Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-08
Byrd Tours a Schools,
Sees Need for Funds
Better Facilities
Are Essential.
Senator Says
BY TOM DIMOND
Star staff Writer

OClldVOI ESOUcTJ ", byrQ IN
spected four WASHINGTON
schools yesterday, acting at
times as though he were cam
paigning and the students were
his constituents.
It is questionable whose eyes
were opened more-Senator
Byrd's by what he considered
inadequate facilities, or stu
dents at Shaw Junior High
School who watched a United
States Senator fiddiing some
foot-tapping square dance
music.
Senator Byrd. Democrat Of
West Virginia, who is chairman
Of the Senate District Appro-
priations Subcommittee, ended
the four-hour tour convinced
that the school system needs
more money.
For teachers, principals and
Deputy School Supt. John
Riecks, who accompanied him,
he had an endless supply of
questions about oyercrowding,
dropouts. textbooks or the num-
Der Of drinking fountains avail
able.
Sees Clear Need
Senator Byrd began his tour
at the Pierce Elem entary
School at Fourteenth and G
streets NE. From there he
stopped at the Kimball Ele-
mentary School. Minnesota
avenue and Ely place Sc,
Shaw Junior High at Seventh
street and Rhode Island avenue
NV. and the Amidon School,
Fourth and Eye streets S.W.
Afterwards he said the Dis
trict school construction pro-
gram has not been adequate
and that there is a very clear
need for additional and better
facilities" The modern Amidon
School sis a goal to which we
should strive" he stated.
More money is needed be-
cause Of the growing school
population and the shift in
population that has created
and compounded these needs"
Senator Byrd asserted. IF
more money is authorized I'm
confident my committee will
look at the budget requests for
the schools with a great deal of
interest"
OvercrOwding Emphasized
The most common complaint
the Senator heard was Of over
crowding. At the ball
School. where 400 students at
tend part time classes, Mr..
Riecks told him the capacity
was surpassed by 500 pupils. An
addition for the school, re-
quested in the budget now be-
fore Congress, will accommo-
date $50 students, Mr.. Riecks
reported.
Asked by the Senator how
much money would be needed
to get the school construction
program ION, the road" Mr..
Riecks replied that it would
take approximately $3.50 million
at the rate Of $40 million a
year for six years.
At Shaw, the city's second
Oldest school, the visitors look
ed at a gymnasium with a roof
that leaked, an assembly hall
too small for the student body.
and several classrooms and
shops.
Tries Out Fiddle
When he visited a music
room where the school band
was rehearsing, Senator Byrd
picked up a violin and three
quarter length bow and played
Going Up Cripple Creek" and
odd Joe Clark" stopping to
call the tune in square-dance
fashion.
Later he explained that such
fiddling wins West Virginia
constituents who decide "he's
one Of u.s."
At the Amidon School he was
particularly impressed by the
library, where he stopped TO
chat with a second grader. Judy
Bigelow.
After she told him her
favorite book was the ency-
clopedia. he agreed that there
were "a lot Of pictures in there
and a lot Of things to read
about"
1t was obvious that IL second
graders could vote and WASH
ington were in West Virginia,
Senator Byrd would 60 to bed
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