Evening star., 1954-11-18
Corning 70 Ask
Gradual Ratio
OF 80 10 |

VIII Require more
Teachers and Rooms,
He Reminds Boord
School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing plans to ask the Board of
Education next week for gradual
! adoption of a 30-to-1 pupil
teacher standard for District
grade school classes.
The change will require adding
both more teachers and new
claSsrooms at a cost Of a "con-
siderable amount of money" the
superintendent told the board
yesterday. But he added that
classes now are too large and
the expense will be justified.
DIR. Corning announced two
weeks ago that he intended to
seek a smaller class-size stand
ard. The elementary standard
Is now SO pupils to one teacher.
He said yesterday statistical
study designed to show the
teacher and space needs con-
nected with such a change is not
ready, however, and that he will
mail the study to board members
next week.
Letters Hail Move.
The board was informed yes
terday that a large public re-
sponse already has greeted the
superintendent's announcement.
Letters from 81 parents and or
ganizationS had been received by
the Board of Education Office up
to yesterday indorsing the pro-
posed reduction, which has long
been advocated by important ed
ucational groups.
DR.. Corning told the board a
25-to-1 elementary ratio, advo-
Gated by the National Education
Association, actually would be
desirable. This would be too
costly, however, he pointed out.
Fourteen parents from the
Richardson Elementary School,
Fifty-third and Blaine streets
Me-. appeared at yesterdays
board meeting to protest crowd
ing and part-time classes at the
school.
Fourteen classes at Richard
son are on part-time schedules.
and the school has an enroll
ment far above its official capac-
ity.
Remedies Sought.
Parents urged transferring
some pupils to other schools,
providing portable buildings, or
seeking emergency classroom
space in nearby housing develop
ments. They protested that spec.
cial coaching being provided for
many part-time pupils is made
quate as a substitute for normal
instruction.
Edward L. Hancock, one
parent, declared the present
situation lis the result of some
ones fragrant administration"
Our children are being crowd
ed out of the school," he assert
ed.
Vodney F. Hendricks, another
parent, declared that three
hours isn't enough for these
children to get what you would
call a decent education"
Mrs. Laverne L. Otey branded
part-time classes "a slap in the
face to any progressive parent"
and said the part-time pupils
would be retarded in competition
with full-timers later in their
school careers.
Mrs. Otey also complained
that free bus transportation to
other schools, which has been
sought unsuccessfully by the
parents, had once been offered
to pupils at the white Stanton
School. This DR.. Corning de-
MED, saying he merely had dis
cussed the possibility with STAN
ton parents but had no legisla-
tive authority for such move.
Suggestions Invited.
A suggestion from Board
Member Rowland F. Kinks that
the parents offer constructive
suggestions" drew a tart re-
sponse from DR.. Margaret j.
Butcher, Negro board member,
who said solving the problem is
the boards responsibility. But
DR.. Corning later told the men,
bers he knew of no immediate
solution.
The nearby Shadd School is
scheduled to be completed next
March. but members of the dele
cation told the board 1t will be
overcrowded as soon as it is
opened.
Mrs. Lorraine Alexander.
chairman of a parent committee
from the Young Elementary
School, appeared to complain
about part-time classes there.
But officials announced that
these were ended yesterday.
Miss Marion Magruder, presi-
dent Of the Washington Teach
ers' Union, asked the board to
restore the prewar final working
day Of the month as teacher pay
day. The present system, under
which teachers are paid on the
I'd Of the month or as soon
as possible thereafter, causes
hardships because of delays and
gaps. she said.
Teachers get their pay from