Evening star., 1952-07-02
Corning 10 Ask More
Major School Shifts
To Care for Negroes
BY jones G. Deoue

School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
Ing Will propose the transfer of
more major school buildings from
white to Negro use during the
next several years.
Such transfers will be neces-
sary to supplement the proposed
six-year school construction pro-
gram. the superintendent told the
Board OF Education yesterday.
The transfers can save $40 mil
lion in new construction, DR.. Corn
ing said. He added that they
will have to be made despite op-
position that undoubtedly will
arise.
The superintendent's statements
were in an annual report sub
mitted to yesterdays board meet
ing, the last regular session until
fall. A special meeting will be
held July 10 to deal with Negro
school overcrowding.
Eliot Transfer Rejected.
DR.. Corning, in May, proposed
the transfer Of Eliot Junior High
School to Negro use. This was
rejected by the board. This stu
alton viii come before next weeks
meeting.
DR.. Corning did not Indicate
whether he would repeat the Eliot
proposal. Two board members
who voted against the transfer
have since been replaced. and if
one Of the new members voted /
, favorably, the transfer could be
approved. The vote last time
was 5-4.
Fifteen school buildings have
been transferred from white to
Negro use in the last five years,
DR.. Corning'S report pointed out.
He called this one of the two ways
of solving the school population
problem, falling white enrolment
versus rising Negro enrolment.
The other way. the superin-
tendent said, is new construction.
In this connection he made a new
protest against slashes by the
Commissioners in construction
funds.
He also pleaded for more teach !
erS for the Negro schools.
Cites Denial Of Funds. 1
Pointing out that the number I
Of pupils per teacher in the Negro /,
division exceeds the approved
standard. the superintendent de-
clared:
"The record shows that year
after year efforts have been made |
through the budget to increase
the number of teachers for Divi-
sion 2 (Negro). The record also
shows that just as consistently
the number Of teachers requested
has been sharply reduced in the
appropriation bills
Transfer Of teacher salaries has Il
helped more adequate ap-
preparations are needed, DR.. Corn Il
ing said. Relief also depends, he
added, upon the recognition by {
all, approving authorities that the
Board Of Education's estimate Of Il
need should be determining" +,
Teacher salaries must continue Il
to be transferred, the Superin-
tendent emphasized.
On the current budget, DR..
Corning warned that a reduction t
in force may be necessary, If Con- II
gress fails to appropriate $500. 900 "
needed for mandatory longevity
pay increases due school employees. /
Commenting on budget cuts, he &
added: Il
"AS We look ahead, the budg- t
etary picture becomes even darker, i
since the District anticipates even @
less revenue for fiscal 1854 than a
for fiscal 1853. If this trend con- h
tinues it appears that the public
schools are faced with a continued v
period of extreme austerity. unless i
arrangements are made to bor-
row funds to pay for new con- S
struction, or unless the Federal q
Government increases it's contri- q
button to the operation of the +
Government Of the District of Co.
lumbia." n
The superintendent reported 10 +
new schools or additions now +
under construction. Two-Doug- +
lass and Terrell Junior High n
SchoolS-are slated for completion
by September. Four elementary b
schools have been transferred to 4
Negroes during the past schoollt
year, and one junior high.
The board yesterday formally :
added the new Spingarn High
School for Negroes to the school
system. This is the first new high
school in IL years. It opens next
September.
The board approved the retire.
ment of Mrs. Catherine B.
Thomas, teacher at Taft Junior
High: Mrs. Mary P. Proctor,
teacher at Browne Junior High;
Mrs. Agnes H. Spangler, teacher
at Giddings School, and Mrs.
Edyth c. Alexander. senior high
teacher retired on temporary
basis in 1850.
Also approved was the retire
ment of Sydner L. Owen, watch
man at Wilson Teachers College.