Evening star., 1951-03-08
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

Some members of the Board of
Education are muttering these
days that they should be allowed
to hold secret sessions and not be
required to do all of their argu-
ing in front of everybody.
At the regular meeting of the
board yesterday, Albert E. Stein
EN-, attorney member of the board,
attempted to get the body to go
on record in favor of closed ses-
sions when the School Board met
as committee of the whole"
He gained support from an
other member, Mrs. Philip Sidney
Smith, but when the showdown
came, members voted not to take
such stand.
The meeting also was marked
by School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing presenting a lengthy report
defending the philosophy of junior
high schools. He plans to present
two more reports on the subject,
which came to head after c..
Melvin Sharpe, board president,
suggested that the junior high
school organizations be put into
the senior high buildings as a
Space-saving move.
Urged by Steinem.
The bid for secret board ses-
sions was made by Mr.. Steinem
when the board began considering
what attitude it should adopt to-
ward pending congressional bills
calling for home rule and an
elected delegate for the District.
DR.. Corning recommended the
board take no stand on whether
the School Board should be elect
ed or whether closed sessions
should be allowed. The board had
been asked for an opinion by the
District corporation counsels
office.
Mr.. Steinem jumped right in:
"a lot would be accomplished if
the Board of Education could meet
in executive session as commit
tee OF the whole. It would not
affect the public at all. The stand
taken would be approved by the
full board in an open meeting
later.
''It would give the board an op-
portunity to discuss matters
among themselves without too
much of personalities in question.
would like to have the oppor-
tunity to hold Board of Education
meetings in executive session."
Sharpe Cites Law.
Mr.. Sharpe pointed out that the
law required all meetings Of the
board to be open except meetings
OF the Personnel Committee when
it was considering the appoint
ment of promotion of teachers.
He added:
I'VE will run the great risk of
having the appearance of going
into secret sessions"
MIR. Steinem insisted that "some
good could come if we did have
the opportunity on certain occa-
SlonS OF meeting in executive
session."
MIR: Sharpe declared:
1T must be understood that
leaving in the presidents Board
OF Education presidenD preroga-
tive to call a committee of the
whole on any pretext might be
the most dangerous thing we
could do"
Mr.. Steinem said that court
sessions are open out the jury
meets by themselves when they
deliberate and the decision is an
nounced in public. He added:
I'VE could avoid a lot of criti-
cism If we had the opportunity
OF meeting in executive session."
Mrs. Smith chimed in with: "It
would be worth taking the chance
to get that privilege. Once and
awhile it would be a very val
OdUlc pTtIOSdGlVe.
Mr.. Sharpe pointed out such
q change in board procedure
would require a change in both
legislation and board rules. Mr..
Steinem pointed out that the
board was being asked to make
recommendations on just such
legislation.
Lee Sounds Warning Note.
Adelbert w. Lee declared:
It'd like to sound a note of
warning. We are going to get
into difficulties if we try to con-
duct our meetings behind closed
doors. There has been much dis
cussion over the years on that
question. No hasty action should
be taken.
"A lot Of dynamite is in it.
The public is entitled to know
what's happening in the schools.
We should be very, very careful
in proceeding in that direction.
"The public is very jealous of
knowing what we do"
DR.. James A. Cannon comment
cd, Il agree with Mr.. Lee"
The board then voted to take
&aN c& -