Evening star., 1941-01-08

An increase Of nearly nan a NIL
lion dollars over current appro-
priations is provided in the 1912
public school budget transmitted to
Congress today, but the total stlll
falls far Snort of the estimates OF
the Board of Education, whose pro-
posed school building program was
slashed by more than s4,000000.
Only three Of nine building prof.
ects sought by school officials were
allowed to remain in the budget,
and only two OF 81 requested build
ing sites were recommended by the
Commissioners and the Budget Bu-
reau.
While the budget does not provide
any new money for hiring OF extra
school teachers, from funds cur
rently available, which will remain
available. school officials will be able
to hire 81 more teachers, including
10 for instruction of shut-ins. 1n
its estimates. the Board Of Educa-
ton had requested l43 new in
structors.
The new school finance scheoule
calls for a total of S13,227,4Ol IN
appropriations sum more than
SIS 1000 900 below the original estl-
mates. but S462,5l5 above appro-
priations for the current fiscal year.
The chief slash was made in the
buildings and grounds program,
which was cut from s556l AT to ST.
405 900. This sum, however, repre-
sents a S5940O0 increase over cur
rent appropriations.
Includes Vocational School Item.
The main building items provid-
ed are 100000 for beginning con-
struction of new senior high school
for colored students at Twenty
fourth street and Benning road NE,
and 100000 for beginning construc-
ton of new vocational school in
Brentwood Park to replace the Alb
bot Vocational School at Seventh
and o streets.
The only other new school project
is provided by an item of s180,000
for construction of new ele-
mentary school on a site to be
acquired in the vicinity of Mime
sofa avenue and Ely place Sc. A
loW-cost housing development in
that area created a need for this
school.
Two other major items are in
cluded in the building program. One
is for s375 900 to continue construc-
ton of a junior high school in the
vicinity of Seventeenth and @
streets Sc, and the other calls
for s135o00 to complete construc-
ton of an eight-room addition to
the Syphax School.
When completed, the junior high
school project will release the
present Anacostia Junior Senior
High School for use as a senior
high school only. In recommending
completion of the Syphax School
project, the Commissioners raised
the lint of cost to S230,O00.
Recalls Site Controversy.
The Commissioners recommended
ton for a new Abbot Vocational
School throws right back into the
lap of Congress a controversy over
where the school should be located.
This same argument last year re-
suited in the project being dropped
out of the current supply bill.
The Commissioners asked that 1t
be located in Brentwood Park, near
the Columbia Institute for the Deaf,
and school officials are in favor
of this location. However, labor Or
ganizations have urged that it be
built on the Upshur street tract
a plan opposed by school authorities
who want to build a new Wilson
Teachers College there. Senator
Overton, chairman of the Senate
Subcommittee on District Appro-
priations, also favors the Brent
wood site.
As far as the Wilson Teachers
project is concerned, however,
school officials will be forced to
wait for that because the Commits
sioners cut from the new supply bill
an estimate for preparation of plans
for the new school.
In requesting funds to begin con-
struction of a new colored high
school, the city heads raised their
original total cost estimate from
100000 to s1,o30,000, which will
provide for gymnasiums for boys
and girls, large auditorium and
chemical laboratory in the new
structure. This step was taken
after colored civic leaders had pro-
tested that the original plans would
provide space for only $50 students,
whereas, they insisted, there would