Evening star., 1954-08-24
School Integration
Advisers Due Soon
In Prince Georges

visory committee on school in
tegration in Prince Georges
County will be made some time
next month, according to School
Supt. William S. Schmidt.
The school official explained
that such d group has not been
selected before because there was
nothing for it to do. He pointed
to past decision Of the State
Board of Education which con-
tinues the States segregated
school system until the Supreme
Court this fall declares how its
opinion striking down segrega-
ton should be carried out.
"Once the Supreme Court has
explained its opinion and the
State announces a policy, the
committee then will have some
thing to do," he said.
"Also, persons should remem-
ber that the varying degree of
Negro population in Maryland's
counties will call for various
modes of action. Some are heav-
lily populated with Negroes. while
others have practically none.
1.-The committee will have a
functional job-to identify the
problems in Prince Georges
County" he added. "Conver-
sion of the 100-year-old dual
system will require a patient
study before all the implications
are made known"
Questions Raised at Meeting.
Mr.. Schmidt made the remarks
last night after integration
questions were raised by the Rev.
Joseph F. Haskins of the Queens
Chapel Methodist Church, at a
School Board meeting in Hyatts-
vile.
The clergyman spoke for the
Citizens Committee on Educa-
ton and Integration in the
Evansville Heights area. The
14-member committee repre-
sents 10 organizations and some
1900 persons, he said.
The superintendent assured
the minister that no new school
boundaries were being drawn
nor were personnel changes be-
ing made due to the Supreme
Court opinion.
In other business the board
awarded a contract for the erec-
ton of the Woodley Knoll Ele-
mentary School to the Segreti
Construction Co. of Washing
ton. Their bid was $261,510.
Plans for the 11-room struc-
ture will be the same as those
being used by the Segreti Co. to
build the Clinton Grove Ele-
mentary School. The Woodley
Knoll building, to be completed
next spring on Shadyside ave-
nue., Bradbury Park, Md, will
relieve overcrowding at the 12-
room Bradbury Heights Elemen-
tary School, which is scheduled
for double shifts next month.
Alternate bids on gymnasium
for the new Suitland Junior High
School will be received with
other bids for the school at 8
pm, September IA, in Upper
Marlboro.
Parents representing some 60
pupils at the University Park
Elementary School temporarily
won the right to keep their chill
dren in that school.
A previous announcement
stated that 20 pupils on the east
side of Queens Chapel road would
be transferred to the Hyatts-
vile Elementary School next
month, while 20 pupils living on
the west side would be moved
up to the Ager Road Elementary
School. Relief is expected for
the latter school with the open
ing of the new Parkway Ele-
mentary School.
Walking Distance Cited.
Parents protested the move,
citing the walking distance as
the chief factor. Board mem
bers, after a long discussion,
| 4relented with the condition that
If the University Park enroll
ment should top $50, the previ-
ously announced transfers would
take effect. A bus would be
supplied for taking children to
the Ager Road School.
Construction of a blacktop
walk on private property parallel
to the Indian Head highway will
be considered by the board. The
action came after residents of
the South Lawn subdivision COM
planned of the dangers facing
children walking on Livingston
road to and from Oxon Hill
Elementary and High Schools.
The road. they said. was un-
graded, had bad shoulders and q
blind curve, and passed in front
of the firehouSe.