Evening star., 1949-12-18
Due to Retire as Educator at II,
Dr.. Wilkinson Eyes Law Career
Has Guided Schooling
Of Thousands of
Young Negro Pupils
By Colt HendIey, Jr.


schools.
Now II years old, DR.. Wilkinson
comes up for retirement again a
the end of this school year. Bu
that's no sign he will give W
the job that has allowed him tt
guide the education of thousands
of youths.
The Board of Education las
year asked him not to retire, feel
ing there was too much for min
to do in this important period O.
expansion of the Negro schools il
ashington. He has been th'
ranking Negro educator in thu
District for the past % years, ha'
a total of At years service in TIT
schools and. is the oldest Distric
employe.
What's so different education
ally between the white aro col
ored high schools?
DR.. Wilkinson said he delib
erately went against the trens
and steered the colored hisl
schools away from the compre
hensive type of high school tt
the specialized school.
Pushed Specialized Schools
Although the white high school
started out as specialized institu
tioI1s-one academic. one business
one technical, etc.-aH now ar
considered comprehensive higi
schools offering all types of train
ing but not cor sNntrating on an,
one. This is not - in the coloret
high schools.
Under DR.. Wilkinson's guidance
Cardozo High School has becom
an institution specializing in busi
ness education. Armstrong offer
only highly specialized technica
training while Dunbar Higl
School is strictly academic TO
those students planning to go OF
to college. Armstrong and Car
dozo are the only two such school
for Negroes in any of the l8 dua
school systems that now exist il
the United States.
Negroes traditionally have furn
ished labor, DR.. wilkinson ex
planned. And in the profession
there have been opportunities TO
Negroes. But, the in-betweel
fields are just beginning to reall,
open.
He said he pushed the develop
ment of the two specialized
schools because two most i'm
portant employment fields wer'
not being covered adequately b,
the high schools-the busines!
and the technical fields.
He said he felt that Negroe!
must get into the business fiele
and must be properly trained tt
do so If progress of the race i!
TO- be made. And particularly II
the technical field are job oppor'
tunities opening up for Negroe:
every day, he said. He pointed
out that for every college gradu'
ate engineer, there must be from
two to Is technicians on job
Wanted to Be Lawyer
This technical field, which ono
had invisible signs up saying
Negroes Need Not Apply" i
opening all the time. he added.
However, I have reached tn
point where I'm parting with tn
specialized education idea," Dl
wilkinson stated. adding that will
construction Of the proposed
Spingarn High School, Washing
ton Negroes will get their frs
comprehensive high school. Con
struction is expected to begir
within the next few months.
Strangely enough. this man VIII
has been such an influence in tn
citys public school system neve
even wanted to be a teacher ant
when he finally retires he ma,
switch to the profession that ha
ben his secret desire.
DR.. Wilkinson has always wante'
to be q lawyer, even when he wa
q little boy. And what's more, h
probably will get into law when h
finally leaves the school system
II have no regrets about stayin
In the educational field" he ex
planned. But. I always have beel
Just a little disappointed I didn'
get to practice law"
No Quarrel With Critics
Washington almost lost the serv
ices of DR.. Wilkinson to law lon|
ago.
He had been teaching Latin ant
mathematics for seven years a
the old M Street High School, from
which evolved the present Dunba
High School, when he took his Law
degree from Howard University
That was in 1909.
Two years later he went to Ohi'
to see about taking the bar ex
animation of that State.
He found the next exam wa
In December so he returned T.
Washington and resumed teach
Ing In September, determined t
take that exam and give up teach
ing. One month before the exam
came up, he was made principe
of the Armstrong High School.
THAT cut of my transfer t
law" he said philosophically. 9TH
average man seldom gets his mai
ambition accomplished. I'm graft
fed was able to make a success
In education"
DR.. Wilkinson's part in the dua
school system in Washington ha
brought criticism on his head fron
time to time from Negro leader
most vocal in wanting segregation
abolished. The Board Of Education
Of course, always has maintaine
that the dual system Is somethin
It is powerless to change and tina
legislation will have to bring tina
about.
DR.. Wilkinson said he had n
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