Evening star., 1940-07-26
Ruling Backs
Free SCHOOLING.
For Refugees
City Heads Approve
Opinion by Acting
Corporation Counsel

OPlnion by Acting
Corporation Counsel
Refugee children from England
and other European countries who
are taken into District families for
the duration of the war are eligible
for free schooling in the District
public schools, the Commissioners
ruled today.
The city heads approved an opin-
ion by Acting Corporation Counsel
Vernon E. West that the children
are eligible under a previous ruling
of the Controller General last year
because they would be coming here
to live-not merely to take advan-
tage of the school system.
The question of free tuition was
raised at the opening meeting of
the Washington branch Of the United
States Committee for the Care of
European Children. 1t was then
taken to the school officials, who ap-
piled for ruling by the corporation
counsel.
The Commissioners ruling came
as the Washington committee ap-
pealed for residents here to indicate
their ability either to furnish homes
for the refugee children or to con-
tribute to their financial support.
1000 Visas Cleared.
AS members of the general COM
mittee met yesterday 1t was an
nounced that 1000 visas for So
called "unspecified" child refugees
were cleared through the Justice
Department and sent to London for
distribution. The action was the
first under the . ew joint ruling OF
the State and Justice Departments
and was instituted by the United
States Committee for the Care of
European Children.
Mrs. Milton King. chairman Of
the local Subcommittee on Child
Care, reported yesterday that pro-
visions for the temporary care Of
IS children in reception centers
and recognized institutions had
been arranged.
So far she reported the facilities
of only 36 homes have been Of
fered for the shelter and care of
child refugees allocated to Wash
ington. With mass migration of
children from the British Isles be-
lieved imminent in some quarters,
the committee expressed the desire
to have some knowledge of the
number of homes which would be
able to care for children sent to
the District.
Where to Call.
Indications Of Willingness to help
in this program should be made to
the Office of the Washington Coun-
Gil of Social Agencies, 1101 M street
NV. Mrs. w. A. Roberts, execu-
tive secretary, is secretary of the
Washington committee.
Mrs. John Jay O'Connor, chair
man of the Washington committee,
pointed out that at present the
committee has no knowledge of how
many children are to be sent to the
United States nor when and how
they will be sent, because Of the
inability to provide for their trans
portation. She emphasized, how
ever. that to provide for proper
planning the local group should be
able to determine the capacity of
Washington homes to provide for
care for the child refugees.
Mrs. O'Connor announced that
$50 of the visas cleared yesterday
were for visitors-the type which
may be issued from any country re-
gardless of quota restrictions-and
that the other $50 were permanent
visas All were limited to the use
of children under 1e
The permanent visas will apply
presumably only to Great Britain,
France and the Irish Free State,
she said, as immigration quotas
from other countries were full at
present.
Specified" Children.
1t was also noted that yesterdays
action marks the first time that
use has been made of the recent
ruling authorizing American con-
suls abroad to act on notarized
cables.
Mrs. Stuart Rice, chairman of
the Subcommitte on Information,
listed the categories under which
af1davits may be filed for specified
and unspecified" children. Afiida-
Wits may be filed for certain speci-
fled children to be cared for in the
home of the sponsor. in the home
of relative or friend which is
known to the sponsor or in a home
selected by designated agency
acting for the United States COM
mittee. In the case of "unspeci-
Ned" children, those who are to
be cared for in the home of a
sponsor and those in a home Sc
lected by a designated agency.
Members of the committee pres
ent included Capt. Rhoda Milliken,
vice chairman, and the following
new members; Mrs. Henry Grat-
tan Doyle, president of the Board
OF Education; Alan j. White. Mrs.
Bertha B. Jones and Mrs. George
Nordlenger.