Evening star., 1936-09-22
'3S BUDGET PLANS.
TO ASK NEW SITES.
FOR MORE SCHOOLS.
$2,000,000 to $1,000, 600
May Be Recommended for
Plant Expansion.
AUTHORITIES EXPLAIN
SITUATION TO D. c. HEADS
Proposals, However, Do Not Cost
as Much as One.Fifth of Five
Year Program.

Funds for construction OF num-
ber of new school buildings and pur-
chase of additional school sites will
be sought by the Commissioners In
their 1898 budgetary proposals, 1t was
indicated today as the city heads met
with school authorities on appropri-
alton requests for the next fiscal year.
AS the conference started, one of the
Commissioners said he was convinced
of the need for expansion of the
school plant. He indicated the Com
missioners may recommend from
$4,000. 900 to SO ,000, 900 for such use.
The Board of Education has request
ed appropriations for the next fiscal
year amounting to $17,525,619, or
s5.030,0G0 more than was granted
for the current year. The board
asked an increase of $4,000 for
buildings and grounds, and an in
crease of Sl,1o0,0O0 for maintenance
and operation.
Officials Back up Plea.
Appearing to justify the request
made by the Board of Education were
Mrs. Henry Grafton Doyle, president;
Henry I. Quinn, member; Charles
B. Degges, secretary of the board;
DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superintendent
of schools; Robert L. Haycock, G. C..
Wilkinson and j. j. Crane, first as
sistant superintendents; Assistant
Superintendents H. A. Smith and
Chester Holmes, and School Statisti-
clan John F. Brougher.
Some time ago, school officials draft
ed proposed new flve-year building
program, the total cost of which was
estimated roughly at S48,00o,000. or
more than $9,500000 a year. The
1888 budget was completed before all
the estimates were in for the pro-
posed flve-year program. For this
reason, if for no other, the school
expansion proposed for the next fiscal
year does not run to as high cost
as one-fifth of the proposed new five
year plan.
Even so, the Commissioners have
indicated requests of the school off,
cials for next year will have to be
cut, because of the financial diff
culties the District now faces.
With a net gain of 1912 pupils over
the first days enrolment of last year,
teachers in the public schools were
looking forward to the end of the week
when they expect the annual rush OF
pupils to end. Yesterdays total en-
rollment was 84,500, as compared with
S3.158 a year ago.
ctlrVrcn ovnroScod hU
officials who had counted on later
opening to put the increase close to
= $500, but the fact that full-day
holiday is scheduled tomorrow may
have had some effect. The schools
this year opened week later than
usual but before the opening some
authorities said they expected the
holiday for the parade of the Grand
Army of the Republic tomorrow would
delay the entrance of many pupils.
Otherwise opening day got under
way without a hitch" Some delay
was encountered in handling new
pupils entering advanced grades for
the first time, who failed to get their
certificates of admission last week
Three days we're set aside for new
entrants to obtain their certificates,
but for most of the morning yesterday
boys and girls filed into the Franklin
Administration Building to have their
credentials checked before they could
be entered at Junior or senior high
schools.
Difficulty With Beginners.
Tho liffP111ty
tered with beginners, children from
5 to 6. who sought to enroll for the
first time in the first grade or kinder
garten. Many had failed to obtain
their birth certificates and the ad-
ministrative officers at Franklin had
to seek out the records from the Dis
trict health officer.
The anticipated congestion con-
tinued at the junior high schools. To-
tai enrolment in these was 1901, a
gain of 735 for the first day. The in
crease means the junior high schools
will continue to be closed to non-
resident pupils. There Is a posi-
bility that reassignment of pupils and
teachers may be necessary.
At Eastern High School the enroll
ment jumped from 1855 on the OPEN
ing day last year to 1922 yesterday,
a gain of only 81 pupils. Eastern
necessarily will continue its two
platoon system, dividing its pupils be-
tween morning and afternoon classes,
sending a maximum to the morning
classes.
Central High School gained 1873,
with a total enrolment Of 2,456.