Evening star., 1952-06-02
Education Board
Split on Curefor
0vercrowding
All Members Agree
Buildings Must Be
Fully Utilized
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

But when it comes to deciding
how to- do this. they part COM
pany.
The nine members Of the
School Board have been polled by
The Star to find out what they
think is the proper solution to
the overcrowding in Negro Junior
high schools. Two weeks ago the
School Board rejected a proposal
by School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing that Eliot Junior. High be
transferred from white to Negro
pupils.
Believed Not Right Answer.
Those rejecting this solution
feel strongly that 1t was not the
correct answer. Several members
said they had alternate solutions
but would present them later.
Others said they were waiting to-
see what DR.. Corning came up
with. 1
DR.. Corning recommended the
shift Of Eliot, stating it was the
best way to find seats for some
1,400 Negro junior high pupils in
Northeast and Southeast WASH
ington next fall. He now is re-
studying the matter. He hopes to
come up with a solution the
School Board will accept.
Voting for the transfer were DR..
James A. Cannon and the three
Negro members of the School
Board, DR.. Philip T. Johnson, Mrs.
James w. Williams and Wesley S.
Williams.
Opposed were c. Melvin Sharpe,
board president; Adelbert w. Lee,
Albert z. Steinem, Mrs. Arcadia
Near Phillips and Mrs. E. C.|
Magdeburger.
Plan Called Just q Starter.
Here's how School Board mem
bers feel about the situation now:
DR.. Cannon said it is just the
start of rearrangement of the
schools. He said he still favored
transfer of Elliot to Negro pupils
but agreed 1t was only a stop-gap
measure.
"As the white quota goes down
in the schools" he said. 1--WE must
gradually I'LL up the buildings with
colored children. This must be
done unless we have integration
of the school system. I don't ad-
vocate integfation at this time.
DR.. Cannon said school officials
would have to study the changing
situation, caused by population
shifts, month by month and make |
suggested changes in utilization of
buildings as It becomes necessary.
AnacOstia Need Cited.
Mr.. Sharpe said he had not
made up his mind what is the
correct solution of the controversy.
Beyond that is the necessity
for new schools east Of the Ana
costa River" he declared. "Wel
have tried to impress the Com
missioners and failed. The thing
to do is to impress the people and
the District officials Of the neces-
sity for new schools"
Mr.. Sharpe by-passed the Com
missioners last week and went tol
the Capitol to try to get IS mil
lion for four new school projects.
The bill was introduced by Chair
man Mcmillan Of the House Dis
trict Committee, but predictions
are that it doesn't stand a chance. |
"It is dire emergency" he de-
clared. by 1854, which will be
here before we know it, we will
have more than 5000 children
without q cowshed over their
heads"
Mr.. Sharpe recalled that for
several years he had advocated
combining the white junior and
senior high schools dn the senior
high buildings. The junior high
buildings then could be put to
other use, he said.
Calls Integration the Answer.
DR.. johnson said integration of
the school system was the ultimate
answer. He pointed out that there
are $4,000 seats in all the high
schools, both Negro and white,
and the total enrolment, Negro
and white, is only 10000.
Since we are Saddled with
segregation" he said. "the only
thing to do is to equalize the two
systems. This means the trans
fer Of buildings back and forth
when necessary"
He said he will not necessarily
stick with the proposal to trans
fer Eliot. He said he wanted to
see what other solutions DR..
Corning would suggest. He added
II may have a suggestion my
self"
: Mr.. Williams said it was up
to DR.. Corning to study the prob
lem and bring in suggested solu-
tions. He said it would be pre-
SumptuouS for him to try to solve
the matter without much study.
Il feel the school board may
have to reverse itself on the Eliot
matter" he commented.
Wants Survey Of All Schools.
Mr.. Lee said the Eliot matter
is only small part of a great
problem. He said he wanted to
see survey made of utilization
of all school buildings-some 17OI
before deciding what should be
done.
Mr.. Lee said he felt many
school buildings are not being
used properly. There may be
many cases of rooms uued for
other than classroom purposes,
he said.
Harking back to a pet proposal
of his, Mr.. Lee asked why school
buses could not be used. He said
a few used strategically would
help the situation and save mil
lions of dollars in new construc-
ton.
His plan would be to transport
children from q crowded South.