Evening star., 1937-02-05
NEW D. c. LIBRARY
W|THP.W.A.FUNDS
URGED BY COLLINS
House Group Chairman Sees
Need for Building After !.
Inspection Tour.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS i
SEE RECEIVING HOME
Police Headquarters Described ,as
Worst Structure Visited"
by Legislators.

Chairman Collins of the House Dis
trict Appropriations Subcommittee ex-
pressed hope today the District would
be provided funds in the near future
for construction of new central bui Id
ing for the free public library system.
Collins recently introduced bill. to
provide for a new S2,50O,000 central
library on Sixteenth street. to replace
the present overcrowded building at
Seventh and K streets.
Collins and two other members, of
the subcommittee inspected the pres
ent building today with DR.. George F.
Bowerman, librarian. The chairman
suggested his bill might be amended to
provide that funds for the building be
granted by the Public Works Adnninis-
tration.
If Washington wants new ce ntral
library. it should be built now" said
Collins. The present building obvi-
ously is extremely overcrowded and
congested. see no reason why
P. w. A. funds could not be made
available for the new structure"
Visited Receiving Home.
Earlier the subcommittee members
and Health Officer George C. Rutland
paid a visit to the Children's Receiving
Home, where Grady H. Leonard, su-
perintendent, pointed out the made
quate facilities which make it inpos-
sible to segregate the children who are
forced TO stay there while awaiting
Juvenile Court action, or for some
other reason. He told the members the
District pays s6.750 rent for that
building each year, and has spent ap-
proximately $4,000 for rent, repairs
and alterations during the last eight
years.
Before returning to the Capitol at
noon the group was shown through
police headquarters by Supt. Ernest W.
/ Brown. They described the building as
the worst structure we have visited"
after being shown the cramped quar-
| tiers of several of the Offices IN the de-
partment.
Today's inspection trip alsU took
the legislators to the Districts in
Generators, the site for the proposed
new health center. the Health Depart
ment's social hygiene clinic at Sixth
and l streets, and the Georgetown
branch of the Public Library.
Part of Site Purchased.
The health center would be located
on a site on Pierce street, between
New York and New jersey avenues.
DR.. Rutland said that 1850 square
feet of land already has been pur-
chased. leaving approximately 5000
! square feet to be acquired.
Collins and Representatives Starnes.
| Democrat, of Alabama and Engel.
Republican, of Michigan, who also
are members of the grolp that will
frame the next supply bsll, yesterday
surveyed sites proposed fer new schccl
buildings and Fairgrounds, as we'll as
school buildings for which improve
ments or additions have been re-
| quested.
They agreed construction of a new
jefferson Junior High School in South
west Washington is the most impor-
tant school item recommended by the
Budget Bureau.
| Something certainly should be done
to relieve conditions there" said COL
Inns, after viewing the present build
ing at Sixth and D streets southwest.
School officials, who accompanied the
legislators, pointed out the proximity
of railroad tracks to The school and
said the smoke and noise of the trains
handicap the work of The students.
Would Divert 1872 Funds.
Collins favors construction of the
present structure, but far enough from
the railroad He disapproved of an
other proposed site, at Seventh and
streets southwest. The estimates
provide that funds appropriated in
the 1882 budget for a. new Jefferson
! School be diverted to purchase of a
new site for the proposed building.
The 1892 appropriation was for
100000.
The group visited the Banneker
Playground, where new junior high
school would be built. The supply bill
contains an item of 100000 for this
project. The total cost would be
$450,000.
Other places visited were the Bundy
| School, o street between Fourth and
Fifth streets, for which an addition
of eight rooms and AN assembly hall
gymnasium is propos ed; the Margaret
Murray Washington Vocational School.
the proposed site for a new Lenox
Vocational School, the proposed site
for a new senior high school at Fifth
and Sheridan streets, and the pro-