Evening star., 1948-05-16
District Officials
antoAbandon
160Id Schools
Long-Ronee Program
Rests on Construction
Of New Buildings
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

"A COtdi VI Az da1tlQQdtcu SCIlOOlS
will be abandoned by District ON
cials within the next few years
If and when new buildings for
which Congress has made appro-
priations for plans and construction
are completed and occupied.
School Supt. Hobert NJ Corning
said yesterday that the long range
building program included the aban-
donment of these schools. This Is
true in spite Of the startling fact
that in four years an additional
$1,000 elementary children are ex-
pected to jam into the Districts
schools.
The closing down of the schools
in the face of this is not as strange
as it may seem at first glance,
school officials explained.
Affected by Housing Boom.
New school buildings are needed
in sections of Washington which
are growing tremendously because
of the present housing boom. Many
Of these sections, Southeast WASH
ington for one, either have no
schools or have buildings which
are crowded now and will be
jammed to an impossible point
within the next few. years. The
abandonment of the 16 buildings
is necessary to carry out a build
ing program. AL are antiquated
and inadequate.
For inefopeo Ctoptor, IIop,op&ar1,
School is to be replaced. The pres
ent building, four-room type
built in 1908, and a temporary build
ing now houses more than 500
pupils. But in the neighhorhood are
more than 1900 children under 6
years. And an additional 800 dwell
ling units are going up.
A new 24-room building is PLAN
ned for the same site and the others
must go to make room for a proper
playground.
Some Have Low Priority.
In the case of several schools,
Hine and Terrell Junior High
Schools for instance, the need for
new buildings is considered an abb
solute necessity. But, because OF
the even NOR, urgent need for new
buildings where there are none.
they are far down the priority list.
DR.. Corning emphasized that
plans for closing down the 16
schools depend entirely upon the
progress Of the building program
advocated by school officials and
the Board of Education.
The lineup of schools to 70
follows:
Bell Vocational High School-This
building will be torn down to pro-
vide site for a new junior high
school for colored students. Located
at Seventh and o streets NV, it
was constructed in 1883. The avocts-
ttonAl education facilities will be
transferred to Central High School.
30 1864 School to Be Raxed.
Hine Junior High School-After
construction of a new junior high
school near the present site at
Seventh and G streets Sc, the
present building will be razed to
provide playground space.
Terrell Junior High School-This
school was constructed in 1890 at
First and M streets NV. School
officials contemplate turning the old
building over to the Commissioners
when the new building is construct
ed in the same general vicinity.
Blake School-This eight-room
building, at North Capitol between
K and L streets NV, Is used as an
annex to Terrell. 1t was built in
1889. 1t also will be turned over to
the Commissioners.
Cranch, Tyler and Wallach Ele-
mentary Schools-A new Tyler Ele-
mentary School is being constructed
at Tenth and G streets Sc. to re-
place these three. Cranch, located
at Twelfth and G streets Sc. was
built in 1872; Tyler, at Eleventh and
G streets Sc, in 1890, and Wauach.
at Eighth and D streets Sc, IN
1864. Wallach is the Oldest public
school building now in use for class
room purposes. Crarlch Will oe
turned over to the Commissioners
while Tyler and Wallach will be
razed for playground space.
Morse Selected for Office Space.
Amidon and Greenleaf Elemen-
tary Schools-These two will be re-
placed by a new elementary school
in the vicinity of Sixth and F streets
S.W. which will accommodate all
elementary school children IN
Southwest Washington. Amidon, at
Sixth and F Streets S.W., was
built in 1882 while Greenleaf, at
fourth and M streets S.W, was built
in 1896. Both will be turned over
to the Commissioners.
Peabody Elementary School-This
school, located at Fifth and G
streets NE, will be turned over to
the Commissioners when new
school is built to replace it.
Stanton Elementary Schooling
present building at Naylor road and
Alabama avenue Sc. Is four-rooin
type built in 1903. The building
will be razed for playground space
when a 24-room replacement Is
constructed.
Morse Elementary School - The
building will be used by school Of
ficials for office space for field
officers in the colored schools when
the new Montgomery Elementary
School is constructed nearby. Morse
was built at r and Fifth streets
NV. in 1883.
Twining to Be Abandoned.
Twining Elementary School-This
school, located at Third and N
streets NV, also will be abandoned
when the Montgomery Elementary
School is constructed. Plans are to
raze the school to extend the site
for the Dunbar High School. Twin
ing was built in 1883.
Walker and Jones Elementary
Schools-These two will be turned
over to the Commissioners when a
new Walker Jones Elementary
School is completed. Walker, at
Third and K streets NV, was built
in 1882 and Jones, at First and l.
streets NV, in 1889.
Brney Elementary School-This
building, located at Nichols avenue
IA