Evening star., 1952-04-11

BUT OLD MAN RIVER KEEPS
waters from the Missouri River
this area. The flood crest is e
"a 1925, 900 cut the House made in
the 81 million recreation budget
He said the cut would mean
the closing of 80 Fairgrounds on
Saturdays during the summer, the
closing of 33 youth centers one
night a week and other reductions
in center stats and the elimina-
ton of 20 out of 81 shower route
stops.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing told the Senate unit it is
absolutely necessary" that not
less than $607.391 be restored to
the school budget. The House had
chopped $674,700 from the school
budget of $26.1 million.
DR.. Corning said it would be
impossible for the schools to alb
sorb mandatory pay increases
without making drastic reductions
in teaching service. He said such
reductions would mean keeping
vacant about 100 teaching posi-
tions in the next fiscal year, and
that this would come on top OF
the loss of so other teaching posi-
tions in the white schools, al
ready eliminated by the Com
misioners.
ITO lose the services of $50
teaching positions in 1883" DR.
Corning said, would create a
Icritical situation which would in
crease the sizes of classes in many
schools"
/ The House. in its actions on
the school budget, had granted
funds for employment of 81 new
teachers in the colored schools
where there is a shortage OF
teachers and an oversize class
situation.
Warned on Transfer.
The House subcommittee in
charge of the District budget
warned school authorities they
must step up the transfer OF
teaching positions from white to
colored schools because of the de
Ginning white school population
and the rising colored one.
On this point. DR.. Corning told
the Senate subcommittee school
lenrollmentS are passing through
"a very disrupting transition pc
riod." with rapid decreases in the
total of white pupils and lever
more rapid increases" in the num-
Der of colored pupils. He said the
problem OF keeping pace with this
transition by making teacher ad-
JuStments imposes an extremely
difficult task. because most of the
excess of white teachers occurs on
levels occupied by teachers with
permanent tenure and long wears
of service.
Senator Hunt, Democrat. ..ot
wyoming. asked what saving.
might be expected, if the Dis.
trlct's dual school system were tt
be lntegrated. DR.. Corning said ht
thought the savings would bs
negligible.
Increased charges made by the
Capital Transit Co. for bus trans
portation for handicapped schoo
children cropped up as another
headache for school authorities
The House had cut $500 off the
funds for handicapped children.
service. DR.. Corning told the Sen.
ate unit that unless this sum wa.
restored, it would result in serious
curtailment of schooling for the
handicapped and that probably
two OF eight buses would have tc
be discontinued.
THAT would be a terrible thing
to do" he said.
Library Situation Explored,
Likewise, he said, it would be
necessary to reduce the number
of deaf, dumb and blind children
who are sent to special schools, il
a similar cut is not restored fol
their training.
Harry N. Peterson, Public Ii.
brarian argued for restoration O.
all of the $128.000 the House hac
sliced from the budget of $1,568,.
600 for the library system. Senate
committeeman devoted consider.
able time to development of thi1
problem.
Particular attention was giver
to the needs for staff, book stocks
and other supplies and equipment
for the new Cleveland Park
Branch Library. He urged resto-
ration of funds that would per.
nit employment of the staff Of
Is to man this new branch ir
advance of its opening date. HI
warned that shortage of trained
librarians makes it necessary tx
recruit such people in advance.
Chairman Hill pointed up the
problem by saying: I'm othel
words, you can't just pile up 6
stack of books at a branch anc
say, Come and get them" Mr.
Peterson said, mo"
The librarian also stressed the
need of funds for books for the
new branch so they can be Sc.
lected. purchased and processec
we'll in advance of the opening
date. For this purpose he urgec
the restoration of $4,000.
Extra $4,000 Sought.
He also urged approval of az
extra $4,000 to complete the re.
vamping of the east wing of tn,
basement of the Central Library
Building for which Congress.
granted $4,000 in the 1851 bud.
get. The extra sum is necessary