Evening star., 1954-11-12

expected to be made public early
next week.
Dr.. Corning refused TO COM
lment directly on Mrs. Phillips
/ letter, stating he had Just re-
ceived a copy and had not read It.
Mrs. Phillips letter, dated
/ November 3, was sent to the cor
/ poration counsel in connection
/ with preparation of q brief to be
submitted to the Supreme Court
soon In the District race segre-
cation case. now pending before
the high tribunal.
May Not Reach Court.
Mrs. Phillips said she was
making the document public be-
cause Mr.. West had indicated he
did not intend TO forward 1t to
the court. Assistant Corporation
Counsel Milton D. Norman said
earlier this week. after a meeeing
with six school board. members,
that a report on the integration
program would be submitted, but
without any detailed report on
any dissent by individual board
| members.
Mrs. Phillips voted favorably
when the school board originally
approved integration plans sub
mitted by Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing, but she told a reporter to-
day she feels now that the plans
were accelerated too much and
that assignment of pupils has
been too rigid.
She said she does not expect a
majority Of the board members
to agree with her, but she said
she feels the public should know
her views. Robert r. Faulkner,
another board member, also
criticized the 1ntegratlon pro-
gram this week and urged more
flexible pupil assignments.
Mrs. Phillips letter, which was
accompanied by a seven-page
comparison OF white scnool en-
rollments in the last three years,
called attention to a drop of 20
per cent in Eastern Junior High
Schools white enrolment, and a
90 per cent drop in the schools
senior unit. At Mckinley High
School, white pupils decreased
20 per cent. Both schools ac-
quired many Negro pupils this
fall. Other white high schools.
only slightly integrated, had only
slight declines, she pointed out.
Elementary School Drop.
The board member also point
ed to white declines in elemen-
tary schools in several areas of
the city. In the area bounded
by the Anacostia River, North
and South Capitol streets and
New York avenue, the drop in
eight schools averaged % per
cent, compared to only 10 per
cent In each of the two previous
years, she said.
In another area, bounded by
North Capitol street, New York
avenue. Hamilton street and
Eastern avenue. white enroll
ment in seven schools dropped
per cent two years ago, 8 per
cent last year and 18 per cent
this year. she said.
In the Northwest. in an area
bounded by v street, Rock Creek
Park. North Capitol and Kenne-
dy streets, the number of white
pupils decreased Z per cent last
year and the year before. and
Is per cent this year, Mrs. Phil
lips reported.
Mrs. Phillips also pointed out
that in some Of the schools
showing a decline, there had
been an increase up to this year.
The most striking such case. she
said. was at Stanton Elementary
School. where white enrolment
dropped % per cent. after climb
mg last year and the year before
Only 3 per cent of the Stanton
pupils were Negro when school
opened. however.
Two Downtown Schools Cited
In two downtown schools.
Thomson and Seaton, the white
decline this year was three times
greater than it was a year ago.
she noted.
The board member also re-
ported that only 11a per cent
OF the city's white pupils en-
rolled in formerly all-colored
schools.
There was only one area of
the city. the Southwest, where
an appreciable proportion of the
white children (1l.9 per cent?
enrolled in schools formerly in
Division @" Mrs. Phillips said
"Of course" she added, "other
factors are involved in popula-
t1on shifts. but these changes
ssl