Evening star., 1946-05-02
Education Board
|0pposesBi| for
Day-CareUnits
Sees Permanent
Center as Social
Welfare Projects

Inc Board OF Education has told
the District Commissioners that
while it might eventually hold
nursery classes a few hours a day
for children under S, it is opposed to
making day-care centers permanent
because they are social welfare
projects" not educational.
The board at it's meeting yesterday
laid down this policy in answer to a
query from the city heads for its
opinion on the bill proposed by
representative Healy, Democrat, of
California. to make the emergency
day-care centers permanent. Super
lntendent of Schools Hobart M.
Corning said the fees for day care,
authorized in the proposed bill, are
"repugnant to the American theory
OF free public education"
A number of States already have
set up instruction for very young
children, but the day-care centers
now being operated by the mothers
in school buildings here are strictly
CUSTODIAN in nature and do not
attempt to teach anything, DR..
Corning said. Education, not COM
munity welfare" is the function Of
the public schools, he said.
Other Needs First,
1t IS conceivable" the schools
might like to teach very young chill
dren at some future date. but first
crying needs" for space to relieve
1000 youngsters on part time in
structlon should be met, DR.. Corning
said.
The mothers have been authorized
to operate the day-care centers only
through June 80. Mr.. Healy's bill
would make them an integral part
OF the school system starting JULY /.
DR.. Corning told the board that
II Health Department doctors have
reported that the average Washing
ton school child is well fed but that
pupils at five public schools and one
parochial school are suffering from
marked malnutrition." The survey
was made after Secretary of Com
merce Wallace said one-third of
washington school children he had
seen on the streets are not as well
nourished as pigs and heifers,
only three of the 27 inspectors
believed that third of the young
sters in their areas are under
nourished, DR.. Corning said. Most
or them reported that less than S
per cent of their students are ill fed
The public schools reported to be
suffering from marked" malnutri-
ton, DR.. Corning said, are the
Seaton, Second and I streets NV:
Davis, Forty-fourth place and H
street Sc; Blair, Sixth and streets
NE; Jones, First and l. streets
NV; and Walker, Third and K
streets NV.
Twenty-Five per cent of the STU
dents at the st. Aloysius Parochial
School. North Capitol and K streets,
show signs of malnutrition, the
doctors told DR.. Corning.
Protesting Coaches Criticized.
School cafeterias offer we'll ball
anced meals but the children do not
always select good ones, DR.. Corning
explained.
Board members termed as sin
and "reprehensible"
letter written to them by some
colored high school coaches last
week. saying they refused to use
the Dunbar High School pool and
stadium until repairs are made. DR.,
Garnet c. Wilkerson, assistant
superintendent, said the repairs
already had been started when the
Interscholastic Coaches Association,
headed by Charles L. Pinderhughes,
wrote the letter without notifying
their principals of their intention.
The board also decided to ask the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
to Withhold issuance of a Glass D"
liquor license to the Super Del
Dellcatessen, 2451 Good Hope road
Sc, until members have a chance
to investigate protests of school
officers that children from the STAN
ton School, $50 feet away, buy
lunch and candy there.