Evening star., 1947-11-06
Hearing Called
On Transfer Of
5 White Schools
Board Defers Action
On Plan to Restore.
Full Glasses for ; 30l
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

A public hearing on whether the
Board of Education should transfer
five white schools to colored pupils
to relieve overcrowded conditions,
and close down four other schools
for economical reasons, is sched-
uled for l pm. next Wednesday at
the Franklin Administration Build
ing.
The majority of the board men,
bers were ready to accept School
Supt. Hobart M. Corning's recon-
mendations for these moves yester-
day until group of citizens offered
unexpected disapproval The trans
fers would place 1901 of the 6,825
pupils now on part-time instruction
back of full time schedule.
Temporary Transfers.
DR.. Corning emphasized that the
transfers would be temporary and
would not affect the long range
building program of the School
Board.
But in view of the disagreement
of the citizens who had come to
the meeting at Franklin Admins
tration Building-and the firm op-
position to "hasty action" by Board
Member Adelbert w. Lee-actior
was withheld until after the boards
committee on buildings and grounds
could hold the special meeting
Wednesday at Franklin Admins
tration Building. A full board
meeting will follow that same day
to act.
The proposed changes are:
Fhe Blow Elementary School
Nineteenth street and Benning road
NE, and the Webb Elementary
School. Fifteenth and Rosedale
streets NE, to be transferred to
colored pupils to reduce part-time
instruction at the Browne Junior
High School.
An elementary school unit, to be
known as the Eastern Elementary
School, to be established at Eastern
High School for the 472 white pupils
attending these two schools. This
will allow 1928 of the 1886 pupils
at Browne to go on full-time in
struction. leaving 613 still on part
time classes.
Hayes School Transfer.
The Hayes Elementary School
Fifth and K streets NE, to be
transferred to colored pupils. This
move will reduce part-time classes
at Crummell, Payne and Cook Ele-
mentary Schools. all colored Most
of the 156 white pupils at Hayes
would be sent to Blair Elementary
School, two blocks away, and others
at Ludlow. Madison and Wheatley
Elementary Schools.
the Bowen Elementary School
Third and K streets S.W.. to be
turned over to colored pupils to re-
duce part-time classas at Randall
Junior High School. The 224 white
pupils would be sent to a new ele-
mentary unit at the Jefferson Junior
High and the Greenleaf, Amidon
and Fairbrother Elementary Schools.
The Lenox Occupational School,
Fifth street, near G street Sc, to
be turned over to colored pupils to
relieve part time instruction at Van
Ness and Bell Elementary Schools
and to eliminate the further use OF
Lincoln Elementary School. which
is for colored children. One OF the
three classes, totaling Ga pupils, at
Lenox would be sent to the Buchan-
an Elementary School, Thirteenth
and E streets Sc. and the other
two to either the Bryan Elementary
School or the Cranch Elementary
School.
Would Close Lincoln School.
The Lincoln Elementary School
Second and C streets Sc, to be
closed and turned over to the Com.
missioners. This school has an en-.
rollment of 81 colored pupils but has
a capacity of 432. 1t was frs
recommended for abandonment ir
1908 when it became obsolete.
The Hamilton Cabinet Shop 161,
Bladensburg road NE, to be closec
down and the Dent Elementary
School, Second street and South
Carolina avenue Sc, used for tht
repair shop for school furniture
The. "a white pupils now attending
Dent would be sent to Brent Ele.
mentary School, Third and D street.
Sc. three blocks away.
The Hilton Elementary School
Sixth street near B street NE, to b,
closed and the 1873 white pupils SEN
to the Peabody Elementary School
one block away.
The Corcoran Elementary School
Twenty-eighth street near M stree
NV, to be closed and used fol
storage space. The 1876 white pupil
would be reassigned to the Hyde ane
jackson Elementary Schools.
Corning Explains Plan.
DR.. Corning explained his recon-
mendations this way:
The immediate reduction in part
time instruction wherever possibl,
through the reassignment of schoo
facilities is imperative if the bes
interests of the children and tn,
community are to be served. Tht
recommended transfers art
to be made for the sole purpose o.
making fulltime instruction imme.
diately available to a large number
of the school children through &
wider use of existing school build
ings, pending construction of build
ings already assured ="
But, Alfred D. Calvert, presiden
of the Lincoln Park Citizens ASsoci.
alton, disagreed He told the board
Not that we want to deprive
Negro children of education, but
We are against anything which will
take schools away from us. The
word temporary means nothing
Colored Citizens Object.
A number of colored citizens also
spoke against the transfers. basine
their objections on the fact thai
the schools being shifted were ole
and on the general principle thai
they we're against any such trans.
fers. They were Elmer c. House
representing the Browne Parent
Teacher Association and the North
east Boundary Civic Association
and Mrs. Phoebe Nelson of thu
D,orv,or porL Ciyic AScociot tion