Evening star., 1941-09-18
Fund Made Available
To Better Conditions
AT Home for Aged
Commissioners Discover
$500 Can Be Used in
Appalling Situation

Continued From First Page.)
misSioners for use for fuel and
clothing for the poor"
The Hauer trust fund, which
amounted to $3.50 originally, now
has present interest account of
$530.14, which also can be used for
the Home, although the principal
cannot be touched.
Meeting informally today, the
Commissioners directed Budget
Officer Walter L. Fowler, Welfare
Director Conrad Van Hyning and
Otto Cass, superintendent of the
home, to work up a definite proposal
as to how much of this total they
can spend and to recommend what
to buy Immediately,
Two-Year Delay Seen.
James V. Bennett, director of Fed
eral prisons, told The Star that
while his Office wanted a new loca-
tion for the training school, that
institution could not be abandoned
until Congress provided money for
a new one.
Mr.. Bennett also pointed out that
even if the money was available to-
day, it would probably be two years
before the new Federal school could
be built and the AIS boys transferred.
However" he said, Il shall be
very glad to cooperate in seeing
that the property is put to its best
use"
Mr.. Bennett suggested that the
| National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, the Budget Bureau
and the committees of Congress
would probably have to participate
in any disposition of the site when
a new Federal school Is made avail
able.
The 350-acre tract has been asked
for a defense housing development,
a park area, and other purposes, it
was indicated.
The prisons director said the site
was unsuited for a training school,
which should be located in a more
rural site.
| For some time now the Federal
penal authorities have planned to
cease operation of the Bladensburg
road training school and absorb its
population in other institutions.
The Home for the Aged was one
of the institutions which would have
been moved to the proposed welfare
center outside the District which
was asked in the 1912 budget hear
ings. The $4,000 item for site
for the center was clipped from the
estimates and it is now understood
the welfare center plan has been
abandoned.
Some thought was given to use of
the present National Training
School for Girls on Conduit road
| for the site, but this was discarded
as too small. The present popula-
ton of the training school is about
80 against more than 900 at the
Home for the Aged.
Land May Be Too Costly.
Discussions on the use of the
Bladensburg tract by the District
were very informal. it was said, but
the opinion was expressed that the
land was too valuable there now for
institutional use If abandoned by
the Federal Government.
| Asked his opinion on the site,
| Director of Public Welfare Van
Hyning said he thought it was a
good one, although he has never
been in the buildings on the prop
erty. He declared selection of q
site sought to consider the factors
of health for the inmates, many of
whom are rheumatic, and accessible
ity to visitors.
The Commissioners found condi-
tions at Blue Plains had improved
from the time they were denounced
by Mrs. Roosevelt and investigat-
ing members of the House, due most
ly to w. P. A. help. but that they
still were rather appalling"
Boilers Old In 1914.
Considerable attention was de-
| voted to the old power plant. We'll
fare officials have asked an appro-
priation of $150.OO0 to replace it
| next year, If the institution is to be
operated there. They said it would
be waste of money to repair the
| present plant. The city heads were
told the plant has one new boiler,
but that the other two were OBJ
tanned secondhand from the United
States Capitol in 1914 and that they
were 20 years old then.
Gen. Kutz said the present build
ings could be rebuilt, but that this
might take 10 years and would prove
costly and when the work was done
the District still would have an out
of-date plan. Commissioner Young
wants a new plant with one-story
buildings, except as to administra-
tive offices. and having a number of
cottages for married couples living
at the home.
Considerable credit was given the
w. P. A. for a variety of improve
ments to the buildings, including a
screened porch and construction of
q number of bedside tables, and for
food preparation and service, but Of
flcials are wondering what will hap
pen If the w. P. A. program, already
reduced, is abandoned.
Lack of proper toilet facilities,
plumbing, good flooring and domes-
tic service were cited by the Com
missioners as outstanding problems,
aside from well-designed housing.
THE walls of some Of these wings
are not so bad" said Commissioner
Young, "but the whole institution
shows there have been many years
of neglect.