Evening star., 1934-04-30
REDUCED BUDGET
MAY END LUNCHES
FOR NEEDY PUPILS
Humanitarian School Plans
Are Turned Down by
House.
LEISURE TIME CONTROL
WORK LOST BY CUTS
Boys Club Projects Also Endan-
gered in Lower Figures
Sent to Senate.


needy school children, and the diver
sion of leisure time into constructive
channelS-were discounted entirely by
the House of Representatives when
it pared down to $225,OO0 the school
systems 1885 budgetary item for fuel,
gas and electricity.
And now, if the Senate adopts the
House figures against which school
authorities already have registered
their formal protest the future of the
lunch project and the constructive
activities embraced within the COM
munity center and boys club pro-
grams will be put very much in jeop-
ardy.
These projects will be endangered
because schools have to be heated,
and next year therell be more ac-
tual school space to heat than there
was this year; because coal undoubt-
edly Will be more expensive next year
than this year; and because even this
year, the school system is encounter
ing fuel, gas and electricity deficit
Of approximately 100000.
Sum Inadequate.
For the current year. the school
system had an appropriation of S240,-
600 for fuel, gas and electricity.
Largely because of the severity of the
Winter, that sum was entirely in
adequate and two months ago, an
tlclpating the exhaustion of the avail
able money. the school authorities
asked the District Commissioners to
seek supplemental funds to carry
through the year
When it came time to defend 1885
budget before the Federal Bureau of
the Budget, the school people success
fully argued for the raising of this item
for next year from S24O.O to $780,
600 and 1t was that sum which went
before the House Subcommittee on the
Districts appropriations. Recognizing
the increase over last year, Chairman
Cannon expressed the opinion that the
new reduction in electric rates for
the District should permit a reduc-
ton rather than an increase in the
item.
The $4,000 for electricity does not
seem to reflect the decrease in elec-
trio rates which went into effect on
February l." Mr.. Cannon said, indicat-
ing an item within the total fuel gas
and electricity fund
When this estimate was prepared, &"
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
OF schools, replied. I'VE were not aware
of the fact that there would be a de-
crease in rate"
How much could We decrease that?'-
Cannon promptly doManded.
Io
sWered at first, and then, in an effort
to picture the true situation in the
schools, he added:
Il should like to call your attention
to the fact that our fund is 100000
short for this school year, and We are
asking the Commissioners what we are
going to do about it,
Asks Reason for Deficit.
Cannon then sought the actual rea-.
son for the deficit. Electricity, he
argued, was cheaper, and coal prices
were down. Jere J. Crane, the school
system business manager, replied
simply:
I'VE are burning more COAL"
Continuing, Mr.. Crane explained
demanded more coal, and he pointed
out that while 4 per cent electric
rate reduction was ordered, coal prices
are bound to be higher by the time
next years fuel is purchased. He told
the committee that certain new school
building facilities would be opened to
add to the fuel burden.
Notwithstanding these facts, how
ever, the House subcommittee cut the
1885 fuel, gas and electricity item
down to 25000-even $4,000 lower
than the current appropriation.
AS a matter of fact, at least one
large school will be opened during the
coming year. 1t will be the new
Phelps Vocational School, a large
structure that will replace the obso-
lete little elementary school house
that has housed the institution.
One point which the defenders of
the school estimates failed to make
before the House was the fact that
the free lunch program for needy
children, now being promoted out of
public relief funds, means that in IS
separate school buildings, gas stoves
are burned daily to warm the foods
prepared for the children at the CEN
trail kitchen. Gas for the cooking of
the meals at the kitchen is paid for
out OF the lunch project funds because
the fuel in that instance passes
through special meters. At the IS
school buildings, however, the warm
ing stoves operate on the school meter
and the charges are met by the
schools.
On dark days electricity is required
In each of the schools for the lighting
Of the rooms in which the meals are
served, so that the electricity item is
affected also
Boys Club Established.
During the past year two boys
clubs were established as a means of
promoting constructive use of youths
leisure tine. These clubs, one for
white boys in the Mcfarland Junior
High School, and the other for COL
ored boys in the Terrell Junior High
School, were to be the forerunners of
a series OF such clubs and were given
the sponsorship of Henry I. Quinn,
School Board member, and others.
So successful has been the results
In both those clubs that the school
authorities hope to establish similar
clubs in the Central, Western and
Eastern High Schools and in the
Deanwood elementary School. With
jobs virtually impossible of attain
ment for hundreds of young men and
boys all over the city, the clubs are to
offer haven where they might enjoy
recreation or devote their energies to
some productive occupation.
( Despite their value, however, the
clubs do mean the burning of addi-
tional electricity and gas for projects