Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-22
School Building
Plans Changed
For Inf|e'grdfion
Some Construction
Would BE Deferred,
Others Speeded Up
By james 6. Deone

Others Speeded Up :
By james 6. Deone
Race integration is causing
reShufi1ing Of District school
construction plans.
Because Of integration, school
officials tentatively have de-
cided to:
1. Postpone a So million re-
placement for colored Phelps
Vocational High School, which
had been scheduled to start next
year.
2. Give high priority to re-
placing the 83-year-old white
Seaton Elementary School, 7
street between Second and
Third NV. and postpone or.
drop a proposed new colored
school in that vicinity.
8. Merge the present crippled
children's schools in q new,
model" Health School.
4. Revamp and re-equip Nc
Kinley High School to house all
technical students. including
those now sent to Armstrong.
5. Postpone or drop a pro-
posed third floor addition to the
colored Payne Elementary
School, Fifteenth and c streets
Sc.
To Board Aug. 9.
These decisions will be re-
f1ected in recommendations go
ing to the Board of Education
August 8. Officials expect to in
clude the Seaton. Health and
Mckinley projects in more than
Sc million In new construction
to be proposed for next year.
The Phelps and Payne projects
and the new school near Seaton
are being dislodged from high
priority spots in the city's new
public works program.
The existence of extra space
in white schools, soon to become
available to absorb excess colored
enrolment, is enabling the post
ponements.
The Phelps replacement, cost
lest project in the entire $35
million school construction pro-
gram, was given high priority
originally because Of hopes to-
convert the present Phelps, at
Benning road and Twenty fourth
street NE, into an urgently
needed grade school. This would
have relieved crowding at the
colored Young School and others.
Two Schools Available.
Under integration, however,
the white Wheatley and Kings
man Schools are becoming avail
able to colored youngsters m
stead, and the intended CONVEX
sion is no longer urgent.
] Nearby white school space also
will now become available to
pupils at Payne.
Seaton, the city's second old
est grade school still housing
pupils. isn't scheduled for re-
placement In the works program
until the fourth year. or 1878.
Associate Supt. John M. Riecks
suggested, however, that replac-
ing Seaton next year will post
pone the need for the proposed
school in the Seaton
neighborhood, since Seaton has
extra capacity and the new
Seaton would, too.
The deferred school, which
has been intended for some site
west of North Capitol street and
north of Massachusetts, avenue.
might or might not ever need to
be built, according to Mr.. Riecks.
If not, it will mean a saving OF
almost 81 million. Besides all
this, no site is yet in hand any
way,
School officials had already
made known their intention Of
building a single new Health
School and revamping Mckinley.
Health Annex Switched.
A $350,0O0 addition to the
present white Health School at
Thirteenth and Allison streets
NV. and a new colored elemen-
tary health combination at
Thirteenth and s streets NV. |
were scheduled for
construction next year. The
Thirteenth and S school will
still be recommended, but the
health annex will be sliced of |
and the money saved switched
to the new project.
School officials are tentatively |
committed to locating the new |
Health School at Mount Olivet
road and Holbrook street NE,
formerly slated for the new !
Phelps. Commissioner Renah F.
Camalier has shown interest in
building near the present white
school on Thirteenth street.
however.
In mind for the new Phelps |
Is a site once intended for a
new Armstrong High School at !
Sixth street and Florida avenue
NE. Now no new Armstrong is !
slated to be built.
Here are the other projects
slated to 60 into the proposed |
1866 construction budget. in |
addition to the Health School, |