Evening star., 1947-05-22

May Split Schedules
Due 10 Building Lag
Unless a school building program
of large proportion Is undertaken
Immediately, possibly 13 more
schools in the District will have to
90 on q part time basis within the
next several years, School Supt
Hobart M. Corning told the Board
OF Education yesterday.
At present, % schools are on the
part-time schedule, affecting 6,743
pupils.
The statement was contained In
an answer made by DR.. Corning to
petition presented to the board In
April in behalf of the students at
Browne Junior High School. The
petition, presented by Leon A. Ran
som of Howard University, pointed
out the part-time schedule deprives
those pupils Of equal education and
asked immediate remedial action.
Population Shift Cited.
OF the 6,743 pupils receiving part
time education, 6,325 are colored
children, DR.. Corning's report stated
This, he explained, is the result OF
the unpredictable growth and shift
in population, which has left Sec
tions of the city very short OF
schools. In the last 10 years, the
colored enrolment has increased 18e
per cent, while the white enrolment
has decreased 1879 per cent, he said
Other causes listed were that, dur
ing the war, no new construction
could be started and that the in
crease in the cost construction now
prevents contracts from being let
within the limits set by Congress.
DR.. Corning stressed that the
colored children were getting a fail
share of the money spent on edu-
cation. He said that 55.73 per cent
of the 1947 budget was spent on the
white children who comprise 65.s
per cent of the school population
while 44.27 per cent of the budget
went for the colored children who
comprise 34.1 per cent Of the school
population.
Budget Cut Is Cited.
DR.. Corning said that, If all the
construction asked in the l94e
budget had been allowed ($8, 1869 ,000)
about 5000 children could have been
taken off part-time classes. But
this was chopped to $2,123 900 before
| it reached Congress and how much
more 1t will be cut is not known
DIR. Corning said.
AS for the situation at the Browne
School, DR.. Corning said 1t was
probable the proposed Miller Junior
High School would be ready by
February, 1949. to relieve the crowd
ing in that school.
The erection of temporary build
ings is unfeasible, DR.. Corning said
The board, he declared, is trying to
provide equal educational opportun-
ity for the colored children under
existing conditions.
COIored Members to Study Report.
Mrs. Velma Williams and George
E. C. Hayes, both colored members
of the board, asked that the report
be received" but that approval OF
the explanation of why SO many
colored children are not receiving
equal education" be delayed until
they had chance to make further
study.
The board approved the appoint
ment of Mrs. Edna Payton as princi-
pal of the Francis Junior High
School, effective today. Mrs. Pay
ton, who has been in the school
system for 26 years, has been serving
as assistant principal at the Browne
School. She is a graduate of Miner
Teachers College and Howard Uni
versity.
The opening day of the fall school
term was set for Monday, September
%, and the closing date in 1948 was
set for June %, by board order.
Obsolete Heating Reported.
Obsolete heating and sanitary IA
cilities in a large number OF tht
Districts schools were revealed by
DR.. Corning in a report made to the
board in answer to request from
the Northeast Council of Citizens
Associations and the Trinidad Citi-
zens' Association.
New heating plants will be In
stalled in the Blow School, Nine
teenth and Benning road NE, ane
the Webb School, Fifteenth ane
Rosedale streets NE, if special ap.
preparation for that work is not de-
leted from the budget, DR.. Corning
assured the groups. He said that a
the beginning of the current tisca
year there were rs schools at which
toilet facilities were obsolete" HI
said it is hoped this condition car