 The need for a school was urgent, as the nearest school for black children was located in the Benning neighborhood, nearly distant.Just over a year later, the District of Columbia Public Schools board of trustees approved plans to spend $4,500 ($ in dollars) to purchase land at 1900 Gallaudet Street NE and build a two-room schoolhouse.At that time, Congress had complete control over the city's budget, and it cut the estimated cost of the school to $4,000 ($ in dollars) in June 1895.