Evening star., 1954-10-31

/ systems this fall, in every case
it tell short Of advance esti-
mates.
| 3. The third important prob
able factor Is Government em-
| ployment. The Federal payroll
| IN the District Metropolitan area
has decreased about 10000 In
the past year. This undoubtedly
accounts for at least some por-
tion Of the white pupil decline
in the District. as well as in
part for the failure Of suburban
white enrolment to come up to
expectations. But many Govern
ment workers are single, and
some also may have been alb
sorbed in private employment.
The effect Of the payroll decline,
therefore. Is uncertain. :.
Congress Affects Schols.
| Certain schools are affected by
the presence, or absence, Of Con-
gress. For example. at Lafayette,
Northampton street and Broad
Branch road NV, Miss Marga-
ret Patterson. principal, blamed
a slight enrolment dip on the
fact that Congress is now out
Of town. When the legislators
and their stats return, she pre-
dicted, enrolment should go
back to normal.
Some schools have been sub
iect to special situations.
For example, Janney Elemen-
tary School. Wisconsin avenue
and Albemarle street NV,
opened with only four colored
pupils but had a white enroll
ment drop Of 8.7 per cent, chiefly
in kindergarten, The main rea-
son. the principal believes, is
that a new Catholic school
Annunciation-opened this fall
at Massachusetts, avenue and
Thirty ninth street NV. at
tracing away some Of Janney's
normal enrolment.
Some other schools also have
reported losing q few children
to parochial schools. But figures
available to date. according to
officials Of the Catholic schools,
do not show any large migration
from public schools to Catholic.
Catholic schools have an estab-
lished policy Of accepting Ne
groes. although most have
smaller proportions Of Negroes
than integrated public schools.
Changes Limited.
There has been no indication
Of any widespread migration of
public school children to other
private schools in the District
area.
In certain cases boundary
changes connected with integra-
ton have caused white enroll
ment drops. When the white
and Negro divisions were merged,
colored schools took over parts
Of the territory of a number of
white schools. This did not af-
feet most previously enrolled
pupils, but some newly entering
white children were required to
change plans and enroll at for
merly colored schools. One
school thus affected was Blair.
This helps explain why Blair at
the start Of the term showed the
largest percentage decline of
white pupils IN the school sys-
tenn.
Another special situation is
illustrated by Patterson Elemen-
tary School, South Capitol street
near Danbury. At Patterson
only three colored children were
enrolled. but white enrolment
dropped 9 per cent. This accord
ing to the principal, was because
Of the closing of a nearby low
cost housing development. Sew
eral other schools reported SINH
lar circumstances. Such declines
may be only temporary.
Comments Guarded.
School officials thus far have
been guarded in their comments
on the enrolment figures. At
least one Of them believes that
this years sharp drop in white
enrolment reflects the immedi-
ate impact of integration and
will not continue.
The only official system wide
count yet made on a racial basis
was the one taken September IA,
the second day of school. This
count. showing 40,359 white
pupils and 59.364 Negroes for q
total Of 99.723. Is now out of
date. (The latest count, made
October z and not broken down
racially. showed q grand total
Of 105.518) One of1ciaI sug-
gested that some white pupils
might have waited to enroll late
on account Of integration. and
that the September IL figures
may thus be misleading. But
many Negro pupils - probably
more than white - also have
enrolled late.
Special Study Ordered.
Supt. Hobart M. Corning has
instructed the school systems
attendance and research depart
ments to make a special study of
the situation. Investigators are
now gathering reports from Is
formerly white schools-includ-
ing the 18 integrated by group
transfers-on how many white
children have departed. and
where they have gone.
DR.. Corning has not yet an
nounced plans for another racial
count. Recently he indicated to
reporters that he was even in
some doubts as to whether one
would be made.
However. all schools in the
District-both public and private,
are required by law to report
all pupils enrolling and depart
ing according to race. These re-
ports are made to the school
systems attendance office. Some