Evening star., 1950-10-19
boardApproves
Segregation in
School Hours
Implication and Low
Cited in Ruling;
Minority Protests
By Colt HendIey, Jr.


The Board of Education has
ruled, in effect, that white and
colored persons may not appear
together at a city public school
during school hours.
The ruling came yesterday, on
a 5 to 3 vote, with the colored
members Of the Board of Educa-
ton voting against the report of a
special committee, which recon-
mended the policy. The school
board based its ruling on the fact
that schools in Washington are
segregated "by implication and
law"
The whole affair brought bitter
protests from the colored board
members.
Due to Play Incident.
It grew out of the incident last
month at Anacostia High School.
when Mrs. Opal Corkery, the
principal, refused to allow IL
white and two colored actors to
present scenes from the Sesqui-
centennial drama, Faith of Our
Fathers" School Supt. Hobart
M. Corning backed Mrs. Cookery
IN banning the mixed cast.
The school boards action yes
terday specifically indorsed DR..
Corning's support of Mrs. Corkery.
Just prior to this, the school
board approved an essay contest.
sponsored by the National Capital
Sesquicentennial Commission, in
which students and teachers would
write their opinions of Faith of
Our Fathers"
Minority Report Filed.
The special committee recon-
mending the policy was composed
OF Adelbert w. Lee, DR.. James A.
Cannon and Woolsey w. Hall, who
is colored. Mr.. Hall submitted a
minority report. criticizing ap-
proval Of the Anacostia principals
action.
Mr.. Hall deplored the "appease-
ment Of the Anacostia students
when the threat of juvenile vio-
lence reared it's gentle head" He
was referring to DR.. Corning's re-
port that students at the high
school had threatened trouble if
colored actors appeared.
Mr. EIon coil $Lo%
board was going to form it's policy
on the basis of a law requiring
segregation, it should seek legal
advice.
DR.. Phillip T. johnson, another
colored member, declared: "This
is the most undemocratic thing
that could come out of Washing
ton"
No Question of Mixing.
DR.. johnson said that, granting
that Congress provided for segre-
CATION of students, the question
Of the Anacostia incident was not
a question Of students of races
mixing. They were merely to be
the recipients of a performance.
he declared.
This is a very bitter question
to my people," DR.. johnson said.
Mrs. James w. Williams, the
third colored member, said the
situation was one where the
school children have intimidated
the school officials"
What kind of impression will
the people of the world get from
this?" she asked. mo longer can
we say what goes on here affects
only our little schools. 1t is of
international concern. Our enc
mics will be making much of this"
Subjected to Indignity."
Mrs. Williams said every colored
American had been Subjected to
indignity" by the affair and that
the 80 per cent of the people in
the world that are colored have
been insulted."
DR.. Cannon, in explaining the
recommendation of the special
committee, said Congress had de-
creed that the students in the city
schools must be segregated as to
race.
do you state that Congress has
decreed segregated schools here?"
Mr.. Hall asked.
DR.. Cannon answered that Con-
gress, by implication, has ap-
proved the separate school system
in Washington.