Evening star., 1936-11-07
|bALL0U, DONOVAN
defend EXPENSES
AT FISCAL HEARING
Superintendent of Schools
Says D. c. Is Getting High
Type of Education.
BUDGET OFFICER TELLS
CITYS FINANCIAL PLIGHT
Presents Graphic Picture Result
ing From Steady Reduction in
Federal Participation.
BY JAMES E. CHM.


Washington expects and gets a su-
perior type of education in its public
schools, Supt. of Schools Frank w.
Ballou told the Presidents Special
Fiscal Relations Investigating Com
mittee today. in its inquiry into the
costs of operating the District gov
ernment.
DR.. Ballou, one Of 10 District Of
ficials called before the committee at
its second public hearing, vigorously
defended educational costs in WASH
ington-costs which he admitted are
higher "in some respects" than cor
responding expenses In other cities.
THE high type of educational serv-
ice which is expected in Washington
and which the Board of Education and
the school officials undertake to provide
for the residents of the Nations Cap
ital," declared Dr. Ballou, must neces-
sarily cost more than a program of
instruction which would be lower in
quality.
The school authorities admit that
the cost of education in the public
schools Of Washington is compara-
lively higher in some respects than
the corresponding costs in other cities.
but the school authorities maintain
that we are serving the wishes Of
the parents of children in the public
schools and are providing a quality
of instruction which justifies the cost
of that instruction, and in keeping
with the dignity of the Capital of the
Nation"
Donovan Offers Graphic Picture.
DR.. Ballou followed Maj. Daniel
J. Donovan, auditor and budget officer.
Mai. Donovan had presented graphic
picture of Washington's financial
plight resulting from steadily de-
creasing Federal participation In the
city's expenses coupled with the ever
increasing demands made on the
municipal government by the United
States.
Donovan's testimony was devoted
chiefly to justification of the operat-
ing and maintenance expenses Of the
District government as a whole. DR..
odlIOu, AOHCNEAs 4lAS otdtC~
ments strictly to the public educa-
ton system.
One of the high lights Of Donovan's
testimony was statistical report
showing 4,974 pupils in the District
schools came from every State in the
United States, all of the United States
territories and possessions and 20 for
eign countries, including the Belgian
Congo.
THAT looks like the roster Of Har-
ward University" remarked Clarance
A. Dykstra, city manager of Cincin-
natl, one of the committee members.
Dykstra also pointed out that some
of the pupils came from Maine and
Vermont. Maj Donovan facetiously
replied that they enrolled in the
schools before the presidential elec-
ton.
Complimented on Testimony.
Impressed by DR.. Ballou's statement
of school needs, Dykstra interrupted
the school superintendent to compli-
ment him on his testimony.
You're making out a good case,
DR.. Ballou," the committee member
said. You should make out this case
before the District Commissioners"
Il do make this case out every year
before the Commissioners and they
are always more liberal than the
Budget Bureau" DR.. Ballou replied.
II make the case out before the
Budget Bureau and they cut the fig
ures down and then I make the case
again before committees of Congress
and they reduce them still more. I
always feel Inundated when haven't
succeeded in making a better case"
Dykstra told Ballou he wished there
were some way he could help him, and
Ballou. thanking him, said he hoped
Dykstra would.
Donovan broke in: "You could help
a lot by giving us a larger Federal
appropriation so that we would have
more money available for schools"
Committee and spectators Joined In
the general laughter.
First, DR.. Ballou had cited various
factors which contribute to the in
creased cost Of education in Washing
ton and then defined and analyzed the
(See FISCAL, Page A-3.)