Evening star., 1953-06-04
D. {. Shortage
Of los Teachers
IS New Outlook
Corning Will Request
Restoration of Funds;
U. S. Policy BIumed
BY james 6. Deone

District public schools face a
shortage of los. teachers next
fall If Congress doesn't appro-
pirate additional salary funds,
officials announced today.
A slash of $113,40O approved
yesterday by the House is partly
responsible. Supt. Hobart M.
Corning said he hopes to per-
suade the Senate to restore this.
But another $350,0OO or so
would be needed to stave off the
full shortage. School officials
weren't allowed to ask for this in
the budget request, so it isn't
known whether there is any
chance of persuading Congress
to add such a sum.
See Serious Effect on System.
School officials made public a
prepared statement on the
teacher situation, which they
said would have a serious effect
on the school system.
The statement laid part of the
responsibility on Congress, but
also criticized policies of Federal
budget officials which it said pre-
vented the school from obtaining
enough funds.
The House passed the Dis
trict'S 1884 appropriation bill,
including the school funds, yes
terday. The hill now is awaiting
Senate hearings expected about
the middle of this month.
DR.. Corning and his business
assistant, Charles N. zellers, told
reporters half of the teacher
shortage will be caused by fall
ure of the appropriation bill to
provide any funds for mandatory
pay raises for teachers already
on the rolls.
More Students Expected.
The other half, they said, will
be caused by an enrolment in
crease expected in the fall. More
than $500 additional pupils are
expected, but the school sys-
TEN wasn't permitted by budget
officials to ask for new teachers
to cover them. The teacher ap-
preparation each year is based
on the current years enroll
nent. This will cause a shortage
Of 81 teachers, officials said.
The only way open to the
schools to pay all the mandatory
raises is to save money by
leaving an estimated 81 teacher
posts vacant. This unused
money will go to the raises, the
officials said.
Pay Raises Take Up Fund.
Even If Congress restores the
S113,400 item, many teacher
posts will have to be left empty,
because about $222,700 in all will
be needed for the salary raises.
School officers weren't allowed
to ask Congress for the full
amount here, either.
Mr.. Zellers earlier predicted
q shortage of 46 teachers under
the savings rule. but today this
was revised upward.
Both colored and white schools
will be hit by the teacher Short
age, the officials said.
The lack of teachers will mean
enlarged classes and curtailed
activities throughout the school
system, they said.
CustOdial Force to Be Hit.
Besides the slash of teacher
money the House also refused
$41,365 needed for mandatory
raises for the custodial force.
This will cause a shortage of II
here, the officials said. Salaries
for several clerks also were de-
MED.
This is the first year the House
has refused any funds for the
mandatory pay raises. although
Congress failed to grant part of
the amount needed last year.
Until the present budget" I"
said DR.. Corning, there never
has been any question about
these mandatory increases"
The school officers said the
Federal Budget Bureau banned
any requests for money for the
raises. They called this policy
IAN extremely serious blow to the
teaching program"