Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-25
SCI Million SET
For Schools in
Public Works
Payne Supplement-,
Other Negro Units
Deleted Temporarily
By jones 6. Deone

by james u. De0ne
A new grade school for Negroes
near crowded Payne School has
been dropped temporarily" from
the Districts proposed public
works program. it was announced
today.
The Commissioners also
abandoned plans for classroom
additions at two other colored
elementary schools-Slowe and
Lovejoy-as well as plan money
to convert Western High School
to an administration building.
These deletions also were labeled
temporary.
But the city heads left most of
a civic committees proposals for
school construction intact.
Schools would get $37,556, 900
of the proposed 1887 million for
public works. The slash in the
recommended school share is a
little over So million.
Left in the air was proposal
to move Armstrong High School
to Mckinley. The Public Works
Committee didn't propose any
funds for this purpose. and
neither did the Commissioners.
DR.. Corning last fall estimated
this would cost 81 million-a
sum that would have to be added
to the present $37 million. Of
f1cials offered no explanation Of
the omission.
Corning Disagrees.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing told reporters he is mot en-
tirely in accord" with the dele
lions. He said the Board of Edu-
cation may find it necessary to
ask for their restoration.
The $1,O6O,OOO Payne-area
project had been listed for the
second year of a six-year pro-
gram. Most f1rst-year items
already are in the next city
budget request, so the new school
presumably would have come
along next year.
Payne recently was the scene
of two-week pupil strike called
by parents to protest crowding.
Parents have demanded transfer
of a nearby white grade school
to Payne's colored pupils.
Slowe pupils also walked out
in protest against crowding two
years ago. Six new classrooms
later were opened, but the school
now is overcrowded again. Love-
joy also is far over normal
capacity.
Corning Seeks Boundary Shift.
DR.. Corning recently informed
Chairman Case of the Senate
District Committee that Payne
School crowding would be met
either by a school transfer or
construction of a new school.
Explaining the labelling of the
three grade school deletions as
temporary" the District Build
ing's announcement declared:
Funds for additions to Slowe
and Lovejoy and a new school in
the vicinity of Payne will be re-
quested Immediately if observa-
ton of population trends shows
that the need cannot be met by
utilization of existing facilities
without adversely affecting the
education of children of either
division"
The nounce m In t also
stressed that plans are con-
sidered flexible and that new
priorities may be set up, new
items added or other items de-
leted as needs are analysed year
by year.
Other Plans Invited.
DR.. Corning said school off,
Gals still stand by their need
for new administration build
ing. The public works committee
proposed conversion of Western
High, but DR.. Corning never has
committed himself to this, adj
voeating instead his original
idea of a brand-neW building.
The approved program, still
subject to acceptance by Con-
gress along with other public
works proposals, includes 10
brand-new schools, 7 replace
ments, % additions, acquisi-
ton of10 Fairgrounds, and several
miscellaneous improvementS-57
projects in all. Three new schools
and one replacement would be
junior highs.
Commissioner Renah Camalier
said a special effort will be made
to obtain funds for proposed
white Southeast junior high ard
a replacement for the color =
Van Ness Elementary School,,
deleted by the Commissioners
from the budget request recently
sent to Congress.