Evening star., 1934-04-14
TEACHERS OFFER s.
PART TIME FREE
Willing to Take Half Pay to
Keep Nurseries
Going.

The volunteer service for half their
time by the teachers, and the loan
Of Army-type cots by the Associated
Charities camps today are provid-
ing the means by which some 200
young children are receiving nursery
benefits in the public school system
under the Governments relief pro-
gram.
The school authorities were notified
several days ago that the c. w. A.
grant Of $4,000 a month for the
maintenance of various emergency
educational projects here, including
the nursery centers, would be cut
virtually in half under the z. w. A.
set-up. At once the school authori-
ties were confronted with the neces-
sity Of cutting in half the daily pro-
gram in the nursery centers.
Half-pay Basis.
However, when the 80 teachers.
nurse-teachers and dietitians, who
were trained and employed under the
old c. w. A. to operate the centers,
realized how serious blow to the
whole project such a time reduction
would mean, and how much in actual
service to the pre-school age young
sters who attend them would be elm
mated, they volunteered to conduct
the full-time program on the half
pay basis. Their offer to work six
hours a day and be paid for three
was accepted by the school authori-
ties 'for the time being"
Late Thursday, DR.. Stephen z.
Kramer and Robert Haycock, as
sistant superintendent Of schools, were
advised by the Federal relief admin
istrator that funds for the nursery
centers as an E. w. A. project would
continue until May IS. On that date,
the school officers were advised con-
sideration will be given to the ques-
ton Of the Summer program, If any.
Hitch in Equipment.
Meanwhile, the nursery centers
never have received the cots and
other pieces of equipment and turni-
ture called for by the nursery center
program as set up by the United
States Office Of Education. Because
of legislative proviSo carried in the
oAoJ41CJ VI SOlQLllDld
act for the past several years. pro-
hibiting the giving of educational IA
cilities and programs in the public
schools to children under years
Of age. the District Commissioners, in
the role of C. w. A. administrators
for the District, hesitated before or
dering the manufacture of the equip
ment by C. w. A. carpenters and
cabinetmakers. The hands of the
school authorities were tied in the
matter because, although they had
an 8,000-a-month grant, they were
restricted to expenditures of only 5
per cent of this sum for materials
and supplies.
During the hearings on the 1885
appropriation bill, it has just been
disclosed, the Commissioners, still in
the capacity of relief administrators
for the District, sought advice of
Chairman Cannon's committee as to
their stand on the question Of the
pre-school kindergarten equipment.
Among those who upheld the Commits
sioners were Representative Blanton
of Texas.
OppOseu Dy DlantOn.
II want to say very emphatically,
Blanton declared, that l am against
either the District Of Columbia or my
State establishing nurse attendance
for babies. 1t is bad policy. When
ever you begin that, there is no end,
and you may proceed toward socialism
and other things that are worse.''*
1 think it would be a calamity to es-
tablish a nurse system for infants in
this District, the Nations Capital"
1t was developed in the same phase
of the hearings that a kindergarten
system was being conducted and that
Mr.. Blanton personally believed it to
be "the finest system" anywhere. The
hearings as released with the bill do
not include the committees reply to
the Commissioners on the question. but
it was understood today that they
thoroughly approved the District
heads refusal to spend funds Of pre-
school kindergartens.
Cots Are Borrowed.
In order to carry out semblance OF
the pre-school kindergarten program
or nursery centers, the school au-
thorities succeeded in borrowing from
Camp Goodwill and Camp Pleasant
a number of Army-type cots for use
in the centers. Mr.. Haycock said to-
day that he and his associates are
hoping that the Associated Charities,
operators of the two camps, will not
ask for the return of the cots until
May Is any how. when it is hoped
some definite decision on the nursery
center program will be reached.
So far as DR.. Frank w. Ballou,
school superintendent, is concerned,
the establishment of nursery centers
as permanent projects here Is not
desirable.
I'VE favor nursery centers as en-
ergency projects only" DR.. Ballou
said mot as a permanent part of our
system, because we believe so much
more important work could be ac-
complished with the same amount Of
money that the centers would re-
quire."
DR.. Ballou said that a survey of the
centers, including the interest shown
in them by parents, now is being made
so that a report can be made to the
United States Office of Education be-
fore the close of the present school
wear