Evening star., 1948-07-28
Shift Of Powell Pupils
10 Central Planned in
Bell School Solution

A new proposal to find quarters
for students of the Bell Vocational
School got a mixed reception from
the interested public at meeting
held yesterday by the Committee on
Buildings and Grounds of the Board
of Education.
As read to the meeting by School
Supt. DR.. Hobart M. Corning, the
plan would move students now at
tending Powell Junior High School
at Hyatt place and Lamont street
NV, into the Central High School
building. The vocational school
students would occupy the vacated
Powell facilities.
The Powell school would become
a part of Central, DR.. Corning said,
which would be operated under a
single administration as a six-year
high school.
The Bell School now is situated
in an old building at Seventh and
% streets NV, which has been de-
clared inadequate for the present
enrolment and offering no posi-
bility for contemplated expansion
A part of the building recently was
condemned.
Third Plan Proposed.
DIR. Corning pointed out to the
meeting that this is the third plan
to be proposed as solution to the
Bell School problem. A previous
recommendation that Powell stu
dents be scattered among various
junior high schools and the build
ing used for Bell students was re-
jected by the board on the protests
of PTA and citizens groups.
1t was then suggested that the
Bell students use unoccupied por-
tions of the Central High School
plant, but facilities there were
found to be inadequate, DR.. Corn
ing said.
c. Melvin Sharpe, acting chair
man of the committee on buildings
and grounds, emphasized that the
board feels its first duty is toward
the children of Powell, rather than
the vocational students. He said,
however, that the Powell students
would receive many benefits by be-
coming part of the larger school,
since certain courses have been
dropped at Powell in recent years
because of low enrollmentS.
Among those attending the meet
ing and taking issue with the Of
ficials on this point was Arthur E.
Kimberly, president of the Mount
Pleasant Citizens Association.
Mr.. Kimberly said residents in
his neighborhood are satisfied with
the curriculum offered students at
the Powell School and would op-
pose the transfer to Central. He
pointed out many students of the
Bell school attend classes at night,
and he said he is opposed to a large
night school in that locality.
Also supporting DR.. Corning's solu-
ton to the Bell problem was E. c.
Holt, 1901 Argonne place NV, who
said ne was the father of three
children of near-school age. He
maintained the Powell school still
is adequate for the needs of the
community and that the residents
still want it there.
Others Support Plan.
Speaking in favor of the proposal
were A. w. Lee, a member of the
school board and chairman of the
Training Committee of the Wash
ington Building Congress, and Gino
j. SINH, director of the District Ap-
premiership Council. Both men
pointed out the value to the COM
munity of a vocational school pro-
gram which offers adequate facil-
tiles to its students.
Others indorsing the plan were
John Mcconnell, 16, of 7l6 Irving
street NE, a printshop student at
the Bell School; Mrs. Ernest How
ard, president of the Columbia
Heights Citizens Association, and
Mrs. c. d. Lowe, former president
of the District Congress of Parent
Teacher Associations.