Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-13
Citizens Voice Little Criticism
As School Budget is Aired

The Districts 1954-55 public
school budget will get its final
going over by the Board of Edu-
cation next week, after breezing
through a public hearing with
surprising ease.
Only about Is citizens showed
up at a special session yesterday
to hear comments on the $40
million budget. Only nine spoke.
Robert r.. Faulkner, finance
committee chairman, offered to
have school officials answer any
questions about the budget. But
only a few questions were asked,
and the session broke up after
less than 10 minutes.
Board members took the quiet
session as evidence that the
budget is satisfactory one to
the community.
Mr.. Faulkner said yesterday he
hopes to have the television prof.
act dropped from next years pro-
posed school budget when the
boards finance committee meets
some time next week.
A 100000 item for the TV
Station-Slashed by Congress
from the 1953-54 appropriations
lis included in the proposed
1886 budget. It is this which
Mr.. Faulkner, a consistent OPP
ponent of the project, wants to
have deleted.
Highlights of the testimony
follow:
william Karr, Lamond Heights
Citizens Observation-Disclosures
of the Lamond Heights-Riggs
Park area want a survey regard
ing the possibility of a new jun
ior high school. Land is disap-
pearing, being developed every
day"
Mrs. DOvey j. ROundtree, Gar
field-Douglass Heights Civic AS
sociation-It is our opinion an
elementary school being. built at
Elvans and Stanton roads Sc.
will not relieve crowded condi-
tons at the Garfield, Turner and
Turner Annex Schools. We
would like an addition for Gar
field.
Mrs. Willis King, Help for Re-
tarded Children-We wish in
stead of criticism to commend
you for new program included
in the budget to provide special
instruction for mentally retarded
children.
Mrs. Robert Fangmeier, Wash
ington Chapter, Americans for
Democratic Action-This budget
does not provide enough teach
erS for division 2 (colored to
bring the ratio of teachers to the
level already reached in division
l. We believe that long-range
planning on the basis of antici-
pated enrolment would benefit
the school system in construction
of buildings as well as in stating.
Failure to look ahead in provid-
ing buildings has resulted not
only in higher building costs but
more inaportant-haS led to a
series OF crises Iii rapidly growing
neighborhoo (which have cost
children many of the benefits of
good education and have serious
ly damaged the relations of the
schools with the citizens of the
District.
Mrs. Lloyd Buchanan, Janney
Elementary School PTA-Janney
needs new drinking fountains,
plumbing, playground resufac-
ing and fencing and an electric
bell and clock system.
Mrs. Esther T. Calls, Van Ness
Elementary School PTA-We are
hopeful that the proposed appro-
priation for building a new Van
Ness will be rated a priority high
enough to be kept in the 1954-5
budget. We we're seventh last
year and we were left out.
Robert d. GOOdlOe, Southeast
Civic Association-We are con-
cerned about the priority for Van
Ness. The proposed addition to
Eliot Junior High School has
come none too soon. The South
east Civic Association sees this
meeting as another step in a
better working relationship be-
tween the Board Of Education
and the citizens.
Mrs. Meyer SamoIs, Progressive
Party of the District-The Pro-
gressive Party hopes the Su-
preme Court will abolish segre-
cation in the schools.
Philip A. w. Harris, Garfield
Turner PTA and Garfield-Doug-
lass Heights Civic Association
We ask the board to consider the
needs of our area.