Evening star., 1939-04-09
Southeast School
Facilities Asked
By Citizens
Council Will Present
Report at Senate
Budget Hearings

The report outlining deficiencies
In the school setup in Southeast
Washington, recently drafted ny the
School Committee of the Southeast
Council, has been approved by the
group and Ernest j. Read, school
chairman, authorized to present the
outline before Senate hearings on
the 1910 District of Columbia appro-
priation bill at the earliest possible
date, it was announced yesterday by
Council President William A. Maio.
Primary aim stressed in the report
is the construction of new junior
high school in the Anacostia area
and resultant restoration of the
present senior-junior high to high
school status only. OF secondary
note, though considered urgently
important" is the provision for an
elght-room addition to the Ketcham
School and for four elementary
school sites in various sections of
the Southeast.
Seeks to Justify Claims.
Justifying the claim for improve
ment OF local school facilities, Mr..
Read declares 1T is extremely re-
grettable that the facilities have
been allowed to fall SO far behind
the normal development of the en-.
tire section and so hopelessly be-
| hind the actually existing and an
tlclpated development of the several
communities. Mr.. Read cites as a
typical example the erection now
under way of $50 apartment units in
the vicinity of Twenty fifth street
and Good Hope road Sc.
The present situation in the An
acostia Senior-Junior High is con-
sldered acute. Figures show tnat,
with capacity of l,248 pupils, the
present enrolment totals 1875, with
an anticipated increase ext fall OF
1865, allowing for graduation class
OF e5 students. According to Mr.
Read, this increase will mean
''reverslon to the despicable two
shift system and elimination of all
the minor subjects of the educa-
tional program, such as art, music
and trade instruction courses, which
are such an essential background
and foundation for the child's edu-
cation, especially if advanced school,
ing is expected"
Declaring that the present func-
tional facilities of the school are
thereby taxed beyond capacity, Mr.
Read commended the school prin-
clpal and faculty for their handling
OF the stagger system of school hours.
establishment of which was found
necessary. How they have kept it
Strengthened out to date is indeed
remarkable" said Mr.. Read.
10 Teachers Lack Rooms.
1t was found on investigation that
l9 OF the teachers at the Anacos-
tia school are without regular class
rooms, but use those regularly as
signed to others of the faculty staff.
The auditorium of the school is en-
ployed every period of the day from
$50 am. to pm, while the me-
chanical drawing room with its
stools and drawing tables is uti-
llzed for academic classes, as are
the library, science laboratories and
the home economic units. The cafe
terla is now in use as four section
rooms and one study hall as we'll as
three English courses, two of which
are sometimes in progress at the
same time in opposite corners.
An additional item requested in
the report is the construction of
stands on the athletic field capable
OF seating 1000. 1t is pointed out
that the stands would not only en-
able the school teams to stage their
contests on home grounds rather
than on the opponents but draw
proceeds toward the self-support.
ing athletic fund.
Summing the junior high school
proposal, Mr.. Read declares I'VE
have been watching the condition
apprehensively and asking for relief
for the past three years and, mas
much as the contemplated site is
practically assured we ask that the
100000 to begin construction be
included in this years budget by
the Senate committee"
School Additions Sought.
Urgent confederation will be asked
for the Ketcham Elementary School
additions in view of the overcapacity
enrolment of almost double the
specified capacity.
The four sites proposed by the
Southeast Council for new ele-
mentary school structures are in
the following vicinities: Pennsyl-
vania and Alabama avenues, Minne-
sofa avenue and E street, Eleventh
and G streets and one located in
the Bradbury Heights area. It is
believed that the aforementioned
location would abet the Randall
School. considered at present as
inadequate to meet the rapid build
! ing development of the Summit
Park and Hillcrest sections, as we'll
as that of Mount Dome and Fort
Davis subdivisions. Acquisition of
the Minnesota avenue site would
allay educational shortcomings of
the North Randle community which
is served at present by two old
portable buildings.
The Southeast Council, according
to Mr.. Maio, counts heavily on the
fact that these projects have all
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