Evening star., 1955-01-21
By james 6. Deone

u -r---~
District school officials are
considering seeking an emer-
gency appropriation to create
separate classes for q number
Of teen-age problem pupils. Supt.
Hobart M. Corning disclosed to-
day..
Many OF those assigned to such
classes would be Negro youths
newly intcgrated into former
white schools, he added. The
special groups are needed par
ticularly for such youths, but also
for white students, the superin-
tendent said.
One such case, involving q
truant Negro youth attending
Eastern Junior High School, re-
Gently went to Juvenile Court.
Judge Edith H. Cockrill at q
court hearing criticized Eastern
officials for disciplinary meas
ures adopted against the youth.
Requests for the special classes
have come particularly from
principals Of. white junior and
senior high schools iategrated
last fail.
OAacials Discuss Gases.
Principals and top school Of
ficials, it was learned. met yes
terday to 60 over q number OF
specific cases.
Dr.. Corning said he feels spe-
cial social adjustment classes are
definitely needed. He said he
did not yet know how many
would be sought. however. No
teachers are available for them,
so new ones would have to be
hired, he said, and funds would
have to be sought for this pur-
pose.
The Commissioners may be
asked to amend the budget now
pending In Congress for the fiscal
year starting in July. DR.. Corn
ing said. II this cannot be done,
q supplemental appropriation
may be requested.
DR.. Corning said the problem
cases are mot extremely numer-
ous," but he said the number Is
sufficient to be Of very serious
concern.
"Cne child Of that kind" he
said. "can make more trouble in
q school than hundreds of other
children, in taking the time Of
teachers away from their atten-
tion to the other children.
Always q Problem.
Bad behaving and emotionally
rnaladjusted children have al
ways been a problem. but race
integration has had the effect of
bringing It to q head. Or. Corning
said,
..Inteeration has brought to
the light OF day many of these
cases he declared.
"A lot Of children have been
transferred into an entirely new
atmosphere, Quite naturally,
the IA iustrnent Of some Of those
chiI2lren TO new conditions would
be Slower Than that Of others.
particularly II they were be-
havt0r prob bleir1S before. z he said.
Dr. Corning said he felt part
Of the current problem is that
white schools have maintained
less strict discipline than coll
ored. Now, with colored youths
in q freer situation, the effect
has been that Of letting the
lid on.
DR.. Corning said a few prob
lem cases had come to his at
tention from the elementary
schools but that the situation
was more aggravated" at the
junior senior high levels.
Few. Special Glasses.
At present, there are only two
or three special classes in the
city for emotionally adjusted
secondary pupils. he said. Prin-
cipals long have been concerned
because all Of the these are only
for boys. Some schools have a
number Of girl students princi-
pals feel should be removed from
regular classes.
DR.. Corning defended at q
press conference today, the dis
ciplinary action takens by East
ern officers in the truancy case
which drew Judge Cockrill.s
criticism.
In that case, Principal John
P. Collins ordered the youth
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