Evening star., 1951-12-01
Insurance Sale
ToD.C. Schools
Defended byLee
Bourd Vice President
DiscIoses Activities on
Hearing Of Star Survey
By Colt Hendley, Jr.

tiCOiitlS VI Stut SuTNSy
By Colt HendIey, Jr.
Adelbert w. Lee, vice president
OF the Board of Education and
chairman of its Personnel Com
mittee, has revealed that he has
been soliciting and selling insur-
ance to the city schools.
Mr.. Lee, a real estate and in
surance man by profession, made
the disclosure last night and de-
Tended his activities as The Star
was completing an investigation
Of the sales.
Inquiries revealed that he has
sold policies to at least II junior
and senior high schools here
totaling in face value something
around $4,000. The policies were
sold directly to the school prin-
cipals to cover such things as
theft of money from school safes,
bank messenger protection and
liability of cafeteria workers.
Il don't feel there is anything
wrong with it," he said. II have
as much right as any one else to
sell insurance to the principals"
Inquiry Assailed.
Mr. Lee said he felt the inquiry
into his insurance business with
the schools was "a contemplate
singing of mud and a new low"
He said it was an attempt to dis
credit him at a time when his
Personnel Committee was trying
to make an honest and fair eval-
uation of the services of School
Supt. Hobart M. Corning so the
School Board could decide whether
to reappoint him as superintend-
ent. DR.. Corning's present three
year term expires on March /.
1T does not speak well for the
Corning machine" he added.
Opinions of some school officials
took a different attitude.
A number of principals, solicited
by MI Lee to buy insurance, said
they felt it was unethical since
Mr.. Lee was san the School Board.
I'm upset by the ethics of the sit
uation," one commented.
Others said they felt there was
nothing wrong with Mr.. Lee SELL
ing insurance to the schools. No
one said there had been any sort
of pressure or coercion from Mr..
Lee. That is point Mr.. Lee made
in his statement.
There has never been any at.
tempt to intimidate these people
or to coerce them into buying in
surance," he declared.
Principal Receives Letter.
One Junior high school princi-
pal, who would not be quoted, said
that recently she received letter
from Mr.. Lee inviting her to pur-
chase messenger and liability in
surance from him.
The letter stated that several
schools recently found it advisable
to purchase messenger hold-up
insurance to protect them against
loss by reason of holdup both
within and without school prem
ises." The insurance would give
protection to the extent of $1,000
at cost of "only $40 a year" and
several schools have ordered it,
the letter said.
The other policy suggested by
the letter was called a products
liability policy and would cost $26
year. This would include pro-
lection against claims. resulting
from food poisoning or glass and
foreign material in food.
Mr.. Lees letter commented that
the wife of a principal he knew
had trouble with glass. A post
script added that he would like
to sell her automobile insurance
for her car also.
Sold to 13 Schools.
Mr.. Lee, in his statement, said
that he had sold insurance to
principals of 13 District secondary
schools Some of the policies
were contracted for before he was
appointed to the School Board
and have been renewed since, he
added.
II don't see anything wrong
with the fact that the individual
principals have seen fit to have
the insurance with me-" Mr.. Lee
declared, adding:
There's nothing in the law
that says that when a man be-
comes an unpaid member of the
School Board he should stop a
legitimate business. There is no
instance any one can point to of
undue pressure or influence"
Mr.. Lee said he was doing
nothing Illegal and said that
members Of the Board of Educa-
ton had known of his insurance
activities for a number of years.
He related that several weeks
ago he submitted bids on insur-
ance for seven driver training cars
owned by the school system.
Il didn't get the contract be-
cause my bid wasn't low enough -
he said. "If I had been abusing
my official position and intimidat-
ing people to give me business
I would have had that contract u
Mentions Loss of Fees.
Mr.. Lee also declared that he
had lost thousands of dollars ir
fees and made a terrific financia,
sacrifice" because he stopped tes-
tifying in District Government
property condemnation suits after
becoming a member of the Schoo
Board.
Mr.. Lee said he had sold in.
surance to the following /;
schools: Anacostia and Roosevelt
High Schools, Bell, Burdick anc