Evening star., 1952-10-02
West Criticiizes
on
School PLANNING
Says They Attempt
To Dictate Policy
In Administration

IN administrator
A Board of Education member
today accused several colleagues
of trying to dictate to school Of
ficials on plans for new school
buildings.
The member, Col. West A.
Hamilton, said the plans were an
administrative matter.
He criticized a two-hour meet
ling which had been called to re-
view plans for a new Junior high
school as a waste of time"
The session of the boards
Buildings and Grounds Commit
tee was called by Mrs. Frank S.
Phillips. committee chairman.
Mrs. Phillips had summoned
Municipal Architect Merrill A.
Coe and Construction Chief
Archie G. Hutson to attend.
The two District officials were
questioned for two hours on pos
sibilities of saving money in new
schools. The session was con-
cerned specifically with a pro-
posed white Junior high school at
Fourth street and Mississippi
avenue Sc.
Corning Sees No Waste.
Superintendent Hobart M. Corn
ing said he felt no money would
be wasted in the $2.5 million build
ing.
Mrs. Phillips, however. ques-
toned whether more classroom
space should not be provided in
place of recreation rooms and
other facilities.
Col. Hamilton made his blast
at the close of the session, when
Mrs. Phillips refused to call for
an immediate vote on approving
the plans. Mrs. Phillips was sup
ported by Miss Mary Harriet
Parker. third committee member.
II don't think we ought to op-
pose our judgment-our second
guessing-to the school officials, ,"
Col. Hamilton declared. II sub
NIT that our time is valuable" he
added.
Col. Hamilton, a Colored Board
member. previously has defended
school officials against charges of
wasted space in the new Negro
schools.
Opposes Effort.
Mrs. Velma G. Williams, another
colored member, also opposed to-
day the effort to economic on
new schools.
"I'm very much opposed to econ
omizing too much on school con-
struction." she asserted. "I think
|it's more economical to build for
the future. Probably in a few
years we will have to build addi-
tions which will cost more than
now"
Mrs. Williams charged that ION
most Division Two schools we have
economical too much" Division
Two is the colored part of the
school system.
Mrs. Phillips said she agreed es-
lsential facilities should not be
trimmed, but she said they should
be kept 'in proportion"
Board Member Robert r. Faulk-
ner asked why libraries could not
be eliminated in junior high
schools. 1t was Mr.. Faulkner who
charged recently that space in the
|colored schools is being wasted.
DR.. Corning replied that he con-
siders libraries "the very heart of
any school" He added that every
educator would agree.
Economies Cited.
Mr.. Coe said many economies
have been effected in school con-
|struction ever since 1947.
He cited use of cinder blocks,
cheaper floor construction, stand
ardized steel stairways. elimina-
ton of acoustic tile and other
substitutions and changes.
Mr.. Coe disclosed that he is
now trying to get the District code
changed to reduce the height of
clasSrooms.
Mr.. Coe blamed the Korean
war for initiating the costs of the
new Terrell and Douglass Junior
High Schools, just completed for
Negroes. Mr.. Faulkner had crit
iciZed these schools.