Evening star., 1942-01-07
Only One New School
Cleared in Budget
OF $14,297,552
Funds to Complete 5
Projects Provided;
Repair Item Boosted
BY JOHN w. THOMPSON, Jr.

A s14, ,297 $50 public schools budget
for 1943 was sent to Congress today
carrying a shattered building pro-
gram despite an overall increase of
S1S9,6 over present appropriations.
Only one new school-a junior
high school for colored at Forty
ninth street and Washington place
NE.-is provided for and no pur-
chases of land sites were authorized.
Five construction projects for
which initial appropriations were
made in the present budget, how
ever, are allotted funds for compile
ton. They are the Kramer Junior
High School in Anacostia, $270,l25;
Spingarn Senior High at Twenty
fourth street and Benning road NE,
$438,750; the new Abbot Vocational
School in Brentwood Park, 1852 500;
an addition to the Benning Ele-
mentary School, Sl45,0 900, and an
addition to the Van Ness Elemen-
tary, $l45,0O0.
Sought 20 New Schools.
These are all that remain of a
Board of Education program that
called for continuation of six prof.
ects, 20 new schools and 10 land
sites.
Previously school officials had seen
their hopes OF obtaining S2000,000 in
Lanham Act emergency funds for
six school projects dashed as the
last one-an elementary school at
Atlantic and Nichols avenue Sc
was eliminated by authorities.
The new junior high school re-
ceived an allotment of 100000
against final cost of s987 900. It
will relieve the highly congested
Browne Junior High School, which
has been forced on double shift by
Its heavy enrolment and has some
of the largest classes in the school
system.
Repair Fund Boosted.
1t is understood doubts as to fu-
ture enrollmentS, other demands on
available revenue and the virtual
impossibility of obtaining priority
ratings were responsible for the
slashes in the building estimates,
which total s1,661,375, against ST.
933,427 this year.
In other items, however. the
schools Jared better. The repair and
maintenance fund for buildings and
grounds was boosted $4,000 to
s593, 400, including $4,000 for elimi-
nation of fire hazards. Thirty-three
new teachers, eight clerks. six super
visory officers and 80 additional GUS
todians were authorized.
Taking no chances on having
buildings completed and then lying
idle for want of equipment. as in the
case of the Calvin Coolidge Senior
High, $424,445 was approved to equip
and furnish schools either building
or in immediate prospect.
New Roof for Macfarland.
q new feature this year is creation
ora rowing custodian squad for the
schools system in which five or six
custodians will be available to report
to any school buildings where the
regular man or men are either sick
or injured.
Among the repair items earmarked
In the maintenance fund are a new
roof for Marfarland Junior High,
new roof covering for the Mott
School, new roof covering for the
Shaw Junior High, new home eco
nomics equipment for Central High
School, new heating plant at the
Webb School and $4,000 for boiler
replacements.
The $4,000 for emergency fire
hazard elimination is to be the first
such appropriation to take care Of
the major items disclosed in the fire
marshal's inspection of school build
ings. 1t is planned to seek $4,000
annually until all major hazards are
eliminated.
The question Of obtaining pri-
critics from the Office of Production
Management may conceivably result
in no school construction at all dur
ing the coming year, although Dis
trict officials are definitely hopeful
they will be able at least to complete
those already started.