Evening star., 1954-08-24

Anacostia Post 10
Teach in Virginia
By james 6. Deone
Mrss Opal H. Corkery is re-
firing as principal of Anacostia
High School at the end of this
month.
She will take a new job teach
ing social studies at FairfAs
tVa0 High School September /
however.
Mrs. Corkefy's request for re-
tirement came as a surprise to
school officials. 1T was SUBJ
mitted about three weeks age
and approved in a Board OF
Education poll last week. A
spokesman said no plans for fill
ing her post have been made yet
Anacostia, along with other
District high schools, will begin
race deSegregation this coming
school year. but Mrs. Corkery
said this had nothing to do with
her retiring.
. "I've been in the teaching
business 43 years now," she said
explaining that she wants to
taper off,"
II think you can stay in one
place long enough" she added
Principal Since 1945.
Mrs. Cookery assumed her pres
ent Anacostia post in 1945. Be-
fore that she was acting principal
for three years and assistant
principal for five.
She Joined the Anacostia fac
uty as a history and geography
teacher when the school was first
opened 19 years ago. Earlier she
taught at several grade schools
and at Langley Junior High.
Known as a strict but popular
principal, Mrs. Corkey has pio-
neered school projects which have
brought Anacostia considerable
publicity.
A vigorous supporter of the
High School Cadet Corps, she
bought up used uniforms from
other high schools to establish
a uniform exchange. The inno-
vation kept Anacostia's regiment
in the traditional blues while
other schools vacillated between
a number of improvised cheaper
styles.
Pioneered Party Plan.
Mrs. Cookery last year also
devised a project to provide stu
dents with diversion. The school
threw an all-night party for the
graduating class, chaperoned by
parents. The party was a great
success. A repeat this year drew
221 of the 233 seniors.
She also gave her blessing to
a more serious project which
has had fruitful results-the
schools three-year-old student
psychiatric clinic, supported by
the Eastern Branch Kiwanis
Club.
Mrs. Corkery, now So, began
her teaching career in a rural
school in Missouri. Born on a
Wyoming ranch, She grew up in
Albany, a town in northern
Missouri. and attended North
west Normal School. She joined
the District school system in
1921.
Degrees at GWU.
Later she got her bachelors
and masters degrees at George
Washington University.
Anacostia last year had an en-
rollment of about 1,400.
The retiring principal real
ICES she is leaving Anacostia at
an important juncture. Deseg-
regation has been a prime topic
in the school and the neighbor-
hood, and some parents have
made 1t clear, she says, that
they aren't entirely complacent.
The school has issued quite
a few transcripts to pupils de-
string to move to Maryland and
Virginia this summer, she re-
ported-more than usual. Next
February, Anacostia along with
other city high schools is slated
to enroll a group of colored jun
ior- high graduates. in this case
from nearby Douglass. Mrs.
Cookery doesn't know whether
any colored pupils will be en-
tering this September, which
also could happen.
But Mrs. Corkery's attention
starting next month will be on
history and geography once
again at Fairfax High, which is
near where she has lived for
several years with her husband,
James p. Corkery, an economist,
in Dunn Loring.