Evening star., 1951-12-10
Corning Insists
|PTA End Strike
Before Farley
Letter to Parents
Calls Poyne-Webb
Wulkout Unjustified
By Colt Hendley, Jr.

OcnOOl SupC. Hobart M. Corn
ing today announced that he will
not meet with the striking parents
of the Payne and Webb Elemen-
tary schools until the 800 pupils
are returned to classes.
Although DR.. Corning did not
say that legal action against strik-
ing parents would be taken, his
statement implied that this would
be the next step. His refusal to
confer with parents until the chill
dren returned indicated a sitter
attitude since he earlier had ex-
pressed willingness for a confer
ence without reservation.
The colored students have been
kept from school since last Thurs
day by their parents as a protest
over what the parents call mad
equate measures to relieve over
croWding at the two buildings.
PTA Meeting Tomorrow.
c. Melvin Sharpe, president Of
the Board of Education, said DR..
Corning's statement was issued
after consultation with him. Mr..
Sharpe said he was in complete
agreement with DR.. Corning's
stand.
The Payne Webb Parent
Teacher Association executive
committee met yesterday and de-
cided to seek a conference with
DR.. Corning tomorrow.
The PTA also decided to con-
tinue to strike through tomorrow,
at least. A meeting of the full
PTA is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
tomorrow at the Payne school to
determine the next step.
Violating Obligation.
DR.. Corning, in a letter being
mailed to the striking parents to-
day. declared:
I'm the performance of our
official duties We hereby advise
you that by continuing to keep
your children out of school, you
are violating your moral and
legal obligation as parents to
send your children to school
regularly"
DR.. Corning stated that his
office received several calls this
morning from parents of Payne
Webb children, complaining that
their children were sent to school
to-day but were turned away at
the building "by persons sta
ltioned at or near the entrance Of
the schools who carry placards
with false statements that the
school is closed"
Conference Requested.
"These practices of displaying
false statements about the school
and of influencing children to
return to their homes violate the
law, prevent parents from per-
forming their legal obligation, in
fringe upon their rights as citi-
zenS to send their children to
school and prevent the children
from obtaining the education to
which they are entitled" he de-
clared
DR.. Corning declared, 1--WE again
officially remind you of your legal
obligation to send your children
to school and your obligation as
parents not to inf1ict upon your
children the affect of disagree
mentS among adults"
DR.. Corning went on to say that
this morning for the first time
since the strike began an official
of the Payne-Webb PTA requested
a conference.
Calls Action Unjustiied.
He declared:
! "The president of the Board of
Education and the superintendent
OF schools will be glad to discuss
the situation with representatives
of the Payne-Webb PTA after
your obligation to send your chill
dren to school has been met. The
withdrawal of your children in
protest of a decision of the Board
of Education is unjustif1ed now or
at any time"
The strike began after the
Board of Education voted to
transfer the Madison Elementary
School, Tenth and G streets NE.
from white to colored to help re-
lieve overcrowded conditions at
the Payne School, Fifteenth and
c streets Sc, and the Webb
School, Fifteenth and Rosedale
streets NE. The three colored
members of the School Board
voted against the transfer.
The Payne-Webb parents de-
manded that the Bryan School.
three blocks from the Payne at
Thirteenth and B streets Sc, be
transferred to colored children
instead. They maintained the
Madison transfer would not solve
their problem.
EA~3,s~I nls