Evening star., 1942-09-12
t'Fourth of a Series.)

ny SOSAN b. AN1HONI Ill.
Whether children of Washington
women workers will have nursery
school care depends on the success
of the bill introduced by Chairman
Randolph of the House District
Committee last week.
Mr.. Randolph introduced a bill
September 2 which would restore
WPA nursery schools to the District,
abolished three years ago, and also
would open up the public schools
to children under 5 years. The
Randolph bill was drafted by the
corporation counsel at the special
request of Representative Randolph.
The interest of the chairman of
the District Committee in nursery
schools and his championship of
their establishment has been COM
mended by the three major child
care groups, the OCD Child Care
Committee, the Emergency Commit
tee for the Group Day Care Of
Young Children and the Women's
Auxiliary of the United Federal
Workers of America, CIO.
Mr.. Randolph is the second mem
Der of the House this year to give a
helping hand to children of working
mothers. The first was Representa-
tive Mary Norton, who was largely
responsible for the amendment CIV
ing WPA $4,000, 900 for an expansion
OF its national nursery program.
Two Parts of RiII
The Randolph bill has two parts.
First, 1t states that "the buildings,
grounds and equipment of the public
schools of the District of Columbia
may be used as and for day nurseries
and nursery schools for children
Of school or under school age"
This section of the bill would wipe
out the law first introduced in 1882
and reinserted each year in the
District Appropriation Act that bars
the use of public school funds for
children under S. 1t would open
schools to any nursery schools ap-
proved by the Commissioners, in
Guiding WPA and Lanham Act
schools.
The second pertinent part of the
bill states that the 1943 District ap-
preparation approved in June, 1912,
shall include nursery schools among
the other projects for which spon-
sors' contributions were made avail
able. Funds out of the District ap-
preparation shall be available for
1.-THE establishment, maintenance
and operation of day nurseries and
nursery schools for children of
school and under school age"
To Committee Next Week.
The Randolph bill, like other
pieces of District legislation, has a
long and torturous path to follow
before it actually becomes law. The
chairman plans to present it for
speedy action to the House District
Committee next week. 1t must then
be voted upon on the floor of the
House, go to the Senate District
Committee, come before the Senate
for vote, and then to the President.
Without opposition, the bill might
get through in two weeks and chill
dren could be attending nursery
schools by the middle of October.
Local WPA Offices anticipating its
early passage, already have sent a
nursery school project application
to the regional Office in Baltimore
for approval.
District nursery organizations have
offered every help to Mr.. Randolph
in insuring the bills success through
providing statistics on need for
nurseries and expert testimony. The
Board Of Education at it's meeting
on Wednesday also went on record
as willing to cooperate to get care
for the pre-school children of work.
ing mothers.
Mrs. Adelia Heiney of the Emer-
gency Committee for the Group
Day Care of Young Children has said
that If necessary the 20 organiza-
tions representing several thousand
District citizens in her committee
will mobilize to push the bill
through.
Two Funds to Tap.
Passage Of the Randolph bill not
only will enable the District to use
part Of WPA's 5000 900 war nursery
school fund, but will stimulate ac-
ton on using part Of the ST, 900 900
appropriated for community facili-