Evening star., 1938-07-22
JEFFERSON SCHOOL
SITE FIGHT ENDS
WITH PURCHASE
City Heads Pay $4,000
for More Land for New
Building.
l3.YEAR CONTROVERSY
OVER, WORK TO BEGIN
Branch Library and Health Center
Also to Be Constructed in
Area of Junior High.

Ending 13-year battle over selec-
tion OF site for new Jefferson
Junior High School in Southwest
Washington. the Commissioners today
signed an agreement with johnson &
Wimsatt, Inc. for the purchase of
land near Eighth and H streets SW.
as the last portion of the site. The
sale figure was $4,000.
The District already had acquired
the rest of the site needed for the
school. Proceedings for selection of
the new school site were begun in
February, 1925. For the last nine
years the District has been in contro-
versy with johnson & WimSatt over
the price to be paid for its land. The
case was carried twice to condemna-
ton juries, and one legal fight was
taken to the District Court of Appeals.
In connection with construction of
the new school. the District will build
branch library, and on a nearby
site there will be constructed a health
center or polyclinic for the Health
Department, for this Congress has ap-
propriated separate sum of 100000
Still further improvement is in pros
pect for Southwest Washington for the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission has available $3.50. 900 for
acquisition of land for Fairgrounds or
recreation centers near the new
school.
Health Center Planned.
These facilities are to be located. it
was said, between Seventh and Ninth
G and H streets SW. The health
center will be built on the site of the
old Cardozo School, Delware avenue
and street S.W
The Office of the municipal archl-
tect, Nathan C. Wyeth, said prelimi-
nary sketches of the new Jefferson
Junior High School had been drawn
and submitted to the Board of Edu-
cation for approval, but detail work.
ing designs have not been started
Mr. Wyeth said it was likely about six
months would be required before con-
Nruction of the school could be
started.
The price to be paid johnson &
Wimsatt is virtually all that remains
of an unexpended balance of 100000
appropriated in 1882 for purchase of
the remainder of the site and starting
of construction. District officials said
all that would be left of this appro-
priation would be the relatively few
dollars needed for recording of the
transaction and other such details.
Recommended by Officials.
Acceptance of the offer of Johnson
Il Wimsatt was recommended by a
committee of District officials which
had taken prices on other sites in the
area and found that the johnson e.
Wimsatt tract was the most available
Prices on other areas ran higher for
land large enough for the high school
and library.
The committee held that the present
site of the old Jefferson Junior High
School, at Sixth street and Virginia
avenue S.W. was unsatisfactory for
school and library use. but could be
converted ta some other municipal
purpose.
Members of the special committee,
which has been at work since April 8,
were Capt. H. S. Bishop, assistant en-
gineer commissioner; Municipal Archi-
tect Wyeth, Supt. of Schools Frank w.
Ballou, DR.. George F.. Bowerman, pub
lie librarian; Health Officer George c.
Rutland, John Nolen, jr., director of
planning of the Park and Planning
Commission: District Surveyor Ed
co-ordinator of recreation.
Fight Over Price.
Back in 1890 the first condemna-
tion jury awarded johnson g. Wimsatt
s1o5,000 for its property and the
corporation appealed. Later an as
sistant engineer commissioner recon-
mended that the Commissioners pay
$l50000, but the Commissioners re-
jected this as too high
A year later the Court of Appeals
orderled new trial The second con-
demnation jury brought out an award
for johnson g. Wimsatt of s294,874,
and this the Commissioners also re-
jected as too high. The firm ap-
pealed again. but the Court of Appeals
sustained the District.
A year ago Congress appropriated
a new item of 100000 for starting
OF construction of the Junior high
school, placing the limit of cost at
100000, this sum being in addition
to the $4,000 which was made avail
able at the past session of Congress
Tor the purchase of the remainder of
the site for the school,