Evening star., 1950-11-16
TO Probe
ReportGan1b|ers
Invade Schools
Lee Says Betting
Rampant, Also Cites
Drinking at Games
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

The Board OF Education Will
investigate reports that profess
sional gamblers are moving in on
the city's high schools, with bet
ting rampant on numbers, horse
races and football games.
Meeting yesterday, the school
board heard Adelbert w. Lee,
board member, charge that gam
blers are invading the schools.
Mr.. Lee also said drinking has
become prevalent at the high
school football games, but he said
possibly the students themselves
are not guilty.
He asked School Supt. Hobart
M. Corning to make an inveStiga-
ton of the reports he said have
been reaching him in increasing
numbers. The school board di-
rected DR.. Corning to look into
the matter.
School officials Immediately said
the reports probably are exag-
gerated.
NO OamDIlng EVlQencc.
Norman j. Nelson, assistant su-
perintendent in charge of white
high schools, said he knows of no
evidence of gambling in the
schools or at the football games.
He said the games are policed.
but some drinking does go on
despite this. although he does not
think it is among the students.
Mr.. Nelson said he has noticed
more empty liquor bottles under
the stands after football games
recently.
Mr.. Lee said that at a recent
football game at Eastern High
School it was reported a man
came with suitcase full of
liquor, soda and paper cups. He
was dispensing drinks" to all
around him, Mr.. Lee stated.
He was not student, but he
was prepared to do business"
Mr.. Lee said.
The board member pointed out
that drinking Oh. school property
is forbidden under Board of Edu-
cation rules. Stricter policing
would help to break up drinking
at the games, he added.
No Specific Instances.
AS for the gambling, Mr.. Lee
said he has received reports that
professional gamblers are going
into the schools, or operating just
outside the schools. He said, how
ever, he could cite no specific in
stances.
1t was some four years ago that
Mr.. Lee made similar charges
about drinking at the high school
football games. Much was writ
ten and said about the charges
at that time, but nothing con-
elusive came of it. Stricter polio
ing Of games did result, however,
but Mr.. Lee said the policing had
grown more relaxed in recent
months.
In another action, the school
board decided to limit the number
OF essay contests officially ap-
proved by the board for student
participation each year.
Or. James A. Cannon, board
member, called for the limitation,
saying so many essay contests are
being sponsored by various organ
izations now that they are inter-
ferring with school work. The
school board asked DR.. Corning
to make study of the essay
problem and to recommend some
limitations.
Reports on Repairs.
The school board received from
DR.. Corning report showing the
amount of repair work done in
the schools since July l. He said
Ill jobs had been done by school
personnel, 1865 by the District
Repair Shop and TAO others are
in progress by the repair shop.
The money spent or obligated for
these repairs amounts to 1922, 1874.
A big item, as always, in the
schools repair work is the problem
of replacing windows broken by
stones from outside the building.
Since July /, total of 10000
panes have been replaced at a
cost of $4,000.
In other actions, the school
board:
Named Mrs. Dorothy H. Sayles,
teacher at Logan Elementary
School, to be principal of the
Thomas Elementary School.
Retired Mrs. Margaret Miltner,
1913 Ingraham street NV,
teacher at the Ludlow Elementary
School, after 35 years of service.
Urged the Commissioners to
support a bill that would set up
trespassing ordinances to prevent
persons from lettering or invading
school property for illegal pur-
poses.