Evening star., 1948-05-09
Podocked Terrell Auditorium Shows Need for New Schools
First of Two Articles. J
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

The aged Terrell Junior High
School, with its auditorium pad
locked since last Friday because it
is not up to fire safety standards,
is case to prove that Washington
must replace its old schools.
When the order came from School
supt. Hobart M. Corning that the
auditorium at the 58-year-old COL
ored school must be closed, Miss
Valerie E. Chase, principal, found
her problems piling up. They were
bad enough any way with no play
ground, no music room and only
six shops for more than 900 children.
She was not alone. Three other
old schools have had to close their
third floor auditoriums because they
did not have exits, needed fireproof-
ing and were in violation of the new
District building regulations. They
were Sumner Elementary School,
Hine Junior High School and Bell
Vocational High School.
Major alterations, including in
closing Of stairway wells and new
exits must be undertaken before
they can be used again, DR.. Corn
ing observed.
Activities Cancelled.
1--WE had to cancel all the schools
spring activities" Miss Chase said.
Since there is no other auditorium
in the school-and none suitable
nearby-anniversary week at the
school was Cancelled. 1t was supposed
to be this week. A health day and
assembly, a father-son night, a
mother daughter night and an
alumni gathering were called off.
But worst of all, Miss Chase re-
marked the schools spring operetta
will not be given. More than $50
children have been practicing for
the opperetta for months There is
no place to hold it, Miss Chase ex-
planned.
Things just like that happened in
the three other schools that sudden
ly found auditoriums closed down.
The senior class probably will not
be able to hold class day. The
graduation will be at Armstrong
High School-as planned all along
because the $50 graduates and
their parents and friends would be
too much of a crowd for the Terrell
auditorium even If 1t could be used.
Cafeteria Used for Music Glasses.
But even when the auditorium
was being used, the teaching staff
faced these situations:
The school has no music room. So
music classes must meet in the
school cafeteria when the cafeteria
is not in use. The pupils sit at
the white topped tables where they
will be eating later. A piano has
been moved into the cafeteria. It
competes with the noise from the
kitchen.
There are three shops for 400 boys
and three shops for 500 girls.
The present library is mot much
bigger than closet" to quote Miss
Chase, and is supposed to serve
more than 900 children.
There is no playground.
The fact that the children must
spend recess in the street in front
of the building, at M street between
New Jersey and First street NV,
raises another problem. The block
is closed off at each end by police
during recess.
But. the street is designated a
fire lane" for No. 4 Truck Co., a
block away on New Jersey avenue.
Miss Chase has developed a new
type fire drill which consists of
getting out of the way of fire en-
gines by scattering to safety" when
the sirens start.
School Built in 1890.
Terrell was built in 1890, with
additions in 1911 and 1921. A GYM
naAum was added in 1894. The
Blake School,, an old elementary
school nearby, is used as an annex,
thus avoiding part-time classes for
the time being.
I'VE need a new building badly"
Miss Chase said, summing up the
opinion of top school officials.
A replacement for Terrell has
been requested. Congress has au-
thorized a $1,350,000 building but
has appropriated only the first
$28,350 for plans.
And as bad as the situation is at
Terrell, replacement of the school
is far down the priority list as far
as school officials are concerned.
Dr. Corning put it this way:
1--WE are faced with a two-edged
problem. There are not enough
buildings for all the children we
now have. But almost as serious is
the problem Of the old buildings.
They are so very. very old and in
adequate"
Worried Over Jammed Areas.
He explained that it was a matter
Of doing the most essential things
first. These happen to be getting
schools to house children now on
part-time classes and to prevent
additional part-time classes.
The danger spots" where large
housing projects are jamming areas
with children where there were no