Evening star., 1953-08-21
DC. MayAsk
Congress 10 Buy
Cadet Uniforms
Faulkner Motion
For Request Wins
Board Support
By james 6. Deone

Congress may be asked to buy
uniforms for future Washington
high school cadets.
The Board of Education yes
terday voted to ask the Commits
sioners to consider seeking funds
for this purpose.
Finance Chairman Robert r.
Faulkner suggested the action.
He said the present cost of the
uniformS-up to $46 each-iS a
heavy burden for cadets to bear.
He also said he is anxious to
have the entire corps restored
to the same uniform.
The traditional cadet uniform
is blue wool, but many cadet
units recently have been wearing
cheaper tan-colored cotton khaki.
Mr.. Faulkner said he was dis
tressed at the variety of uni
forms worn at last springs COM
petitive drills.
Problems Cited.
Charles N. zellers, acting
school superintendent, voiced
misgivings about Mr.. Faulkner's
proposal. He said there would be
storage, cleaning and repair
problems, and he questioned
whether the schools could let
cadets wear the uniforms home.
West A. Hamilton. a retired
Army colonel, also objected. as
sefting.
t'Well iuSt find ourselves in
the clothing business in a big
way"
No amount was specified yes
terday But on the basis of last
terms cadet enrolment more
than 3000-uniforms costing $46
each would add up to a total of
at least $138.000.
The school system. however,
could get a somewhat lower
price than individuals, accord
ing to Mr.. ZellerS.
Army Cold AS Source.
School officials have tried
CnSucceSSfully to get Junior
ROTC status for the corps, and
some have talked of trying to
get the Army to provide uni
forms. The Army. now in an
economy mood, has given no
encouragement to either idea
lately.
The cost of uniforms has been
cited in the past as a deterrant
to cadet recruitment. Tech
nically. all boys must join, but
they are excused If parents so
request.
Lack Of a standard uniform
kept many cadets out OF the in
augural parade last January.
The situation has been so mixed
up lately that sometimes officers
and non-comS in a company will
appear in different garb from
the enlisted men.
Yesterdays decision was for
mally that Of the finance COM
mittee. Six of the nine board
members were present, however.
and the committee was acting in
the name of the full board.
TV Funds Stay.
Mr.. Faulkner unSuccesSfully
tried to get the committee to
knock out of the 1954-55 budget
request a 100000 item for an
educational television station.
Board President C. Melvin
Sharpe said he is planning to
meet with Commissioner Renah
r. Camalier next week on the
boards application with the Fed
eral Communications Commits
sion to build the station.
The meeting was requested by
Mr. Camalier to discuss a dis
pute with a rival group Of edu-
Gators, which has been trying
to get school board help in start
ing cooperative station.
Congress denied a similar
100000 request last month.
Mr.. Sharpe disclosed that the
board is taking no action on a
recent request from white par
entS in the NoyeS Elementary
School neighborhood to reverse
an order transferring the school
to colored pupils.
Mrs. Frank S. Phillips, OBJ
jected to a budget item of $575,-
900 for buying a site for re-
placement for the Greenleaf and
Amidon Elementary Schools in
the Southwest Slum -redevelop-
ment area. She said the cost
was too high. But no action
G.1