Evening star., 1931-12-03
ACTION ON SCHOOL
CR|PPLES DELAYED
Board to Study Problem After
Physicians Express Diff
ferences of Opinion.

Differences of opinion held by DR.. j,
A. Talbot of Children's Hospital and DR..
Joseph A. Murphy, assistant District OF
Columbia health officer, over the ulti-
mate handling of the schools for Grip
pied children resulted yesterday in post
ponement by the Board of Education OF
definite action on the whole report OF
the special committee son handicapped
children.
The board did, however, approve one
Of nine recommendations made by the
committee. This was to urge that the
childrens sanatorium "be completed at
the earliest possible date" There was
no conflict on this Recommendation and
1t was speedily approved.
DR.. Talbot and DR.. Murphy, each OF
whom addressed the board at its regular
meeting yesterday, discussed the special
committees recommendation that the
crippled children's school accommoda-
tions In the Weightman and the Ma
gruder Schools be replaced ''as soon as
possible by adequate modern facilities IN
appropriate locations" 1t had been an
nounced by DR.. j. Hayden johnson,
School Board member, who is chairman
of the committee, that there was a
difference Of opinion with respect to the
establishment of the two schools.
Need Medical Attention.
DR.. Talbot, who first spoke, declared
that in his opinion the pupils in the
schools for crippled children are 10 to
90 per cent in need of medical attention
and only 80 to 10 per cent in need OF
education" He suggested that the pro-
posed schools for white and colored chill
dren be located on the ChildrenS Hos
pital and the Freedmen's Hospital
grounds, where the attending physicians
can attend them as they should be
treated.
DR.. Murphy, however, insisted that
the crippled children should be regarded
as pupils and not patients. He said
there was no difference of opinion with
respect TO the proximity" of the pro-
posed schols, and said he would have no
objection to the location of the schools
near the hospitals. He added that the
children now in the Weightman and the
Magruder Schools were receiving good
attention.
Board to Study Problem.
DR.. Talbot retaliated with the asser-
ton that they are not getting all they
should get" in the present schools
When the discussion became involved in
technical medical terms, however, and
when the board members sought to es-
tablish the precise differences of opinion
between the two medical experts, it was
proposed to postpone action on the re-
port until the members of the board
had studied 1t further. 1t then was
agreed to continue action until the next
meeting.
At yesterdays meeting the board set
Monday night, December IA, as the date
Tor It's annual conference with the rep
resentatives of civic organizations.
In a brief discussion of the campaign
for three days pay for the relief of un-
employed, Rev. F. I. A. Bennett voiced
again his contention that the school sys-
tenn officers should not be charged with
the responsibility Of collecting contribu-
tions from their subordinates. This sys-
tenn, he contended. is apt to result in
coercion. Henry Gilligan, another mem
Der, discussed the question with DR.
Frank w. Ballou, superintendent, and
upon being assured by that officer that
the collection was made entirely volun-
tary he said that he hoped every teacher
in the system would contribute, but that
every care must be taken to keep the
campaign on the voluntary basis.
Assistant Principal Named.
William C. Myers, who has been In
the Washington school system since
1905, was appointed assistant principal
of Mckinley High School at yesterdays
meeting. He succeeds H. w. Davis, who
died recently MIR. Myers was teacher
OF mathematics. In 1927 he was pro-
NOTED to higher salary grade "for
superior work" He was graduated from
the Grove City College with the degree
of bachelor of philosophy in 1895. He
subsequently took the bachelor OF arts
degree at Findlay College, and again at
Grove City College, and the master of
arts degree from American University
here.
The board yesterday received two
communications opposing the erection
OF school for oolored children in the
vicinity Of Allison street and Rock
Greek Church road. These were from
the vestry of the Rock Creek Parish,
which contended that no school should
be placed in that location, and from
Bert B. Pigman, an individual, who also
objects to Mr.. Gilligan's recent proposal
to incorporate religion In the character
education program.