Evening star., 1951-06-21
Best Efforts Pledged BY Two
New School Board Members

Both of the two new Boa I'd OF
Education members. Mrs. Al 'cadia
Near Phillips and Wesley S.. VIII
Iliams, have children in the public
schools and are determinedI to de-
vote plenty of time to helping
solve the many problems of the
city schools.
The District Court judgesJ yester-
day reappointed C. Melvin ssharpe.
board president. to his fifth three
year term and named Mrs, Phillips
to succeed Mrs. Philip Sidney
Smith and Mr.. williams to sue
coed Woolsey w. Hall. II ley also
were appointed to three-year
terms, effective july J..
Mr.. Williams is a promi oent at
torney and, like Mr.. Hall. is COL
ored.
Another change in th school
scene also took place yes Serday as
the Board of Education officially
retired DR.. Garnet c. Wilkinson,
assistant superintendent; in charge
of colored schools. He 1las served
the school system for 40 years as
a teacher, high school principal
and administrator.
% Years on Bu ard.
=. Mrs. Smith, who had served on
the School Board for 1,3 years. is
the widow of a well-kn own geolo-
gist. Mr.. Hall was the freshman
member of the board, appointed
only last November ia, serve out
an unexpired term.
At the meeting vest erday. Mrs.
Smith presented a plHque to DR..
Wilkinson from the board mem
bers in recognition of his service.
She said that she and DR.. Wilkin-
son had been friends longer than
either of them cared 10 remember.
She added:
II remember he sa i'd to me one
time that he hoped T would stay
on the board as loI lg as he was
in the school SYSTEM. And I told
him I hoped I stay ed as long as
he did"
Minutes later it w as learned that
the judges had deci ded to replace
Mrs. Smith on the board.
School Supt. Hob art M. Corning
then read a lenga by account OF
DR.. Wilkinson's service to the
schools and the ci ty and pointed
out the mark he !nad left on the
school system. Dn, Wilkinson. who
had responded tea Mrs. Smiths
remarks, was unaa ple to say any
thing when DR.. C orning finished.
He rose to his feet. but in a few
moments sat down. his feelings
evident to every tDne.
Wife Of Builder.
Mrs. Phillips, the new member.
is the wife of Frank s. Phillips.
Washi ngton builder and
real estate man. They live at 5212
lane Nf.W.
Its going to lie a big job" Mrs.
Phillips said. I'm very happy toI
have the opport unity to serve the
District. 1t has been very good
to us. We've been happy here"
The three Pll Hips children are
20, a student at the Uni
versity of Richn aond; Leland, 13, a
student at Sidv ell Friends School,
and Frank, jr. 10. student at
the Mann Ellen aentary School.
A native of Atlanta, Mrs. Phil
lips has lived in the District since
1927. Her fai her was an adver-
tising man on the Atlanta Journal
for so years before he died. Her
mother still lives there.
Mrs. Philli ps said a sister in
Atlanta is librarian at an Atlanta
high school ,flnd a sister -in-law.
Mrs. Robert l,'hillips, is a kinder
garten teacher in the District. The
new board member has been ac-
tive in the nGann PTA for some
time.
Gradua te of Barnard.
She is a graduate of Atlanta
public schoo Is and Barnard Col
lege, which, she attended on q
four-year 81 scholarship. She also
did graduate work at Columbia
University.
Her bacl ,ground includes three