Evening star., 1951-01-11
Failure 10 Purchase
Future School Sites
Called Short-Sighted

VutlVu SHViIJIyIIlCu
Failure to purchase sites for fu-
ture schools we'll in advance of
the actual need was branded
"short-sighted and wasteful" to-
day by the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission
The planning commission rec
commended purchase of such sites
before the need for the school is
imminent in the section of it's
comprehensive plan released to-
day. 1t also warned of the growth
of the District, which will demand
many more new schools over the
next decade.
The recommendation that sites
be purchased in advance has been
urged by School Supt. Hobart M.
Corning and the Board of Educa-
tion for number of years, but to
no avail. The School Board long
has recognized this policy as nee
essary.
One of First Items to Go.
But, inevitably when the School
Boards budget is cut either by
the Commissioners or Congress,
one of the first items to 60 is
money asked for long-range site
planning.
Only last week DR.. Corning
commented that the schools
would be better served. and the
taxpayers money would be con-
served, if sites were acquired
while still unimproved and in an.
ticipation of the need for new
school buildings"
The planning commission de-
clared the present policy of wait
ing until the residential devel-
opment of an area is substantial
and the school needs imminent
is bad. 1t said:
This has usually resulted in an
excessive site. an inadequate site
or poorly located site and some
times all three disadvantages. The
effect has been a deterrent to the
development of an efficient and
economical school system result
ing in constant lag in provision
of needed school facilities. This
is short-sighted and wasteful
public policy"
Studies Indicate Growth.
The commission said studies in
dicate the growth of the school
population may continue for an
other 10 years at least. It added |
Because of their commanding
Importance in relation to other
community facilities, school i'm
provement should receive high
priority"
The planning commission said
1t was basing most of its analysis !
of school needs on the Strayer re-
port made in 1948 This study
was conducted by DR.. George
D. Strayer of Columbia Uni /
versity for a congressional COM
mittee at the cost of 100000. /
The longrange building plan of
the Board of Education was
parallel, in most important
respects. with the Strayer report
Calls for Is New Buildings.
In connection with the elemen-
tary schools, DR.. Strayer recon-
mended construction of Is new
buildings and abandonment of 19
obsolete ones for total gain in
actual classrooms of 253 in the
grade schools. This was to take
care of immediate needs and
needs in the near future.
The Planning Commission. look
ing even further than DR.. Strayer.
said the city would need another
"a buildings with an additional
523 rooms above what DR.. Strayer
recommended by 1860 These
buildings also would allow the
class size in grade schools to be
cut to 80 from the present stand
ard of So pupils, the commission
report added.
On the high school level, the
commission said the present white
high schools appear to be sufi-
cient to handle expected in
creases. An additional colored
high possibly may be needed east
of the Anacostia River, it added.
AS for Junior high schools. the
commission said DR.. Strayer rec
commended additions to six exist
ing junior highs and construction
OF three new buildings. but it felt
that, by 1860, even more class
rooroc will he needed