Evening star., 1947-12-18
Blow and Webb
Parents Voteto
Continue Strike
StoIemute Develops
In Situation After
Series of Meetinos

SSs'SS VI NtSVtluSS
The parent boycott of Blow and
Webb Schools, the annexes to
Browne Junior High School, con-
tlnued today as stalemate
developed in the situation.
Last night about 100 parents met
at the Jones Memorial Church,
Forty-fourth street and Benning
road NE, and voted to continue to
Keep their children out of the Blow
and Webb schools. The strike has
been on since December 8, after
the two elementary buildings were
transferred from white to colored
pupils.
This action followed appearance
OF representatives of the. group
before the Board of Education
yesterday. After offering counter
proposals that either Eliot Junior
High School or Eastern High School
be turned over to colored pupils,
they were informed by Mrs. Henry
Grattan Doyle, board president,
that the matter would be studied by
a board committee but it was mot
reopened."
Sympathy Walkout Planned.
Today Edgar G. Brown, director
Of the National Negro Council, said
his organization would sponsor a
city-wide sympathy walkout Of all
colored students in the public
schools next Monday.
Mr.. Brown does not have chill
dren at the Browne school, but his
organization has been backing the
parents who started the boycott. In
addition to the school building ques-
ton, he has extended his efforts
to make it fight against segrega-
ton and discrimination in all fields
The parents, although basically
against segregation, have pointed
out that their squabble with the
Board of Education is based on the
school building problem only. They
feel the Blow and Webb schools are
inadequate and their transfer cre-
ated situation even worse than
the part-time classes at Browne
School,
Meeting Set Sunday.
The National Negro Council will
hold a meeting at pm. Sunday at
the metropolitan Baptist Church,
Twelfth and R streets NV, to or
ganize the strike.
At the board meeting yesterday,
Gardner Bishop and Mrs. Joy Davis
presented the new appeal from the
parents for reconsideration of the
Blow and Webb transfers.
Mrs. Davis suggested several alter
native measures:
Transfer the white Eliot Junior
High School to colored pupils and
send the boys and girls now attend
ing Eliot to Eastern High School.
Transfer Eastern High School to
the colored students and distribute
the present Eastern students among
other white high schools.
Cancel the transfer Of Blow and
Webb schools and return Browne to
the status which existed before the
transfer-part-time classes for all
300 students.
Unfairness Is Charged.
Mr. Bishop said the board was
guilty of fragrant unfairness' and
the colored children were victims
of "hand-me-down schools and sec
ond-rate education"
When they finished Mrs. Doyle
said the board would be glad to re-
view and study the situation, but
the matter was not being reopened.
Those boys and girls should .be
in school," she continued I'VE rec
ognize the solemn duty of the
board. But the parents have a SOL
emn duty to the children also.
am amazed to hear parents tell
children not to go to school"
School Supt. Hobart M. Corning
then presented the results of fur
ther study" on the situation by
school officials in which he said
that the suggestions offered by Mrs.
Davis and the other parents were
unfeasible.
In that general area are four
white junior high schools, Eliot,
Kramer, Stuart and Hine, he said.
Kramer now has some students on
double shift, Stuart is filled to
capacity and is using an auxiliary
building, Hine and Eliot are under
capacity but not enough to make
transfer Of the students to one pos
sible.
Eastern High Is Inadequate.
Eastern High School, although
under capacity, does not have enough
rooms vacant to hold the Eliot pupils
without eliminating practically all
of the features of a Junior high
school curriculum, DR.. Corning
stated.
School officials still believe the
transfer of Blow and Webb was the
best temporary solution of the
Browne problem, he said. He added
that at Randall Junior High School
the Bowen School was being used
successfully and without trouble.
Bowen was transferred at the same
timeas Blow and Webb.
DR.. Corning also reported that the
number of children reporting to
Browne each day had risen to about
SO per cent. On December 9 only 9
per cent showed up. The average
attendance normally is about 90
per cent.
Only a handful are reporting to
the Blow and Webb Schools, how
ever, he added
Gallery to Observe Holidays
The National Gallery of Art,
Constitution avenue and Sixth
street NV, will be closed to the
public Christmas and New Year Day.