Evening star., 1954-06-08
White Parents
Favor Single
Health School
Plan Is Offered
For Vocational
Work at Mckinley
By jones 6. Deone

Parents of the Districts white
Health School for crippled chill
dren want the city to scrap plans
for a new colored crippled chill
dren's school.
Instead of maintaining two
separate schools, a single i'm
proved health school ought to
be created, the parents told the
Board of Education last night.
The crippled school proposal
was made at a public hearing, at
which the board heard more
than 80 citizens propose school
improvements.
Besides the Health School
matter. several other proposals
related to forthcoming school
race integration were considered.
They were:
l. Creation of a city college.
DR.. Ellis Haworth, president of
the Northwest Council of Citi-
zens' Associations, a white group,
said the Supreme Court race de-
segregation ruling offered an
excellent opportunity" for this
project.
2. Immediate re-equipping of
Mckinley High School for a
full vocational program. This
was proposed by Robert F.
Brooks of the colored Washing
ton Congress of Parent Teacher
Associations, presumably to pre-
pare for transfer of colored pu-
pills from Armstrong.
Reduced Classes Asked.
3. Reduction in claSS-size
standards. OF the pupil
ratio. This was advocated by
several speakers. and Mrs. John
Steele, Of the Area 6 council of
the white District Congress of
Parents and Teachers, said that
with race integration at hand
her group felt "the time for this
action has more than arrived"
She said that "the whole chal-
longing program can be facili-
tated by smaller classes"
Last nights session, which
drew 20 or 80 persons in add.-
ton to those who spoke, was
devoted theoretically to hearing
requests for the 1866 budget,
now being drafted by school Off
cials.
All of the proposals relating
to the integration question have
bearing on immediate plan
ming. however. .<.--~
The Health School proposal
drew immediate attention from
school officials. John M. Riecks,
associate superintendent, said
after the meeting that it throws
into doubt q $63,350 item in the
1954-5 budget now awaiting ~ac.a
ton in Congress which is in
tended for plans for a new COL
ored health school.
Mr.. Riecks also said he feared
that any change in plans would
mean delay on long sought i'm
provementS for both the white
and colored crippled classes.
Previously Publicized.
Actually the proposal to merge
the two schools was no surprise.
The white Health PTA informed
the School Board some days ago
in letter that it favored a
merger. This attitude was pub
licized, in fact, some time before
the Supreme Court ruling.
Health School parents, with
official backing, have been seek
ing enlargement of the present
school at Thirteenth and Up
shur streets NV. for several
years. William w. Mutch, PTA
spokesman, last night pointed
out that parents since 1850 have
been trying to get additional
classrooms for a kindergarten, a
Slow-learning class, high school
courses and occupational ther-
apy. Only the latter is now
provided for, and that only in
half a eloakroom, Mr.. Mutch
noted.
Plans actually are now on
paper for a $3.50 900 addition.
But at the same time school
officials have been waiting to
get money for a new building
at Thirteenth and S streets
NV. to house both a new col
ored grade school and the pres
ent colored Health School,, now
in the basement of the Anthony
Bowen School at Delaware ave-
nue. and M street S.W.
Under the present time table,
construction on both projects
would start a year from this
coming July. But Mr.. Riecks
admitted that the school admin
iStration will now have to give
consideration to a change in
plans. Under integration, of
course, neither school would re-
main racially exclusive anyway.
Mutch Sees Economy.
Mr., Mutch argued for the
merger on the grounds that it
would mean economy both in
the school operation itself and
in transporting the children to
and from it. a service the schools
provide. He urged that the
merged school be housed in
either a new building or an en-
larged one.
Mr.. RieckS said the present
white school might be suitably
enlarged. But this could be done
only if the District will release
some adjoining city-owned land,
and this would mean tearing
down two existing buildings
there. he added. He said he
didn't know what the buildings,
which once were part Of the Dis
trict'S tuberculosis Sanitorium
on the site, now. are used for.
Either way of combining the