Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-18
Teacher Promotion
System Faces Probe;
'Fayoritism' Charged
By james G. Deone

N@'''~~ - ~SSssS
The Board of Education IA
planning to look into the han
ding of teacher promotions in
the public schools.
Board Member Walter N. To-
briner reported yesterday he has
had complaints of favoritism
and teacher pets" in appoint
mentS of principals and other
school officers. Mr.. Tobriner,
who is chairman of the personnel
committee. won a unanimous
vote for a study of the matter.
Supt. Hobart M. Corning
quickly defended promotion pro-
cedures. asserting they give
more protection against per-
sonal bias than in any other
city know" DR.. Corning added
he has no objection to the study.
however.
Mr.. Tobriner did not cite any
specific complaints. He stated.
however, that he feels there is
much room for Improvement"
in the promotion method now in
use.
Oral Test Questioned.
Specifically, he questioned the
oral test given candidates by DR..
Corning and his aides. He sug-
gested it might be we'll to have
board members take part in
these tests. He also suggested
the possibility Of rotating the
panel Of school officials doing
this testing.
Technically, the school board
makes all appointments. But
every appointment is recon-
mended by DR.. Corning. Candi-
dates are graded on the basis
of a possible 1000 points. with
TOO of them being arrived at
automatically on the basis Of
experience and background. The
final 800 points are determined
on the basis of the oral test. with
DR.. Corning making the final
judgment.
Mr.. Tobriner pressed the super
intendent yesterday on the ma
ture Of this oral test. Asking
just how vigorous 1t Is, he de-
clared:
I'm told the only question
asked in many cases is. Why do
you feel you are qualified for
this job?'"
The superintendent said in
his view the mathematical sec
ton of the 1000 actually is a
greater danger to the candidate
than the oral test.
"It's very difficult to reduce to
a mathematical formula any in
dividual characteristics" he said.
adding that in his opinion the
800 points allotted to the oral
evaluation ought to be increased.
That's the very area in which
bias may assert ITSELF" remarked
Mr.. Tobriner.
1T can't be personal bias"
DR.. Corning replied. If six or
seven people are asking ques-
tons. My own vote counts only
one in six or one-fifth. I couldn't
control it,"
The superintendent conceded
he does not have to pick the
candidate who comes out with
the highest rating, however.
Col. West A. Hamilton OBJ
jected to Mr.. Tobriner's pro-
posal to include board members
in the testing. asserting that
would go too far into admins
tration. He Endorsed the review
of present procedures, however.
Teacher Poll Planned.
DR.. Corning. on a related mat
ter, disclosed yesterday he is
planning to poll teachers on the
present teacher rating system.
under which their work is graded
each year. Recently DR.. Corning
proposed dropping ratings except
for temporary and probationary
teachers and those who are un-
satisfactory. Most teachers are
graded simply satisfactory" and
this means too much paper work,
the superintendent maintains.
The board yesterday also:
Decided to study the possibility
Of setting maximum class size.
The present official standard for
elementary classes is SO but many
classes exceed this.
Appointed Mrs. Rosa H. Jones,
principal of Giddings-Lenox
School, a director of elementary
education in the colored schools.
Retired Miss Charlotte E.
Sprenkel, junior high teacher.
and Horace B. Wallace. Arm
strong High School teacher.
Approved trophy to be
awarded annually to the winning
girls high school cadet battalion
by Col. Hamilton.