Evening star., 1951-04-08
Corning Attacks Plan
For Merger Of Junior,
Senior High Schools

Senior High Schools
| By Colt HendIey, Jr.
School Supt. Hobard M. Corn
ling yesterday declared it would
not be physically possible or prac-
ltical to shift the city's junior high
schools into senior high school
buildings.
In a report to Board of Edu-
cation members, DR.. Corning rec
commended no further considera-
ton at this time to a plan to COM
bine the junior and senior highs
In single buildings. He said the
combination could be justified
neither from an educational
standpoint nor from an econom-
ical one.
The question came up when C.
Melvin Sharpe, School Board pres
ident, suggested considering the
possibility of combining the jun
ior and senior highs.
Mr.. Sharpe said he was think
ing only of the possibility of util-
izing space in many Of the half
empty high schools and not of
eliminating the junior high school
program as such. He said a study
might reveal that some of the
Junior high buildings might be
converted to elementary schools
to alleviate crowded lower-grade
conditions.
Corning to Offer Plan.
DR.. Corning told board mem
lbers:
This conclusion does not, o1
course, mean that have no sug.
gestions to make to the boare
tconcerning different and mors
economical uses of schoolhouse
space and I expect to pre-.
Isent specific recommendations TO,
consideration of the board"
Previously. in another report
DR.. Corning had defended the
junior high schools place in the
educational system.
DR.. Corning plans to present to
the board shortly a complete study
OF the school situation in the Dis
trict with recommendations on
building use. This study will con-
Germ itself with all levels of the
school system, including the teach
ers colleges.
Enrollments Too Heavy.
In his report, DR.. Corning
pointed out that six of the 10
senior high schools have enroll.
ments and facilities that make it
impossible to consider consolida-
tion with a junior high school, he
Explained. These are Anacostia,
Coolidge. Woodrow Wilson, Arm
strong. Cardozo and Dunbar High
Schools.
Possible combinations, which
DR.. Corning said are not practical,
are Eliot Junior High School with
Eastern High School; Langley
Junior High and Mckinley High;
Gordon Junior High and Western
High, and Macfarland Junior
High and Roosevelt High.
DR.. Corning said the capacity
of Western High School is 1880.
The combined enrolment of
Western and Gordon would exceed
capacity by "a, he said. Also an
obstacle, he declared, is the fact
that combining the two schools
would call for nine additional
rooms.
Concerning an Eastern Eliot
merger. DR.. Corning said that
from a numerical standpoint, the
junior high school could be moved
II 3l6 elementary school pupils,
now housed in one wing of East
ern. were moved elsewhere.
Benefits Held Doubtful.
He said the transfers necessary
would be of doubtful benefit
economically" since a number of
classrooms at Eastern would have
to be converted and space found
elsewhere for the grade pupils.
The Eastern area is served by
Three junior high schools, Hine,
Eliot and Stuart. DR.. Corning
said all three were under capa-
city and that careful study will
be made to determine where ad-
Justments in these schools should
be made"
Numerically speaking, the pupils
OF Mckinley and Langley could
Mt into the Mckinley High build
ing but again Dr.. Corning said
classrooms would not be adequate.
Eleven rooms would be needed in
addition to present ones, a part
OF which could be obtained by
converting unused shops.
Langley is not needed as an
elementary school, he said, and
the combination would save no
new construction in that area as
no new schools are planned.
Eleven additional rooms also
would be needed at Roosevelt
High School if Mcfarland pupils
were moved into the building, he
continued. He also said a trend
appears to be starting in that area
which indicates higher enroll
ments.