Evening star., 1948-04-26
Split Develops
In Trade Board.
On School PIa an
Committees at Odds
On Building Program
To Cost $44, ,000, 900

veloping today in the ranks of the
Board of Trade, as one of the Or
ganization's study committees ap-
proved a $4,000 900 five-year school
construction program while the
chairman OF another committee
prepared to fight the proposal.
Endorsement Of loan financed
program for bringing the school
plant here into line with the city's
growth came from the Trade Board S
Education Commute, of which John
M. Howard Is chairman.
In a strongly-worded report dated
March IS, this group put its seal of
approval on the program, originally
proposed by the District public
school administration last Novem-
Der 81.
Opposed BY McCoach.
The Education Committees report
was presented to the trade groups
board of directors on April 4, and
referred Immediately to the Com
mittee on Municipal Finance.
That committee has not yet dis
cussed the issue formally, but many
of its members are understood to
oppose the school construction pro-
gram Its chairman, Maj. Gen.
David E. McCoach, jr., former Engi-
neer Commissioner of the District,
is known to feel the project Is far
too costly to be undertaken at this
time.
In an effort to avert an open
break between the committees, Gen.
McCoach scheduled a meeting for 2
pm. today with William H. Press.
executive secretary of the Board OF
Trade. He said he wanted to dis
cuss the procedure to be followed
In this situation"
The Education Committees study
of the school setup here was under
taken more than six months ago at
the request of Chairman Bates OF
the House District Committees fls-
cal affairs subcommittee. Mr.. Bates
is skeptical of the necessity OF an
extensive school Reconstruction pro-
gram.
directors May Dccloe'
If the two committees which have
handled the construction program
issue disagrees in their reports, the
final decision as to the trade boards 5
recommendation will be made by
the Board of Directors.
Mr.. Press said today 1t Is hoped
this recommendation can be In Mr..
Bates hands within few days, In
time for the renewal of the sub
committees hearing on District
taxes for the fiscal year 1949.
The trade boards Education Com
nittee said the backlog of school
construction needs cannot be
cleared on a "pay-as-you-go basis" +"
1t proposed that the Commissioners
should be authorized to borrow the
necessary money from the Federal
Government on noninterest basis,
The report called conditions at
some schools "intolerable," calling
for immediate corrective action"
Two Schools Cited.
The committee singled out the
Hine and Terrell Junior High
Schools as examples Of the bad Ell
fects of the practice of postponing
necessary construction, which has
prevailed since the war.
This committee is unanimous
that conditions in these schools are
disagraceful," the group wrote.
The inadequacy of the present
school plan has been aggravated
the committee found, by population
shifts to the Northeast and South
east sections as we'll as by increased
school enrollments.
Point to Age Of Buildings.
The committee said Of 173 schools
now in service here, 100 we're more
than Is years old. Fifty-one, &C
cording to the report, were more
than SIS years old.
On the whole. many Of these OBJ
solete buildings, which have already
given many years of service, should
be retired, abandoned and torn
down." the committee wrote.
"AS progressive businessmen. we
doubt that very many of us would
be successful in buildings so made
ouate, nor would our employees be
content working in conditions COM
parable 10 those existing in some
of these. buildings where our chill
oren are required to spend their
formative wears"