Evening star., 1949-10-06
Bus Plan Could End
Part-Time Glasses for
All, Corning Reports
By Colt HondIey, jr.


By Colt HondIey, jr.
The use of buses to transport
pupils from crowded schools to
sections of the city where class
rooms are available would elimi-
nate part-time classes for more
than 1000 grade school children,
the Board of Education has
learned.
Meeting yesterday, the board
heard School Supt. Hobart M.
Corning make a preliminary re-
port, without recommendation.
But the superintendent conceded
the proposal has merit and that it
would give all children full day
Of lessons.
DR.. Corning was directed to
continue his study and bring in
. further report at the next board
meeting.
Votes for Athletic Unit.
The school board also:
Voted to establish permanent
committee on athletics, after Bit
ter debate. to explore the high
school athletic setup here.
Heard DR.. Corning say he would
bring in very soon" recon-
mendation for the elimination of
crowded conditions at Cardozo
High School. The board held
hearings before school opened to
consider suggestions. including
the transfer of Central High
School. A suit filed in District
Court Tuesday by four Cardozo
students spurred the board into
discussion of the matter and de-
cision to take immediate action.
On the bus proposal, DR.. Corn
ing said the idea has sufficient
merit to justify a thorough study.
He said adoption of such a bus
system as a temporary measure
would eliminate part-time in
struction now forced on 2.084
white and 1881 colored grade
school pupils.
Would Transport 900.
It would be necessary to trans
port about 900 children, compris-
ing "a classes, to other schools, II
the plan went into effect next
spring. DR.. Corning estimated it
would take 20 buses.
DR.. Corning said that, if the
bus transportation idea became
effective, the board should make
1t mandatory.
Analysing the disadvantages. he
said the health and safety factor
must be considered, since the chill
dren would have to travel, in some
cases, as much as IA miles day
and would be unable to go home
for a warm lunch. The trans
porting of children from the
neighborhood is not sound edu-
cational policy. he said, and will
present problems in adjustment.
Parochial System Described.
Adelbert w. Lee. who made the
original proposal to use the buses,
told board members that the
Catholic parochial schools were
using a bus system to transport
children from crowded Southeast |
Washington.
For three years the Catholic
schools have been providing trans
portation for children who live
In neighborhoods where no paro-
chial school is available. About
400 are being transported cur
rently, according to Msgr. John
s. Spence, director of education
for the Washington archdiocese.
He said the buses are chartered
and the parents pay 40 cents a
week and the schools 70 cents a
week for each pupil so trans
ported. 1t is a financial and
physical hardship, but it does pro-
vide the children with full-time
instruction, he added.
DR.. James A. Cannon led the
fight against formation OF an
athletics committee, charging 1t
would put undue emphasis on high
school athletics and encourage
gambling.
DR.. Phillip johnson asked that
the reference to gambling be
stricken from the record, since
It was an unwarranted criticism
of the students. but DR.. Cannon
repeated his charges and the mat
ter was dropped. When the vote
was taken, it was tied at to 4,
and c. Melvin Sharpe, board pres
ident, cast the deciding ballot in
favor of the committee.
Standards Approved.
In other actions, the board:
Approved an in-service training
program for school teachers to
qualify them for pay raises at
five-year intervals, as required by
the 1947 Salary Act.
Approved the standards for de-
termining successful teaching"
and increased professional attain
ments" required for the f1ve-year
periods covered in the salary act.
Refused to participate in any
way with an offer of two flight
scholarships made by Sanders
Aviation, Inc, for students at
Coolidge and Wilson High Schools.
Eliminated the present board
committee on the community use
of buildings and grounds and
assigned its functions to the COM
mittee on buildings and grounds.
Arnue& Colae Tox V:oI1