Evening star., 1941-03-30

nter so that a new school site could
be purchased.
1t was this agreement which killed
the center because, although the
appropriation for the center was
passed, the bill did not contain
money for the new school and
school officials were unable to close
the Jones School. When the budget
for the following year came up
construction still had not been
started and Congress delayed the
Northwest center in favor of the
Southwest one which was completed
last winter.
When the budget estimates for
1912 were submitted to the Com
missioners once again the need for
Northwest center was advanced
with request for S250.0OO which
the city heads eliminated in favor
OF other projects.
Ceiling Fall Gives Impetus.
Powerful forces" according to a
department official, were at work
to get the item replaced in the
bill by Congress, but there was no
assurance that the plan would re-
celVe any support from the Com
miSSionerS
Last week, however, the collapse
OF the ceiling in the Health De-
partment clinic at 512 I street NV,
gave renewed impetus to the de.
mand and Commissioner j. Russell
Young announced his support Of
the project.
The school site was not the only
one sought for the new center,
Several other locations were con-
sldered at the time the project first
came up among them the Homeo-
pathic Hospital and a site owned
by the School Board at First and
Pelrce streets NV. Since that
time Health Officer George C. Ruh-
land has tried TO obtain from the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission the triangular plot at
First, M streets and New York
avenue NV, but has been twice
denied.
The area to be served BY such
center includes the section of
the city bounded by the Mall. North
Capitol street, Florida avenue and
sixteenth street. where. according
to Health Department officials, the
/ lncldence in certain diseases is
highest and the economic level the
lowest in the District.
With the indicated support Of
the Commissioners for the new cen.
ter in the budget, on which hear
lngs will probably start in about a
month, the chances of the project
gong through are considered much
improved. Strong support has
already been given it by the Dis
trict Medical Society. the WASH
lngton Federation Of Churches. the
Federation of Citizens Associations
and the United States Public Health
Service. In addition. health officials
will plead the especial need of the
center in connection with the influx
Of national defense workers here.
1t was asserted that only in this
central northwest area, already
/ more densely populated per acre
4 -
can the loW-income group of de-
fense workers find housing.
Won't Compete With Hospitals.
The Central Neighborhood Coun-
Gil is also pondering means of giving
( strong support to the project which
/ will serve its area School princi-
pals, social agency representatives.,
! delegates from health groups and
civic organizations have voted to
push the matter and named Dr..
Paul V. Cornely, associate profess
sor of publis health at Howard Uni
versity, chairman.
1t has been emphasized during
the entire battle for the centers
that they will not be competing
against the hospitals. but rather
will simply facilitate treatment Of
INDECENT persons unable to afford
hospital or private treatment and
make possible more intense applica-
ton of public health in units OF
manageable size. Nor will the North
west unit be the end of the general
project of centers. the Benning
area being among the leading con-
! teders for a center.
Meanwhile. efforts are going ahead
to complete organization of the first
District health center in Southwest.
| Oficials said all the equipment has
not yet been installed and, accord
| ing to the annual report of the
/ schools medical officer. additional
/ funds are needed to maintain the
dental clinic. The dental clinic
there marks the first instance OF
such work in the public health work
here and was decided necessary
when it was found more than third
of the patients admitted to Gal
linger Municipal Hospital suffered
from dental troubles.
To date some 1.40O health centers
have been established throughout
the United States and there Is
more than 25 years experience be-
hind them. Centers were set up in
/ po1tiroore in 1920