Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-30
Budget Action
Expected toCut
Teacher Staff
House Group Would
Impose Savings for
In-Grude Raises
By jones 6. Deone

- OSS"S
The District public school sys-
tenn may have to cut its teacher
force next fall If Congress ap-
proves the appropriation bill
reported yesterday to the House.
The House Appropriations
Committee refused any money
for in-grade pay raises for teach
ers and all other District en-
ployes. It said the raises must
be paid out of savings" from
unused Salaries-mainly those
freed by retirements, resigna-
tions and deaths.
The schools won't have enough
savings under normal circum-
stances next year, according to
Charles N. Zellers, business off,
Ger. The shortage may be big
as 5000, 900, he Said-the equiva-
lent Of about 46 teachers sal
aries.
So the only way for the school
system to save enough, said Mr..
Zellers, will be to cut down on
the number of teachers, through
a freeze on the required number
of vacancies.
Alarmed at Prospect.
School officials say they have
reason to be alarmed at the
prospect, for a similar cutback
occurred this term. Twenty
eight teacher and administrative
vacancies were frozen in Feb
ruary, and two temporary teach
ers actually were let go. This
saved about $780, for the man
datory, raises, but at the cost of
considerable teacher shutting
and other emergency moves.
Congress last year appropri-
ated about two-thirds of the
funds needed for the pay boosts,
so no further cutback has been
necessary. But this time the ap-
preparations committee allotted
nothing.
The in-grade raises are not
the only item at issue. The
committee denied over $1.2 mil
lion in salary money needed by
the schools and other District
agencies to bring their personnel
up to full strength. A similar
amount was denied last year.
Budget Officer Walter L.
Fowler said many of the agen-
cies besides the schools will be
hurt by this, and he said an
effort will be made to get the
funds in the Senate even if the |
House goes along with the
slash when it takes UP the bill
next Tuesday.
Short of Negro Teachers.
The school situation is espe-
cially difficult, however, because
there is already a shortage of
Negro teachers. This shortage
won't be ended next fall, even
though the Appropriations Com
mittee okayed plans to hire lit
school system asked.
The lit won't be enough, Mr..
Zellers said, because teacher ap-
preparations are based on last
falls enrolment, instead of next
falls. Several thousand more
Negro pupils are expected to en-
roll in September.
Supt. Hobart M. Corning made !
q strong plea to the committee |
for a $113, 400 item to help meet |
the mandatory raises. This is
the minimum amount needed to
avoid a teacher cutback, Mr..
Zellers said. Another $250.000 |
probably can be saved.
If a freeze is necessary; it will |
mean emergency measures SINH
lar to those this term-abondon-
ment of some instructions assign
ment of substitutes to regular
teashing, thus curtailing sub
stitute service, and probably some
pupil shuffling and oversize
classes.
$4,000 Substitute Fund.
The pending bill does allot the |
schools an 100000 increase in
substitute teacher funds, for |
which DR.. Corning also made a
strong plea. Also approved are |
seven school construction prof. |
ects, all for Negroes.
But the committee knocked |
out a 100000 educational tele-
vision station, a $4,000 rifle
range for Coolidge High School,
$4,000 worth of heaters for high |
school greenhouses, and $685.
900 for five clerks. It cut to
$4,000 a $4,000 item for lock-
erS.
Ignored, also, were pleas of
citizens for a white junior high
atat Fourth street and Missis-
sippi avenue Sc. and an ex-
panded school music program.
The committee added nothing ]
to the requests made by the
Commissioners. In all it cut
the school budget from 1888
william IN &0Q I million