Evening star., 1942-05-05
S12,S2S,475 Budget
For Schools Virtually
Drops Construction
Repair Item Boosted:
PhysieoI Truinins
'Touehenine' Provided

A sl2s28,475 school budget for
l943, tailored to war needs and con-
ditions. was reported to the House
today by its Appropriations Com
mittee.
The amount is more than . mill
lion and a quarter under present
appropriations and close TO q million
and a half under the estimates
originally approved by the Com
missioners.
The bulk Of the reduction, how
ever, was in school construction
where school ofncials. taking cog
nizance Of the inability to get ma
terials for permanent school build
ings, voluntarily suggested q reduc-
ton of the estimates by something
over 81 ,000. 900.
On the other hand. personnel was
boosted by $4,000 to provide for
As additional physical training in
structors to embark on q program
OF toughening District youth for
military and other war service.
Three thousand dollars was added
to step up the program Of aviation
training in the hgih schools begun
last February on a small scale.
Funds TO Complete Kramer.
The only new capital outlay money
approved was a $270, ,125 to complete
the Kramer Junior High School at
Seventeenth and @ streets Sc. This
was the only permanent structure
for which the War Production Board
has given a priority and the board
indicated 1t would be the last.
The clampdown on materials left
the schools at the present time with
money appropriated for several
buildings they could not build and
which, unless reappropriated. win
go back into the District general
fund on June 30.
The House Committee, however,
ordered reappropriated from two
present funds of $780, ,625 each, for
eight-room additions and assembly
hall gymnasiums to the Benning and
Van Ness Schools, two items of $97,-
500 each to provide temporary eight
room additions at these schools.
From a $167 500 item languishing
for lack Of materials to build a
permanent elementary school at
Hillside road and Alabama avenue
Sc. $4,000 Is reappropriated for q
four-room temporary school there.
The building will serve Bradbury
Heights.
The temporary construction Is ex-
pected to be Of a type approved by
w. P. B. for schools, recreation halls,
hospitals and the like throughout
the country. Few critical materials
are required.
Repair Item Boosted.
While new school construction was
forced to give way, however, the
amount to repair and maintain
school buildings and grounds was
put at an au-time high Of $59S $50
IN recognition Of repeated requests
OF school ofncials to be able to pre-
vent deterioration Of the $60, ,000, 900
school plant by adequate main
tenance. Among the items ear
marked to come from this fund are
heating plant at the Webb School,
new roofs for Macfarland and Shaw
Junior High Schools and the Mott
School. Emergency fire hazards will
be removed.
District officials urged the sub
committee to remove from the ear
marked repair items the language
mot to exceed" which precedes the
estimated cost, describing it as a
severe handicap because of the
changing prices and costs.
In the testimony before the sub.
committee made public today, they
gave as an example efforts TO obtain
this year a new roof for Francis
Junior High. At the time the esti-
mates were submitted the work could
have been done for that amount, but
by the time the appropriation be-
came available months later. the
lowest bid was $1,000. Because of
the wording mot to exceed $4,000"
In the bill the work wasn't done at
all, 1t was explained.
If the language could be omitted.
then the items could be taken care
OF on flexible basis. Another re-
strictive effect Of the language, it
was brought out, Is that 1t limits
the materials that can be used.
Alternative Adopted.
As a check against injudicious
spending of lump sum, the officials
offered to report each year on the
expenditures If the language is
removed. The committee cut out
the language and called for the re-
port at the end of the year.
Commissioner Guy Mason told the
subcommittee the city heads are in
full sympathy with efforts to extend
the lives of the expensive school
buildings by making the necessary
repairs and improvements.
For the past decade, despite the
addition Of millions of dollars worth
of school buildings to the system,
the fund for repairs has remained
static and in some instances has
been lower than it was 10 or IL
years ago.
Once again the language refusing
education in District schools to nom
residents without payment Of tut
ton has been included but prob
ably, as in former years. will be
eliminated by the Senate. Supt.
of Schools Frank w. Ballou told
the House subcommittee in the hear
ings that the number Of such pupils
is not increasing but estimated that,
on the basis Of established tuition
rates. the District is losing about
$3.50, 1000.