Evening star., 1948-06-18
Chi|dPopuldtion
Cited in Pleas
For New Schools
Porents Warn Bourd
Of Mounting Needs
In Budget Session
By Colt HendIey. Jr.

The need for new schools-espe-
cially elementary-to take care Of
the record batch of babies who win
reach school age in the next five
years has District parents as well
as school officials worried.
This was apparent at the annual
meeting of the Board of Education
last night with citizens groups,
when q number of representatives
presented neighborhood surveys
which show the present schools will
be swamped within a short time.
The meeting was held in ths
Tho omson Elementary School.
Twelfth and l. streets NV, with
more than 200 attending. It is at
this meeting that the residents Of
Washington tell the School Board
what they think should 60 into the
next budget-in this case, the 1850
budget.
Crowding in 1858 Estimated.
Homer E. McCann Of the Bunker
Hill Elementary School PTA told
of survey conducted by the fathers
and gave this picture:
The present capacity Of the Bunk
er Hill School is 420, while the en-
rollment in September is expected
to be about $50. But by 1858, the
enrolment will be STA, or 1873 per
cent of the present capacity
He requested that classrooms be
added to the building.
H. S. CARRIER, representing the
Beers Elementary School PTA, said
his group also had conducted 9
survey with these results:
An addition Is being constructed
on the Beers School and will be
completed in September, '1949. The
combined capacity of the old build
ing and the new addition will DO
700 but this scarcely will be COM
pleted before the enrolment will be
up to $50 (by 1850, thus jamming
the school all over again. BY 1858
the enrolment should reach 1900,
which is TOO above capacity and win
require double and even triple shift
classes.
He asked for new school some
where in the adjacent area to ham
die some of the children who other
wise would have to go to Beers.
The Rev. Tansel Butler, represent
ing the Garfield Douglas Heights
Civic Association, said the first two
grades at the "antiquated barn that
is Garfield Elementary School and
the matchbox" that is Turner
School combination elementary
and junior high school will have to
go on part-time classes next year
and that every year thereafter il
would get worse.
He asked for a new junior high
school in the area east of the Ana.
costa River so that Turner can be
expanded and used entirely for an
elementary school.
Mrs. Margaret D. Carmody. rep
resenting the Capitol Page School
Parent Teacher Club, said the page
boys are "underprivileged" when it
comes to school facilities. A mother
of a page, she asked that science
laboratory be equipped and that q
library be furnished.
APAOVCAAVht3 fAShEu.
Mrs. Rosemary c. Wilson of the
Dunbar Alumni Association asked
for a long list of improvements to
the high school, including two new
gyms, equipment to turn the present
girls gym into little theatcr and
orchestra room, a new cafeteria
where the present boys gym Is lo-
Gated, replacement of flooIs and
blackboards throughout the school
and a renovated library.
James Parker of the Terrell Junior
High School PTA said the floor of
the school is "sagging so badly that
1t moves back and forth and the ter
mites in the basement are getting
fat" He reminded the board this
was the tenth consecutive year he
had appeared to ask that Terrell be
replaced.
Other items asked include a new
gym for Francis Junior High School,
better heating in the Brookland
Elementary School Annex, a new
Cardozo High School, completion Of
the second floor of the Slowe Ele-
mentary School, auditorium and
gym at the Lovejoy Elementary
School, new addition to replace tenn
porary annex at the Van Ness Ele-
mentary School, teacher restrooms
at the Bowen Elementary School and
replacements for the Ambush and
Smallwood Elementary Schools.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, presi-
dent of the School Board, conducted
the meeting. DR.. Hobart M. Corning
and his school officers answered
questions directed TO them by the
| citizens.