Evening star., 1955-11-11
School Board
viii Revisit
|Janney Site
Both Sides Renew
PIeus on Plan for
Librury Brunch

Board of Education members
have decided to pay another visit
to Janney Elementary School be-
fore deciding on giving away part
of the Janney playground for q
new library.
Board members yesterday
heard q new plea from District
Librarian Harry N. Peterson for
permission to use a piece Of the
school property for q new Ten
ley library branch.
Immediately afterward. Ar
thur Blacklow. spokesman for
Janney's PTA. vigorously opposed
the project. telling the board:
I'VE cannot believe you would
|condone land-grabbing from any
public school"
Yesterdays hearing was the
second held by the board,t
Buildings and Grounds Commit
tee on the Janney controversy.
StilI Wants site
Mr.. Peterson who appeared
before the committee D month
|ago in company with Dr. Albert
w. Atwood. chairman Of thu
library trustees. told the board
yesterday he still regards the
Janney site As the best ia the
neighborhood
In answer 10 questions. he said
any other site between Jarney,
|at Wisconsin avenue and Albe-
marie street NV. and four
blocks farther south on the ave.
nue. would be satisfactory. But
such q site probably would cost
around 100000, he said, while
the one at Janney would cost
nothing.
The librarian also contended
the project would not signifi-
|cantly reduce the size Of JAM
ney's playground.
Robert c. Riordon. president
of Friendship Citizens, Associa-
|tion. backed the library request.
Playground Held Gubstandard
Mr.. Blacklow, contesting Mr..
Peterson's arguments, told board
members Janney's playground Il
already 20 per cent silbstandard
and smaller than those being
at new schools.
He said reducing the piay-
ground would crowd children
closer to the school. causing noise
that would disturb classes.
He also disputed 3 cuntention
by Mr.. Peterson that boating the
library anyWnere Oh wisconsin
avenue would Be impractical. ne
said q site already suggested b
the PTA near Wilson high School
would be eoinparahie 20 fhs
present Mot1t Pleasant Branch
The PTA leader also asked why
Mr.. Peterson had sought o $50
900 appropriation which Com
gress granted last slrnmer--fog
% new library site il he expected
at the time to get the Janney
one free.
Parents are entitled to know
exactly what suitable sites are
available" he asserted.
Corning Sees vaiue
School Supt. Hobart M. Corn-
ing. who already had announced
his intention Of supporting the
library project. told the board
that. in his opinion, It would be
lot such educational and cultural
advantage as TO outweigh the
Inconvenience and slight loss"
Dr. Corning said he opposes
|leveling the tree-covered west
end Of the Janney grounds to
provide more play space.
Board Member Robert r.
Faulkner asked Mr.. Peterson II
that end wouldn't be 9 good
site for the library instead of
the east end wanted BY the Ii
|brarian. Mr.. Peterson said no.
Mrs. Manson B. Petit asked
whether the board wouldn't be
setting q dangerous precedent II
|it gave away play. space, but DR.,
Corning said he did not think so,
E Dr.. Corning told the commit
tee he wants to close the Grant
and Ambush Elementary Schools
lon January 81 for economy rea-
sons. The two closings would
enable transferring fiye teachers
elsewhere, he said.
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