Evening star., 1951-12-06
Parents Strike at Payne, Webb
Keeps 800 Pupils From Glasses

semester, is at Tenth and G
streets NE.
Part Time Classes.
Payne School, with capacity
of 288, has an enrolment of 500
with ara Of that number attend
ing par.-time class. In addition,
the children of grades 4. and 6
who should be attending Payne
are at Webb. Webb School, with
a capacity OF 288. has an enroll
ment of 800.
DR.. Corning, in recommending
the shift of Madison to colored
Students, said that it would work
out this way:
Payne School would be relieved
directly by the transfer of a num-
ber of pupils to the Maury School,
seven and one-half blocks away.
Included in that number would
be children living in the Payne
School area who are now attend
ing the Webb School, practically
l mile from Payne.
Transferred to Maury.
To make room at the Maury
School, number of pupils would
be transferred from Maury to the
Lovejoy School, two and one-half
blocks away. From the Lovejoy
School, number of pupils would
be transferred to the Madison
School.
DR.. Corning said this shifting of
pupils would be necessary even
after the Payne School addition is
completed because of the rising
colored school enrolment in the
Payne area.
The planned addition, to cost
about $500,000. should be adver-
tised for bids after the first of the
year and should be completed by
1853. Steel was allotted for the
/ job only last week.
The Board of Education yes
terday approved the transfer of
Madison-with the three colored
members of the board objecting-
and also spent some time discuss
ing how to reduce the class load
in the colored schools. It was
decided to ask for 66 additional
colored teachers from Congress as
soon as the legislative body re-
conyenes.
DIR. johnson Led Fight.
DR.. Phillip T. Johnson, colored
board member. led the unsuccess-
full fight to block transfer of the
Madison School. He favored the
transfer of Bryan School.
There is too much displace-
ment of children, too much travel
for the little children. and there
is no assurance that the planned
addition to Payne will be accom-
plished," DR.. johnson declared.
Mrs. James w. Williams, an
other colored member, said the
transfer of Madison docs not
meet the needs at ALL" She said
the transfer of Bryan. located only
three blocks from Payne, would
have been much better.
Wesley S. Williams, the third
colored member, cited the fact
that School Supt. Hobart M
Corning originally said the Madi-
son transfer had some disad-
vantages," because it is so far from
Payne.
Discussion of this matter was
preceded by lengthy debate on
the need for additional teachers
in the colored schools.
No More Salary Transfers.
DR.. Corning reported that it is
impossible to transfer any more.
allotted salaries from the white
schools to the colored schools until
additional vacancies occur. He
noted that some 80 additional
salaries for colored teachers had
been obtained from anticipated
savings. but he added:
Il recommend that the finance
committee and the superintendent
be authorized to proceed formally
to request the supplementary ap-
preparation in the amount neces-
sary to provide rs additional
salaries.
These Is additional salaries.
DR.. Corning explained. would meet