Evening star., 1948-04-22
School Coaches
Demand Raise;
Threaten toQuit
District Boord Asks
Corning for Report;
Extra Hours Cited
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

By Colt HendIey, Jr.
The Districts high school athletic
have served notice on the
Board of Education that they do
not intend to continue coaching
after September unless they get
additional pay.
This was reported to the School
Board yesterday by School Supt.
Hobart M. Corning. The board i'm.
mediately asked him to make a full
report on the situation.
The coaches contended they must
carry a full teaching schedule, as
physical education instructors and
then work long hours afterward.
coaching the teams. This forces
them to work longer hours than
other teachers, they said.
The board also asked the COM
mlssioners to include DIR. Corning
on the Loyalty Probe Planning Com
mittee, since the school employees
would come under the loyalty in
vestigation being considered by the
city heads.
Young Praises Suggestion.
Commissioner John Russell Young
said he thought 1t was an excel.
lent suggestion" today as soon as
he heard of the boards request. He
said he would propose to the other
two Commissioners that DR.. Corn.
ing be included on the committee.
In another action. the board
asked DR.. Corning to bring in a
further study on his proposal that
school cafeterias be organized un-
der central management, after
Mr.. Lee raised objections on the
grounds that school cafeterias may
be operating illegally in the District.
The complaint of the high school
coaches came from the Committee
Representing Teachers Coaching
1nterscholastic Sports, AL Divisions
Of the District Schools.
Duty Voluntary.
The statement from the commit-
tee pointed out that such coaching
duties are voluntary but that, If a
school principal asks a teacher TO
coach team, he is expected to coach
1t. II he does not accept the coach
ing job, he may be transferred or be
rated as inefficient or not CO.
operating, 1t was said.
The coaches statement said:
I'VE respectfully inform the board
that we cannot continue to perform
these voluntary extra assignments
out Of school time after September
l, 1948. unless we are properly COM
pensated for the extra work, such
compensation to commence with the
beginning Of the 1948 fall term Of
school.
I'VE shall, of course, continue to
perform our regular class assign
ments and conduct the intramural
programs as part Of our teaching
duties"
DR.. Corning told the board it u
not only the coaches who work after
school hours. Other teachers, in
cluding those who coach school
plays also put in extra time, he said.
The whole matter will be investi-
gated, he promised.
Complaint Not New.
This complaint of the athletic
coaches is not new to the public
schools here. They presented a plea
in 1947, when the teachers pay bill
was being considered, both before
the Board Of Education and on
Capitol Hill.
In another action, the board asked
the corporation counsers ONCE to
draw up charges against Mrs. Edith
p. Thomas. a teacher at the Carver
Elementary School, Of conduct unbe-
coming a teacher. Mrs. Thomas has
been under suspension since last
year, when her husband obtained
q divorce In District Court on the
grounds that she had committed
adultry.
The boards Appeals and Com
plants Committee turned down her
plea for reinstatement. Action by
the corporation counsel is necessary
II she Is to be dismissed.
The board retired the following
teachers:
Miss Elizabeth s. Dessez, 3815
Jenifer street NV, librarian at
Western High School, after Al
years Of service; Miss Gertrude G..
Brown, 4424 P street NV, art
teacher at Mckinley High School,
after 40 years; Mrs. Lenore M. Howe.
HOO F street NE, shorthand and
tipping teacher at Eastern High
School. after 81 years, and Mrs.
Ava MCGUIRE, 1903 North Highland
street. Arlington, teacher at the
HYDE School, after 80 wears.