Evening star., 1952-07-21
Negroes 10 Ask
For Transfer Of
Stanton Annex
Parents Oppose Use
Of Old Birney School
Strike Threut Voiced
By james 6. Deone

| py james y. Deone
A demand for immediate trans.
fer of a white Southeast elemen.
tary school annex to Negroes will
be served on the Board of Educa'
tion tomorrow.
The eight-room annex is at thu
lStanton School, Alabama avenue
and Naylor road Sc. Nearby
Negro residents want it to helr
meet overcrowding at their owr
Garfield and Turner Schools.
They also oppose use Of the ole
Birney School. Nichols avenue
near Talbert street Sc. Birney
already a Negro school, has just
been ordered switched to Garfield
Turner pupils.
May Be Segregation battle-ground
Threats of a possible school
strike and court action were voiced
at a meeting last night at which
Citizens voted these demands
Several speakers made it plain
they hope to make Stanton a
battle-ground in the drive to end
segregation.
A strike was not threatened for
mally. But the session voted to
give the School Board a petition
containing more than 600 names.
1t also demanded an answer by
August /.
School officials already have ad-
mitted the Garfield Turner situa-
ton is very serious. Several large
nearby housing developments are
opening or nearing completion,
and both white and Negro class
room space is, expected to be at a
premium.
Birney has been in use as an
annex ~for the Negro Douglass
Junior High. but a new Douglass
will leave it free in September.
The Stanton annex has been only
partially used recently-for civil
defense offlces-but in the fall is
scheduled to house extra Stanton
pupils as well.
Committee Calls Meeting.
Last nights meeting was spon-
sored by special co-ordinating
committee organized by the Gar
arent-Teacher As
sociation and Garfield-Douglass
Heights Civic Association. Mrs.
Dovey j. Roundtree, 1884 Irving
street Sc. is committee chairman.
Mrs. Roundtree disclosed that
A. Kiger Savoy, associate school
superintendent, last Thursday per-
sonally delivered letters to several
neighborhood leaders stating that
only fifth and sixth graders would
be sent to Birney. Citizens had
objected that the school was too
far from their homes.
Mrs. 'Roundtree also asserted
she had received an anonymous
threat Saturday night
not to hold the meeting.
She said citizens asked the
school board six weeks ago for the
Stanton annex, but that Birney
had been offered instead.
The Rev. James H. Mayo of Allen
AME Church said the area will
have more than 1000 more chill
dren than Garfield and Turner
will be able to handle next fall.
He also repeated a charge, denied
by school officials. that Birney has
been condemned as a fire hazard. I"
Mrs. Catherine Jones, president
Of the Payne School PTA, also
spoke. She recalled the school
strike her group sponsored at
Payne last fall and predicted "a
difficult struggle"
She urged the citizens to bonn
bard school officials with phone
calls and letters.
Between IS and 100 adults at
ended the outdoor meeting, held
1T the Frederick Douglass Com
nunity Center.
Citizens Override Leaders.
There was disagreement at sew
,ral points over the course to be
ollowed, and the citizens actually
,verrode their two nominal lead
RS on the Birney matter. A split
llso developed on the subject Of
! strike and lawsuits
Mrs. Edna E. Gordon, PTA
and Mrs. Ella r. Foster,
;ivic association president, were
he disSident leaders. Both urged
of Birney.
Mr.. Savay had delivered notes
% them.
Mrs. Gordon said chances of
,etting the Stanton Annex are
lin because of the plan to use
for crowded Stanton itself. She
that the school board
,rovide bus service from Turner
o Birney.
Mrs. Foster said she saw mol
alternative" to accepting Birney,
even though she wasn't satisfied
with it. She said she felt "the
children are the ones who will payl
Jhe price" if it is refused.
Mrs. Foster also opposed strikes
and lawsuits.
Accused Of Fear and Timidity.
Her stand brought a charge of |
fear and timidity" from Roy Gar
1in. an attorney who was chair
nan of the meeting.
I'm identifying myself with
hose who are for carrying the
light on in all quarters" MIR. Gar
Yin declared.
Getting Stanton Annex" he
;old the meeting, would be an
oblique attack on the segregated
school system"
Mr.. Garvin said possibilities forl
action include a strike or an at
,empt to enter Negro students at
Stanton, followed by lawsuits after
hey are excluded. Il
Such action might mean, he
'aid, that some parents would 60
20 jail, but he promised there