Evening star., 1941-04-02
New Training School
Site Is Suggested
In Report TO House
Defense Needs Bor New
Construction, However.
Committee Adds


The House Appropriations Com
mittee, in a report TO the House
today, held that the National Train
ing School for Boys on Bladensburg
road should build elsewhere. if there
Is continued need for such an insti-
tuition, but new construction should
be deferred, in view of defense needs,
and the existing plant maintained
for the present.
The committee said the property
would be ideal for some of the pro-
posed new Government buildings or
it might be sold for residential pur-
poses"
A subcommittee allowed 5000 ito
patch up the power plant and facili-
ties until some more definite con-
clusion can be reached" The di-
rector of the Federal Bureau of
Prisons was asked. meanwhile, to
report on the need for such an insti-
tuition and to recommend location.
The school was dealt with in the
appropria ton bill for the State,
Commerce and Justice Depart
ments.
Reports Disclosures.
Hearings before the subcommittee,
summarized in a report by Repre-
sentative Rabaut, disclosed:
That there are 80 buildings on this
property, some of them dating back
to Civil War days, constantly in
need of repairs; that the institution
now has AIS inmates, only los of
whom are from the District of
Columbia; that the cost of main
tenance is 81 a day per inmate and
| that the farm is no longer workab BILE
profltably.
The budget had recommended
100000 for certain major repairs
and alterations to the power plant,
utility tunnel and utilities at the
/ training school. The proposed ap-
preparation was cut to $4,000. In ex-
planning this. Representative Rabaut
said that the Federal Government
take care of its own delinquent
wards and that delinquent youth
of the District should be taken care
of elsewhere.
Recently our subcommittee per-
sonally visited the school," Mr..
Robert said. The need for an in
stitution of this character is recog-
niZed, but the committee feels that
the training school is not at present
properly located. 1t occupies 325
acres of very valuable city property
within the District and is entirely
surrounded by residential areas. 1t
is difficult to manage from a Gus
todial standpoint and is expensive to
operate. 1t is reported that appro-
priations of $325 900 would be re-
quired to rehabilitate the power
plant and utilities at the institution
The buildings, 80 in number, and
accommodating the 400-odd boys,
are in need of frequent repairs. 1t is
understood, moreover, that the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission has questioned the ad-
visibility of further extensions to
this institution.
Ideal for Government Building.
THE site should be used for other
more important purposes. 1t would
be ideal for some of the proposed
new Government buildings or it
might be sold for residential pur-
poses. Construction of another in
stitution could not we'll be under
taken during the defense program
and the subcommittee has therefore
allowed $4,000 to patch up the
power plant and facilities until some
more definite conclusion can be
reached. Meanwhile it has requested
the director of the Bureau of Prisons
to submit a report of the needs
for such an institution in the Fed
eral prison system with recommen-
dations as to where it should be To-
Gated"
A requested appropriation for an
assistant engineer at the training
school, included with other salaries
of personnel in the Bureau of Pris-
ons, Washington Office. was re-
fused. However, the committee al
lowed four of the additional posi-
tions. but refused the request for
a technical assistant to the director.
1t reduced the proposed salaries
of the budget and fiscal assistant
from $500 to $4,000.