Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-02-05
Land Swap Plan
May Put School
Al Friendship
Use of Villa Rosa
Estate for Housing
Would Gust Museum


to trade q 6-acre tract at Massachu-
sets and Nebraska avenues NV, be-
longing to the Board Of Education
and the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, for an area
of similar size In the Friendship
estate.
The tract owned by the board and
the Planning Commission was pur-
chased as the site Of Junior high
school and recreation area and il
known as the Villa Rosa estate.
Villa Rosa is now occupied by the
Children's Museum, Inc, which has
just put several thousand dollars
into fixing up the building, accord
ing to Miss Hilda Young, secretary
Of the museum. 1t Is planning its
formal opening February 20 with a
three-day program.
Miss Young said she did not know
where the museum would go il
forced to move by completion of the
trade. The problem will have to be
considered by the sponsors and
organizing committee, she explained.
Miss Young said the sponsors OF
the free museum understood clearly
in the arrangements with the Com
missioners that some time they
would have to move out, but they
had not expected to have to vacate
in less than two years.
Under the arrangements with the
Commissioners the museum is al
lowed use of the building provided
1t also housed the art projects Of
the District w. p. A. In turn, w.
P. A. was to provide labor and the
museum materials for repairing the
rundown condition of the once
palatial mansion.
The museum Is sponsor supported
and has no salaries to paw as vet.
1t will be the first children's
museum In the District.
Under the proposal, the Defense
Homes Corporation now developing
Frendship-the former home of the
Mclean family-into a defense
housing project would take over
Villa Rosa estate and turn over to
the board and commission the same
amount of land facing on Idaho
avenue extended, on the south side
OF the Friendship estate, for the
high school and recreation center.
See Location as Better.
The Friendship property is con-
sidered better located and more
suitable for school and recreation
purposes than the Villa Rosa estate
and can also serve the defense
housing project, according to school
officials.
Preliminary discussions already
have taken place between District
and Federal officials and yesterday
the school board authorized Supt.
OF Schools Frank w. Ballcu to fol-
low through with the negotiations
and report back on details. DR..
Ballou said he thought legislation
might be necessary authorizing the
trade. John Nolan, IT,, of the Plan
ming Commission, has been working
on the trade,
Board members expressed great
interest In the possibilities of the
deal for all concerned. DR.. Ballou
said 1t may be arranged within the
next few days and a poll of the
board may be necessary to author
ize it.
Authorizes 44-Hour Week.
Meanwhile, the board also author
lied DR.. Ballou to establish a.
hour week for public school en-
ployes-excluding teachers-in &C
cordance with a general policy out
lined by the Commissioners. He ex-
planned 1t would tend to spread the
overtime now worked by some en-
ployes.
The members also called on the
city heads to take prompt action on
legislation forwarded to them last
December authorizing payment Of
fees to school custodians doing ex-
ira work for non-school organiza-
tons, Notwithstanding the dual
compensation law which forbids an
employe to receive more than $4,000
from salary and other compensation.
, Thirty-four new teachers were ap-
!; pointed for the colored schools and
three for the white schools from
savings in the teachers salary fund.
OF the total of 81 teachers, 81 were
temporary appointments and 10 pro-
stationary.
It was explained that the need for
teachers was greater in the colored
divisions The three white teachers
will go to high schools.
Orson Trueworthy was named
principal of the Chamberlain voca-
tional Night School, succeeding
Ralph M. Watt. Promtions of DR..
w. N Rivers Of Miner Teachers
College and DR.. A. v. House, IT,, at
Wilson Teachers College were ap-
|, proved. Both will receive salary
increases. The following promotions
were made permanent:
Mrs. Barbara I. Wade, administra-
tive principal of the Sumner Magru-
der School: Edward j. Edwards, jr..
teaching principal of Garfield School,
and Miss Edith A. Lyons, supervis-
ing principal of division 10.
The old Jefferson Junior High
School will be surrendered to the
Federal Government for Office space
and the school stores previously
stored there will be moved to q
| garage at 141 Twelfth street NE.
The Blake School was transferred
, from the white system to the COL
ored divisions and will be used by
| 225 students Of the Terrell Junior
, High School.
, DR.. Ballou told the board members
that, as Of last November 10, there
were 1855 nonresident pupils in
, District schools who are exempt
, from tuition payments. This repre-
! sents decrease Of rs over the num-
Der at the same time the previous
year.