Evening star., 1949-05-19
Schools 10 Shift
To0nce-a-Year
Promotion Plan
Board Also Votes
To Rescind Bon on
Training Of Nurses
BY Colt HendIey, Jr.

Pupils in the Districts public
schools will be promoted only once
q year, beginning next September
Meeting yesterday. the Board oi
Education approved the change
from the present system of mid
year promotions. The new plan
was submitted by School Supt
Hobart M. Corning The only chill
dren to be affected in September
however. will be those entering
school for the first time.
In other actions, the school
board:
/. Rescinded its previous action
closing Wilson Teachers College
to student nurses from Sibley
Garfield and Emergency Hospitals
after Leo G. Schneider, adminis-
traitor at Garfield. told the board
the action would leave the hos
pitals with no place to train the
nurses and probably would cut
nurse recruiting by at least 100
girls.
Webster Transfer Held Up.
2. Again held up action on the
proposed transfer of the Webster
Americanization School to the
Adams Elementary School, after
another plea by parents of hand
icapped children attending Adams.
DR.. Corning told the School
Board the shift to the annual pro-
motion plan would bring the Dis
trict In line with public schools
throughout the Nation.
He said that last year, SO per
cent of the elementary schools in
the country were on the annual
promotion basis as compared with
70 per cent in 1888. The number
OF junior high schools on the an
nual promotion plan increased
from 66 per cent to 81 per cent in
the same period, he added.
January Is Age Deadline.
Under the plan used in Wash
1ngton now, If a child is 5 by No
vember l. he may enter the
kindergarten in September, or if
he is 6 by November /, he may
enter the first grade. If he is 5
by March Is. he may enter the
kindergarten in February. or if he
is 6 on or before that date, he may
be enrolled in the first grade.
Under the new plan, children
who have reached their fifth birth
day on or before January Is will
be admitted to kindergarten the
preceding September. Those who
reach their fifth birthday after
January Is will be admitted the
following September. Children who
are 8 on or before January Is will
be admitted to the first grade the
preceding September. .s
The change to annual promo
tions will be complete within three;
years in the elementary schools.
The children now In kindergarten.
first, second and third grades will
be advanced within the next three
years to the September groups or
will be retained with the group of
the proceeding September. Each
individual case will be studied to
determine what placement is most
desirable. Beginning with the
fourth year. the junior high schools
will receive children promoted from
the elementary schools only once
a year.
Laboratory Facilities Cited.
On the problem of the nurses,
the school board heard Mr.
Schneider plead that it is i'm
possible for the three hospitals to
duplicate the laboratory facilities
used by from rs to 100 student
nurses each year at Wilson
Teachers College.
At the last board meeting, 1t
vas voted that the nurses must
leave the teachers college after
June because the laboratory facil-
tiles there were too crowded. DR..
Corning originally had asked the
school board to continue the serv-
Ice for another year, until June,
1850. but board members overruled
him on a motion by DR.. James A.
Cannon.
Yesterday the board decided to
extend the use of the teachers
college for another year, but told
Mr.. SCHNEIDER that after June,
1850, some other arrangement
must be made. The board also
instructed DR.. Corning to work
put schedule with the hospitals
10 that the nurses might attend
the college at night.
Parents Oppose Transfer.
Donald B. McPhail and Otis
4. OFlaherty, parents of handi-
capped children at the Adams
Elementary School. made their
fourth appearance before the
school board. and again success
fully held up action on the pro-
posed transfer of Webster Amer
lcanization School to Adams.
DR.. Corning has proposed that
the special classes, containing So
children at Adams, be shifted to
Bancroft Elementary School while
Adams be shared by about $50
elementary children now there
and the 500 adults and children
attending Webster at present.
Webster would be used for Offices.
Mr.. McPhail accused DR.. Corn
ing of giving the board false
data on the capacity Of Adams
and of refusing to discuss any
pther solution because he "is
bnly interested" In getting office
space at Webster.
Fire Causes $500 Loss
Ii