Evening star., 1947-11-13
Shift Of Schools
Restudied After
Protest Heariinq
Committee to Make
Recommendations to
Full Bourd Soon
BY Colt HendIey, Jr.

to colored pupils was still before
the Board of Education today, fol-
lowing a hectic hearing at which
as organizations appeared, most of
them to protest the move.
The meeting lasted most of yes
terday afternoon. Many of the
nearly 300 persons who showed up
were unable to get into the board
room in Franklin Administration
Building. Others were forced to
stand during the hearing.
After hearing all representatives
the boards Buildings and Grounds
Committee, headed by Mrs. Philip
Sidney Smith, voted to consider the
matter further and bring in rec
ommendation to the full board as
soon as possible. This may be at
the next regular meeting of the
board, which will be held Wednes-
day.
The transfer of the five white
schools was proposed by School
Supt. Hobart NJ Corning. so that
1901 of the 6,825 boys and girls on
part-time classes could be placed
on fulI-time instruction. All of
those affected are colored pupils.
Explained as Temporary.
DR.. Corning opened the meeting
by explaining in detail his pro-
posal. He emphasized the move
would be temporary and would not
affect the building program which,
within the next three years, would
eliminate most of the overcrowding
in the schools.
To be turned over to colored pupils
would be the Blow, Webb, Hayes,
Bowen and Lenox Elementary
Schools. Blow and Webb would
relieve part-time instruction at
Browne Junior High School, while
the Bowen School would relieve part
time classes at Randle Junior High
School. No one appeared to object
to the transfer of the Hayes School
which would relieve the part-time
classes at the Crummel, Payne and
Cook Elementary Schools, or the
Lenox Elementary School, which
would do the same for the Van Ness
and Bell Elementary Schools.
Leonard House, representing the
Citizens Emergency School Com
mittee, led the opposition to the
move, saying his group is opposed
to the transfers in principle and
because disadvantages outweighed
the advantages of the transfers. He
and Elmer House spoke for Is col
ored civic organizations from the
Northeast area.
Prefers Part-time System.
Board Member George E. c. Hayes
asked Mr.. House:
You prefer that 5000 children
stay on part-time education rather
than give them temporary relief?"
Yes, precisely Mr.. House
answered.
After hearing a number OF others
express these basic ideas-that the
transfer would be merely perpetual
ton of the segregation system-Dr.
Corning said:
"I admit / am confused"
He explained he had been to
many meetings where part-time in
struction was condemned. He said
he had made several hundred
speeches centering on part-time in
struction and the need of new build
ings to eliminate it. He said that
he thought it was the general
thought of the community that
part-time instruction must go.
DO the disadvantages outweigh
the advantages?" DR.. Corning asked
"I refer to the statement that has
been made dozens of times, tnat
the education of children can't oe
postponed. If we adopt the sug-
gested philosophy, We are saying We
are willing to postpone half of tht
education of 5000 children. Is il
serious or not?"
Debate Rages On.
The debate ragged back and forth
as organization after organization
got up to oppose the move.
A letter from the Randle PTA
signed by Mrs. Edith V. M. King
president, was read which said the
PTA was grateful" for the Bower
School to relieve the part-time
classes at Randle But Benjamin
johnson, representing the Southeast
Civic Association. jumped up to say
no one knew about the letter, that
the PTA was to hold its meeting
tonight. and that no vote had beer
taken on the matter. He was backed
by several other parents from that
school.
Harry Wender. representing the
Southwest Citizens Association
backed the transfer of the Bowen
School as being in the "best in
terests of the community"
Leon S. Calhoun, representing
the Southwest Civic Association
said his group was in favor of th'
transfer of BoWen-but only as
temporary measure.
CIO Opposes Transfer.
William Allyn Hill executive sec
retary of the District Chapter of tn,
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People. pre-
sented that groups objections to th'
proposed transfer, saying they Woult
be made within the framework o
a dual school system and woult
follow a familiar pattern which
characterizes segregation.
The washington Industrial Uniol
Council (CIO) opposed the trans
fers, saying the only solution woul
be the ABOLITION of segregation. Th
Committee for Racial Democracy Il
the Nations Capital. represented b
Paul Cooke. said that offering emp
ty schoolrooms, was not offering am
pie education. He referred to tn
general criticism that the elemen
tary schools intended for relief c
the colored Junior high schools d
not have the facilities to carry o
a Junior high program.
The PTA from Blow and Web
Schools agreed to back the propose
since they said there seems to b
little else to do to relieve the situa
ton.
Included in DR.. Corning's propc
sails is a plan to close four othe
schools for economy reasons. 1hes
schools are the Corcoran, Den