, and for the recess period a
street is blocked of.
The girls attending Peabody
School, Fifth street above Maryland
avenue northeast, likewise are COM
PEELED to have the roadway blocked
off during the recreation period, as
they have no other place for play.
To add to this, the Fairgrounds at
Madison School, Ninth and G streets
northeast; Maury School, Thirteenth
and B streets northeast; Taylor
School, Seventh and G streets north
east, and Edmonds School, Ninth and
D streets northeast, are inadequate.
The demolition of a number of
houses on either side of the Carbery
School, Fifth street between D and
E streets, few years ago to overcome
the lack Of playing space was most
but the job was never
finished. The slovenly appearance of
the yards, with their irregular banks
OF mud, is not calculated to inspire
high ideals in teachers nor pupils.
THE same plan of purchasing ad-
joining property should be followed
with respect to the Maury, Madison.
Taylor and Pierce Schools. This would
mean an outlay of no more than S5O,-
900, as the sum total of assessed value
of property in view is less than
$4,000.
Work on Yards Needed.
"The school yard at Madison School
should be brought to the level of the
rear exit, and the G street fence ex-
tended; the Ludlow School should
have its fences extended on two sides,
with a coping forming an 81 on the
main streets.
THE same thing applies to the
Msury and Edmonds schools.
while about this work the sloping
terrace should be forever inhibited as
part Of our public school grounds, for
the reason that permanency of such
is out of the question in District of
Columbia soil, and offers too many
to refractory youngsters.
"The Kingsman School, at the
junction of E and Fourteenth streets
and Tennessee avenue, is probably the
only modern elementary school build
ing out of 20 in the territory referred
to. Here, again, the job was never
finished. No wonder that the resi-
dents on the north side of E street
entertain feeling of resentment at
the District Government as they OBJ
serve a streaky, 12-foot gravel bank
pouring its red liquid mud down and
over the pavement. rendering the side
walk unfit for pedestrians most of the
time, and giving a black eye to the
entire neighborhood.
Junior High Problems.
$50 much for the elementary
schools. Let us consider the junior
high problem. The Eliot Junior High
School, Seventeenth and B streets
northeast, while Of recent build, Is
already taxed beyond its capacity.
The present building was intended to
accommodate $50 scholars. but the