Evening star., 1941-02-06
Deficiency Item
0fMi||ion Asked
For Six Schools
Bourd Sees Need
Of Serving Benning
And Anucostiu Area

A $1,000 900 program for six new
school buildings in the Benning-
AnacoStia area to meet expected de-
mands from a mushroom growth OF
housing units by next fall will be
forwarded to the Commissioners
within a day or so for inclusion in
the first deficiency bill to be sent to
Congress.
The program was approved by the
Board of Education yesterday on
recommendation of its Finance
Committee, which recently toured
the rapidly growing area. A recent
survey by school officials revealed
some 1000 housing units are under
construction by both Federal and
private builders and most of them
will be ready by next fall.
Two of the items sought are in
cluded in the 1912 appropriations
bill. now before Congress, but be-
cause of the urgent need for an
early start to be ready by next fall,
board members asked that they be
placed in the deficiency bill instead.
Budget Bureau Must Approve.
To be included in the bill the
program must be approved by both
the Commissioners and the Budget
Bureau.
The requested program calls for:
/. Funds for site adjacent to
the Benning School and construc-
ton of an eight-room addition with
assembly hall-gymnasium, $3.50, 900.
2. An 8-room addition with as
sembly hall-gymnasium to the
Randle Highlands School, $3.50, 900.
3. Purchase OF a site and con-
struction of an eight-room extensi-
bic school in the vicinity of Nichols
avenue and Atlantic street Sc,
$4,000
struction Of an eight-room school in
the vicinity of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and Alabama avenue Sc, $3.50.
900. The site is carried in the 1882
estimates.
5. Purchase of a site and con-
struction of an eight ht-room elemen-
tary school in the vicinity of Mime
sofa avenue and Ely place Sc. Both
items are carried in the 1912 esti-
mates. Cost, $4,000.
6. Purchase of a site and con-
struction of an eight-room extensible
building in the vicinity of Forty
fourth street and Alabama avenue.
Site Costs Not Included.
All the schools would be elementary
schools and the figures quoted do
no include the amount for the sites,
this land purchase item being fixed
by the Engineer Commissioner, Supt.
Frank w. Ballou declared, and are
conadential. ~
Howard D. Woodson, colored civic
leader, urged the Finance Commit
tee to include funds for a 100000
colored junior high school at Forty
ninth street and Washington place,
NE, to relieve the load on Browne
Junior High School, which Is now
operating on a double shift because
of its l,460 pupils.
In addition to this million dollar
program the School Board also
served notice on the Commissioners
that an additional program of emer-
gency needs in the colored schools
would follow soon. The members
referred to the Finance Committee
a report from First Assistant Supt.
Garnet C. Wilkinson recommending
funds for two construction projects
in Northeast and Southeast. One is
for a site and construction of an
eight-room extensible elementary
school with assembly hall gym
nasium in the vicinity of Forty
ninth and Hayes streets NE. and
the other for a site and construction
of an eight-room addition with
assembly hall gymnasium to the Van
Ness School. The Van Ness, formerly
used by white pupils, yesterday was
transferred to the colored divisions.
Housing Projects Cited.
These schools are needed, DR..
Wilkinson's report said, to meet de-
mands next fall of some 1000 new
housing units for colored in the
area.
An effort was made during the
Finance Committee meeting which
preceded the board session to in
clude in the request for deficiency
appropriation bill funds for some
100 new teachers for the colored
schools The committee was told
there is a mathematics class in a
colored Junior high school where the
teacher has 81 pupils.
Dr.. Ballou declared. however, that
such request would not be received
laE