Evening star., 1940-07-01
Education Board
Votes Plans for
Handicapped
Proposals Seeking
To Expand School
Service Approved

Service Approved
Recommendations for a long
range program to provide more
adequate school facilities for Wash
ington's handicapped children re-
ceived the approval of the Board
Of Education today.
The recommendation we're en-
bodied in 34-page report recently
prepared and adopted by the
boards Advisory Committee on
Handicapped Children after almost
two years study of the problem
of educating blind and partially
seeing children, crippled and cardiac
children, deaf and partially deaf
cases, mentally handicapped chill
dren and psychiatric, social hygiene
and tubercular cases.
The board, at it's final meeting
of the summer, also reelected Mrs.
Henry Grattan Doyle to her sixth
consecutive term as president, and
Robert A. Maurer to his fourth as
vice president. Mrs. Doyle was first
elected president in July, 1885.
Among the recommendation ap-
proved was one that two central
schools, one for white children and
one for colored, be provided in the
District to take care of both ply
sically and educationally handi-
capped children, cardiac children,
those with defective vision land
such other children as shall be
recommended by the Health De-
partment for admission to these
schools"
Other Projects Sought.
The Advisory Committees report,
as approved by the board, recon-
mended that the Board of Educa-
tion and the Health Department
take appropriate steps to obtain leg
islative provision authorizing con-
struction of these school and for
the following other projects:
l. Establishment of special classes
for Braille instruction.
2. Establishment of special classes
for partially-hearing children.
3. Establishment of special classes
for cardiac children.
4, Instruction in lip reading.
S. Special instruction for shut-in
handicapped children.
6. Psychiatric service in the pub
lie schools. under supervision of the
Health Department.
I. Establishment in the schools of
IN eye clinic by an ophthalmologist
and under the Health Departments
supervision.
8. Establishment in the schools of
ahearing conservation clinic headed
BY an biologist and under the Health
Departments supervision.
Opportunity Extension Seen.
The Advisory Committee said the
new features provided in this pro-
gram will serve to extend educa-
tional opportunity at public expense
to a number of children not now
reached by the public schools in this
city, and will serve also ito render
more adequate and effective the Of
ferings now extended by the local
schools to many handicapped chill
dren."
The program will require funds
for additional personnel purchase of
special equipment, sites for construc-
tion purposes and for building the
two central schools, for transporta-
tion of pupils to and from these
schools and for maintenance pur-
poses, the committee pointed out.
The committee, which was headed
by Mrs. Doyle, included other board
members, several school officials.
Health Department specialists and
representatives of numerous organ
izations.
Before adjourning until September
IL, the board approved orders max
Ing permanent the promotion of L..
j. Cantrell as assistant superintend-
ent OF schools in charge of junior
high schools, the promotion of Mrs.
Q. M. Walker as principal of the
Banneker Junior High School. and
the transfer of Mrs. A. M. Shugrue
from administrative principal of the
Kngsman-Pierce School to admin
istrative principal of the Kings
man School.
Study Courses Approved.
The board approved two courses
Of study prepared by the heads of
the history department for division
to 9 and divisions 10 to 13, one in
economics and one in national and
world problems. Supt. Frank w.
Ballou said the courses would be
elective.
The board also approved request
OF the superintendent for a leave
OF absence during the summer
months and designated. acting SUI
perintendents for the period.
Mrs. Doyle pointed out that it was
20 years ago today that DR.. Ballou
was named superintendent of
schools. In a brief tribute to DR..
Ballou's service, she said his ad-
ministration has been characterized
Wy uluCllScIlCc anu IldS Utell hcpt
In the best interest of the school
children of Washington.
DR.. Ballou, recalling his first re-
port to the board, when he said,
Hats off to the past. coats off to
the future" replied that whatever
success he has had as superintend-
ent has been due "to the cooper
ative method of procedure in deal
Ing with all school problems.
Funds Resolution Tabled.
AS the meeting neared its end
Col West Hamilton offered a reso-
luton asking that the board reafflrm
Its opinion that, in the matter of
appropriations for buildings and
grounds, the long established prin-
ciple of fair and equitable division
funds" between the white and COL
ored division should continue and
that "the board hereby instructs its
Committee on Finance and the
superintendent to use every effort
to urge such division of funds IN