Evening star., 1942-01-14
24.Hour Watch
To Be Reduced
To II Schools
VIGIL to Be Given Up
In 48; Women Will
Escape Lote Shifts

A 24-hour vigil will be maintained
hereafter in but II Washington pub
lie schools, under a revised plan for
maintaining communication lines
for emergency purposes, approved
today by Civilian Defense Co-ordi-
nator Young on recommendation OF
School Supt. Frank w. Ballou.
The 24-hour watch, instituted be-
fore Christmas, causing considerable
controversy, will be discontinued In
4s of the schools, freeing many
teachers from night-tim duty, but
DR.. Ballou stressed that a large
number of teachers still would be
needed
However, DR.. Ballou said it was
hoped the revised plan would mean
it would not be necessary to ask
school teachers to serve except in
the shift from 4:30 to $3.50 pm. He
added it might be necessary for some
to serve until 1890 am. The early
morning shift is to be maintained
by men from the school system and
the neighboring communities.
Col. Lemuel Bolles, civilian de-
fense director, said the new plan
would take most" Of the burden
of the teaching force and he noted
a report from DR.. Ballou on a sur
vey of volunteer services being given
by teachers He said this showed
the vast majority" of the teachers
were enrolled in some form Of de-
tense activities and commended
them for their patriotic public spirit
80 demonstrated.
Will Be in Effect Soon.
DR.. Ballou said the new system
would be placed in effect as soon as
possible after he had received formal
notice of the action from Co-ordina-
tor Young. 1t was indicated that if
the revision cannot be placed in
operation tonight it would be in the
next day or two.
The II schools where 24-hour
watch will be continued are within
eight school areas. They are:
Woodrow Wilson High School area
Wilson High.
Western High School area-West-
ern High and Francis Junior High.
Central High School area-Central
High. Banneker Junior, High. Shaw
Junior High, Jefferson Junior High
opd Randall Junior
Roosevelt High School area
Roosevelt High.
Coolidge High School area-Cool-
idge High.
Mckinley High School area-Mc-
Kinley High, Taft Junior High.
Eastern High School area-East-
ern High, Hine Junior High. Cham
berlain Vocational School and
Phelps Vocational School. /
Anacostia Junior -Senior High
School area.
Schools to Discontinue Watch.
The 24-hour watch is to be dis
continued in the following schools:
Murch, Janney. Lafayette, Eaton,
z. v. Brown, Webster. Thomson,
Adams. Morgan, H. D. Cooke, Har-
rison, Garrison, Abbot Vocational,
Cleveland, Monroe, Bruce. Bancroft,
Bell, Park View. Raymond, Den
nison Vocational, West, TrueSdell,
Barnard, Petworth, Brightwood,
Whittier, Takoma, Douglass-Sim-
mons, Margaret Murray Washington
Vocational, J. F. Cook, Emery,
Mott, Langdon. Giddings. Buchanan,
Bryan, Lovejoy, Wheatley, Young,
Smothers, Deanwood, Burrville, !
Kingsman, Ketcham. Birney, Gar
field and Congress Heights.
Col Bolles said that schools which !
will not be open "a hours day |
would be under observation by air |
raid wardens and police to the same /
extent as other buildings in the
areas.
The civilian defense director also i
declared the purpose of maintain |
ing communications between school !
buildings and the Franklin Admin /
istration building never was to
guard the school properties rather,
he said the purpose was to afford
authorities rapid communication
with the schols in any time of emer-
gency Dr. Ballou has explained !
that schools not only were being |
used for many civilian defense pur-
poses but that they might be needed
quickly in case of enemy attack as
emergency casualty stations.
In his report to Mr. Young, DR..
Ballou said, Many men teachers
have volunteered for auxiliary po-
lice. fire protection and local war
den services.
1.-The fact that teachers are al
ready engaged in some many de-
Tense activities and the fact that
relatively few teachers are available
for night telephone service in the
public schools has made it exceed
ingly difficult for the schools in
which no men teachers are found to
24-hour alert telephone |
service without overburdening
women teachers"