Evening star., 1950-01-24
Board Gives Up Plan
For Special Meeting
On McAuIiffe Issue
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

BY Colt HendIey, Jr.
Board of Education members
cannot get together in a special
session to take up the controver-
sial question of who will be named
principal of the new Sousa Junior
High School. The matter will
come up at the next regular
meeting on February /.
And, as the school board closed
any further action on the matter
until then, aroused citizens of the
Southeast section of Washington
met and demanded that their
"favorite son." John D. Koontz,
assistant principal of the Kramer
Junior High School, be given the
post.
A resolution to that effect was
adopted by group of about 100
citizens-all leaders in the COM
munity's citizens organizations but
meeting as Notwithstanding a
hot session last night at the
Ryland Methodist Church, Penn
sylvania and Branch avenues Sc.
About one-fourth Of those present
refused to support the resolution.
A decision not to press for
a special session of the Board of
Education was made yesterday by
Adelbert w. Lee. chairman of the
boards Personnel Committee.
Opposed Miss McAuliffe.
Mr.. Lee was the leader in the
fight that saw Miss Eleanor P.
McAuliffe. now assistant principal
at Paul Junior High School, re-
jected by the Board of Education
for the post, by a vote of 5 to 8,
after School Supt. Hobart M.
Corning had recommended her.
: In calling for the special session
earlier, Mr.. Lee had said he want
ed a chance to justify his stand
and to determine who released
confidential information to the
press-information presented by
DR.. Corning to closed meetings
of the personnel committee. The
information concerned the rela-
tive standings of the three top
candidates as established by the
Board of Examiners.
Yesterday, MIR. Lee declared
that two other board members
had offered to join him in calling
for special session. But because
it was impossible to find a date
suitable to all, he decided to wait
until February /.
At the citizens meeting last
night, w. j. Smith, president of
the Southeast Council, who pre-
sided as temporary chairman, said
the meeting was called to indorse
Mr.. Koontz "in response to many
requests for action" from mem
bers of the community.
Debated Two Hours.
The resolution, finally adopted,
after almost two hours of debate
said the whole controversy had
arisen because of unfortunate
publicity" given the case by the
newspapers. 1t criticized 'those
responsible for the organization
of the schools" CDR. Corning and
his staff for failing to bring In
candidates earlier.
1t declared the Sousa school is
supposed to open next month and
that the principal should have
been appointed long ago so that
the school might have been Or
ganized. 1t further declared the
Southeast section found itself in
a controversy mot of it's own
making" and one 1t would like te
see resolved quickly" so the
school could open.
The resolution declared, how.
ever, that the controversy hac
gained additional support for Mr.
Koontz and had made "unten.
able the position of the othel
two candidates.
Any other candidate appointed
would find himself or herself II
an uncomfortable position with
regard to the sentiment of tht
now aroused student and adul
residents of the community" 4
added.
But the resolution did not ge
solid support from all Southeas
lcitizens present.
Political Pressure Opposed.
Louis Nemzer, of the Beers Ele
tmentary School PTA, declared
lis not good democracy" for tn
people of one area to make !,
political campaign to get a per
son In job that should be de
Icided on the basis of proficiency
DR.. Addison M. Duval, chief o
staff at st. Elizabeths Hospita
and a member of the Anacosti,
Home and School Association
answered:
"We in Southeast believe il
democracy. We believe in help
ing our children get a good edu
cation. It's aggressive citizen
ship, and I'm for it,
Representative Wickersham
Democrat, of Oklahoma, South
east resident, said he felt it wa
proper to indorse Mr.. Koontz
David C. Williams. president O
the Randle Highlands Citizens AS
Isociation, told the group the ap
pointment should be left to Dr.
Corning.