Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-10
Corning Asks
Disclosure Of
Race Statistics
Urges School Board
To Drop Bon on
Separate Reports
By james 6. Deone

School Supt. Hobart NJ. Corn
ing announced today he has
asked the Board of Education
to suspend a secrecy rule on
school system racial statistics.
DR.. Corning said he has in
formed the board he believes it
will be in the public interest to
disclose information on the
ratios of white and colored pu-
pills and teachers as the school
system begins racial indignation.
The board in May voted to
prohibit the keeping of records
showing race. Last week, how
ever. school officials were in
formed the law requires report
Ing of enrollments by race.
Must Report Race.
DR.. Corning last week told
principals they must report race
to the school attendance depart
ment, but would not be per-
mitted to make the information
public.
Both school officers and some
board members have decided,
however, that secrecy might
cause rumors and exaggeration,
as well as depriving the public
of exact knowledge on how inte-
grafton is proceeding. -
Another factor in the decision
was the publication already of
plans to transfer several thou
sand colored children to a num-
Der of formerly white schools.
Officials felt it absurd to disclose
any such information without
disclosing it all.
Board Being Polled.
DIR. Corning sent his request
to the School Board two days
ago and the board is being polled
by hand. Three of the nine
members have already given APP
proval and DR.. Corning said he
hoped to have the full boards
approval today.
On a poll any member can
kill the action by refusing to
give approval, however, so
special board meeting may be
necessary, DR.. Corning said. The
next regular meeting is not
scheduled until September %
and the superintendent said he
hopes to be able to give racial
statistics when enrolment counts
are made after schools reopen
Monday.
DR.. Corning made it plain that
his proposed statistical policy is
intended to be temporary. The
school board already has asked
the Commissioners to seek re-
peal of the law requiring pupil,
records to show race. and some
board members expect to press
this. So far they have encount-
cred Encouragement at the Dis
trict Building, however, and it is
not yet clear whether the Com
missioners will agree to seek the
legislative action.
No Law on Teachers.
There is no law governing sta
tistics on teachers. and DR.. Corn
ing is leaving it to the board to
decide how long it wants to dis
close these.
DR.. Corning addressed the fol-
lowing letter to the board:
1.-THE declaration of policy on
the question of indignation in the
public schools in the District of
Columbia approved by the board
on May Is. 1854, contains the
following statement:
"The board believes that no
record should be kept or main
tanned in respect to any pupil
not enrolled in public school on
or prior to June II, 1854, or re-
spect to any officer or employee
not employed within the system
on or prior to that date, in which
information is solicited or re-
corded relating to the color or
race of any such persons
Cites Inquiries.
Gas the opening of the fall
school term approaches, the in
quirieS as to the practical effects
of integration in our schools are
multiplying rapidly. Thus far we
have stated that under the
boards adopted policy no record
can be made available of the
numbers of pupils or teachers by
race. Ell.
1T is doubtful whether any
damage would be caused by re-
leasing these numbers during this
transitional stage. 1t is also
doubtful whether it is to the pub
(See SCHOOLS, Page A-5.)