Evening star., 1949-01-27
Corning Urges
School Fund 10
End dFireHazard
Superintendent Says
Subcommittee Is
Very Understanding

The urgent need for funds to
eliminate known fire hazards in the
District public school system was
brought today to the attention .of
the District Subcommittee of the
House Appropriations Committee.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corning
was the principal witness, az
the subcommittee, headed by Rep
resentative Bates, Democrat, Of
Kentucky, continued hearings on
the District budget. The hearings
began yesterday.
At the ending of the morning ses-
sion, Dr. Corning said the school
officials were receiving "a very un-
derstanding hearing"
Commissioner John Russell Young
said:
Every thing has been going
smoothly so far Some of the tech
nical details in the school budget
slowed us up bit, but think we're
coming along fine"
Board Also Attends Hearing.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, presi-
dent of the Board of Education, and
other members of the board Joined
DR.. Corning at the hearing.
The school officials were to be
heard. further this afternoon. II
time permitted, Mr.. Bates was to
move on to consideration of the
Public Library requirements.
The proposed s103, 3,451 900 budget
being studied by the group includes
1923 $50 for schools. OF this,
So, ,480,250 would be allotted to con-
struction, all on long g-planned
projects. A start on a five-year,
$780, 900 program of fire-hazard
elimination through an initial ap-
probation of SIS, 900 is recommended.
Corning's Aides Attend.
DR.. Corning was accompanied
| by his chief assistants and a
group of specialists in making
his presentation to the subcommit-
tee. With respect to fire safeguards,
they were believed to have pointed
out that the budget recommendation
on this item sent to Congress by
President Truman does not include
provision for changes required by
the new egress regulations, which
went into effect January l.
The recommended school budget
is $1,770,233 less than that appro-
priated by Congress last year.
| lCphnn1 NFaialc oclnl fNS e00 TAG
$50, and this figure was pared by
$422, 100.
The Districts financial problems
were to get attention elsewhere on
the House side of the Capitol today.
Representative Smith, Democrat, Of
Virginia, chairman of the Fiscal
Subcommittee of the House District
Committee, called an executive ses-
sion of his group for 2 pm.
Many Witnesses Heard.
In its session yesterday afternoon,
witnesses before Mr. Bates subcom-
lmittee heard included Assessor Ed
ward A. Dent, Auditor Arthur r.
Pilkerton, Collector of Taxes Guy
w. Pearson, Purchasing Officer Ro-
land M. Brennan, Lawrence Koe-
nigsberger, only member of the
Board of Tax Appeals; Chairman
Alan w. Payne of the Alcoholic Bev-
erage Control Board, Director
Thomas J. Kennedy of the Depart
ment of Weights, Measures and
Markets; License Supt. Chatham T.
Nottingham, Parole Executive Hugh
F. Rivers, Recorder of Deeds Mar
shall L. Shepard and Supt. Albert F.
Jordan of the Insurance Depart
ment.
Earlier in the day, the subcom-
mittee had received the comments
of the Commissioners, Budget OFF,
Ger Walter L. Fowler and Corpora.
ton Counsel Vernon E. West.
The sessions of the subcommittee
on the budget are closed except for
the final one, when representatives
of civic groups and other local or
ganizations will be heard.