Evening star., 1952-06-18
School Officials
Push Program
OF Borrowing
Corning Again Pleads
For Financing of
Needed Buildings
By jones 6. Deone


Approval of the move by the
Board of Education was expected
to be a mere formality today. The
boards finance committee gave
its Endorsement yesterday, with
other board members present.
The Commissioners will be
asked to seek legislative author
ity for the schools to borrow from
the Federal Government, at no
interest. DR.. Corning did not
name an amount, but he said the
borrowing will be needed in the
$40 million six-year building pro-
gram approved by the school board
in March.
Program Being Devised.
A committee of businessmen now
is devising an overall borrow
ing program for all the city's pub
lie school works needs. DR.. Corn
ing told reporters his new plea
is intended to make sure schools
have a big place in the overall
plan.
The superintendent said less
than half of the total asked by
the schools for capital outlay in
the last 10 years was appropriated,
apart from minor deficiency
amounts. He put special stress
on the Commissioners cut Of all
but $1.051 900 out of the $12 mil
lion asked for school construction
next year.
The cut in the 1853 budget, DR..
Corning said. eliminated projects
of great Importance. and their loss
seriously threatens the efficiency
of the schools and the education
of the children concerned" He
said delays in school construction
could have tragic consequences. "
Pay-as- YOU Go Plan Fails.
"The unsatisfactory results of
the .pay-as-you-go-plan, which
has been. tried. for many years"
the superintendent declared, "are
in terms of part-time
and inadequate instruction for
children, overcrowded school build
ings. community tensions and dis
satisfactionS and lawsuits; and
,hese, in turn. initiate against con-
f1dence in the efficiency of the
school system on the part of the
public"
The city has a serious backlog
Of school building needs, the super
intendent said. A bigger popula-
ton, unusual population shifts,
bigger elementary school enroll
ment and development of new
residential areas have contributed
to the problem. he said.
The chance of obtaining relief
without borrowing, DR.. Corning
is remote.
Cites Case of Payne School.
The superintendent cited the
case of Payne School, Fifteenth
and c streets Sc, as an illustra-
tion of the problems created when
building money isn't available. The
Board of Education began trying
to get funds for an addition in
1946, but the money was not ap-
propriated until last year, and the
addition will not be ready until
next March.
The res u1tfng overcrowding
forced shifting some pupils to the
Webb School and introduction of
part-time classes and even led to
a pupil strike last year. DR.. Corn
ing recalled. The situation, he
said, has left serious scars on the
community"
Before approving the financing
move, the Finance Committee
voted to require a report on exist
ing buildings and the size of their
student bodies each October and
This action followed a
complaint by. Adelbert w. Lee,
board vice president, that "far too
many buildings are being ignored
and are not used to the fullest
extent"
Calls for Survey on Use.
"We must survey completely and
what we've got," Mr.. Lee
said, otherwise we'll get no.
where"
Mr.. Lee, whose term on the
board ends this month, frequently
has criticized DR.. Corning for fail
ing to submit an overall building
use plan.
The boards Legislation Com
mittee yesterday recommended
revision of the teacher-leave laws
to pay IS per cent of the regular
salary to teachers and school Of
flcers on leave for approved edu-
cational purposes. In some cases,
this would double present leave
pay.
Teachers have been seeking a
SO per cent payment. DR.. James
A. Cannon, q board member
ansuccessfully supported this
The committee Opposed a bill
that would spell out requirements
for permanent tenure for teach
ers. Members contended this
would deprive the board of proper
discretion on dismissals. Teacher
are seeking this
change.
DR.. Cannon said the bill would
put a clamp on us which we don't
want" Mr.. Lee called 1t super
f1uouS. u
DR.. Corning had proposed sup
porting the bill, but with changes
that would bring it back to pres
ent procedure.
The committee also voted to op-
pose the sale and possession of
BIB guns In the District.
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