Evening star., 1937-09-16
AID
IN D. c. SCHOOLS
|GETS BOARD 0. K.
Experimental Training for
500 Retarded Pupils Voted
at Meeting.
OLDER BOYS AND GIRLS
GIVEN FIRST RANKING
Report Urges Funds for Equip
ment Be Included in Next
Years Budget.

Experimental occupational training
for more than 500 retarded children in
the District school system as soon as
possible was voted by the Board of
Education yesterday.
The action Endorsed report from a
committee appointed by DR.. Frank w.
Ballou, superintendent Of schools. early
last Summer to study occupationaI
education opportunities here after he
had made tour of several cities study
ing the same subject.
In recommending experimental
classes where funds, teachers and
equipment are available, the report
urged that first provision be made for
the older boys and girls, as they will
be the first to leave school, and also
that funds for equipment and instruc-
ton be requested in next years budget.
DR.. Ballou assured the members that
operation Of such experimental classes
is desirable in working out program.
Number in Each School Listed.
The report accompanying committee
suggestions listed the number of re-
tarded children in elementary schools
OF each division on the basis OF age
and low intelligence quota. Division
III, colored unit, with 90 boys and 81
girls, had the most backward children
and Division 3, white division, with
23 boys and 6 girls, the fewest. The
total for all 13 units was 554.
The superintendent said these classes
would aid those not receptive to general
academic work in doing profitable
manual work.
How does this differ from the sys-
tern of manual training we have re-
Gently abolished" asked Mrs. Mary A.
McNeill, board member.
This will involve much more inten-
sive pre-vocational work than we have
ever before attempted Ballou replied.
The committee will continue its work
during the coming year, giving its At
tention to types of work and curricula
appropriate for boys and girls in the
different levels.
Land swap Approved.
The board also approved q land
swap" Of some property owned BY
the schools at Bladensburg and Mount
Olivet roads.
In recommending the exchange, DR..
Ballou explained that the schools
owned about seven acres of land there.
purchased in 1928 in connection with
the school building program. The De-
partment Of Agriculture is now willing
to buy the land and the money would
permit the schools, in conjunction
with the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, to invest in q
larger nine-acre tract south of Mount
Ollyet road, near Trinidad street, on
property now owned by William GUIDE.
The schools and planning group
plan development of two schools and
recreation center at the new site.
The board, however, approved the
exchange only on the condition the
school building program was not de-
layed thereby. Ballou declared the
new site was more desirable because
1t had less slope, was nearer the COM
munity to be served and because chill
dren would not have to cross the main
arteries OF traffic to get there as they
would on the old site.
Liquor Licenses Protested.
Members were again harassed with
liquor license protests In two cases
involving applications for premises
185l-511a Seventh street and 2401
Benning road northeast, the protests
OF school administrators were upheld.
In third case involving premises 341
Fifteenth street southeast action was
postponed pending an investigation of
the problem by Charles D. Drayton.
lawyer member of the board.
Following protest against board OBJ
lection by attorney for the dealer and
the reading of the officers report by
Ballou, Drayton said he felt objections
In the report we're hardly valid" in a
case such as this involving property
rights. He said he would like to make
personal inspection Of the premises as
a sort OF test case" to be a guide to
future cases.
B. T. Montgomery, representing a
southeast civic group. urged refusal of
the license. Police records show the
young colored children shoot craps"
IN the school yard, pool" winnings.
buy liquor and drink it in school base
ments. he charged
Other Stores Near Premises.
j. H. Wilson, another lawyer member
of the board, said he had made per-
'onal investigation, that there were
already two stores near the premises
n question with liquor licenses and
ne saw no valid objection to the license
n question.
The members also received reports
IN the value of the National Youth
administration and a Works Project
'lerical project to the District schools.
The reports pointed out the first was
likely to be continued, but the clerical
'rojeot seemed unlikely to run again.
Mrs. Benjamin NJ McKelway was
invited to become a member at large
4 the Community Center Council fol-
owing recommendation by Mrs. Eliza
eth X. Peoples, director of the Com
nunity Center.