Evening star., 1953-01-22
School Board Asks
Citizens for Ideas on
Ending Segregation
= washington, d. 2.
THURSDAY, JANUARY &c, 1858
BY james 6. Deone


segregation. If necessary.
The board yesterday set Feb.
ruary 4 as the deadline for sub.
mitting them.
Supt. Hobart M. Corning pro-
posed the move as a preliminary
to a public meeting on the sub
tect. The board decided earlier
to call such a meeting, but set
no date.
The preliminary step was ap-
proved yesterday by a vote OF
5 to /. Robert R. Faulkner dis
sented, calling the move "pre-
mature" Mrs. Frank S. Phillips
was recorded as not voting, and
- Albert e. Steinem was not pres
ent.
Meeting About March.
The public meeting probably
will not be held before March,
the board was told. G. Melvin
Sharpe, board president. said it
probably will be an all-day affair.
Just who will be invited to
the meeting has not been de-
cided, but any groups or indi-
viduals may submit written
proposals.
Proposals are being sought on
two questions:
l. The mechanics of integra-
ton. if it should be ordered by
the Supreme Court.
2. What educational prepara-
ton might be deemed necessary
to make integration work freely,
If 1t is ordered.
Ideas Will Help Board.
Suggestions should be con-
fined to these two questions. DR..
Corning said. The superin-
tendent said he and his staff
feel the public meeting would
be more helpful to the board if
written opinions were sought
first.
DR.. Corning said he will sub
NIT his own recommendations.
as well as q summary Of the
written views from citizens be-
fore the meeting is held.
Five school race-segregation
cases now are pending in the
high court, one of them involv-
ing Sousa Junior High School
here. But no decision is expected
before spring. 1t is not known
how much time the court might
allow for ending segregation. if
such q move were ordered.
DIR. Corning disclosed earlier
that he is studying administra-
tive changes that might be nee
essary. He also has made in
quiries in cities where school
systems have been integrated.
Against Dropping Public Session.
The board yesterday overruled
DR.. Corning on another public
meeting. The superintendent
suggested abandoning the an
nual session due about this time,
customarily held to inform, citi-
zens of cuts made by the Com
misSionerS in the school budget.
He said attendance has dropped
In recent years because newSpa-
per. reports give the public the
information.
The board, however, decided to
retain the practice. It instructed
DR.. Corning to send civic groups
a summary of the current budget
situation before setting the date
for the session.
DR.. Corning announced he will
order two extra classes set up
February / in Payne Elementary
Schools auditorium to cut the
size of the schools classes to an
average of just under 40. Par
ents have been complaining be-
cause the present average, de-
spite a newly opened annex, is As.
If enough parents prefer,
however, it may be possible to
shift some of the pupils to near
by Maury School, the superin-
tendent said. He said he would
consult them.
The superintendent said pu-
pills will be reshuffled next fall
among Payne, Webb and Maury
Schools in order to cut Payne's
class sizes by using rooms now
vacant at the other two build
ingS.
Ask Transfer Of School.
Payne parents again petitioned
the board yesterday for transfer
Of the white Bryan or Buchanan
School to Payne's colored pupils
instead. But the superintendent
said he could not recommend
this because it would disrupt
classes now in the white schools.
Payne has a surplus of las
pupils over normal capacity. DR..
Corning said this does not justify
transferring another school. how
ever.
Mrs. Velma G. Williams. col
ored member, criticized the
superintendent's handling of the
matter, declaring it was on a
"patch-up" basis.
DR.. Corning tried to get ap-
proval of a statement of prin-
ciples for operation of the school
systems proposed television sta
ton. The board postponed the
matter until next month, after
Mr.. Faulkner insisted on having
time to study it.
According to the statement,
the board would retain full con-
troll of the station but would set
up a policy advisory committee
of heads of area educational in
stitutions to help make plans.