Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-12
Congress
Calls for Funds
Toad Schools
Would Roise Wages
Of Teachers, Set Up
Other Services

The District Congress of Par
ents and Teachers today called
for sufficient appropriations to
raise teachers salaries. reiuce
the teacher-pupil ratio and es-
tablish psychiatric services in the
schools.
The convention supported eff
forts being made to raise addi-
tional revenue in the District by
increased taxes and a larger
Federal contribution to insure
improvement of the school sys-
tenn.
In another action today. the
convention rejected a bylaws
amendment which would have
limited those qualified to hold
Office in the congress to District
residents, except for District
public school employees.
Many delegates expressed the
view that a person living in
nearby Maryland or Virginia and
paying tuition to send children
to the Districts schools should
not be prevented from holding
office in the congress.
Told of Reform Work
The congress was told yester-
day that the Commissioners
Youth Council has begun a re-
form movement among teen-age
gangs.
Council members have be-
come concerned with the grow
ing problem of relatively new
and highly mobile drive-in res
taurant gangs" Mrs. Nina B.
Trevvett. executive director OF
the council said.
Area boards of the council
are attempting to change the
gang-type of group activity into
constructive social clubs as part
of the emphasis on prevention
of delinquency, Mrs. Trevvett
said.
She was one of a panel Of
speakers discussing problems of
Sabotage children during the
5Oth anniversary convention in
the Willard Hotel.
Room Neighb0rhOOds
Mrs. Trevvett said Washing
ton does not have "gun-carrying
gangs as other cities have" But
Che loosely knit groups of teen
ayers roam neighborhoods with
no constructive outlet for their
energies, she added. -
Another panelist, Hugh Smith,
principal of Jefferson Junior
High School raised a similar
point in discussing the problem
of informal clubs" of young
sters which lack adult super
vision.
Mr.. Smith said young people
have expressed concern over the
letting down of the moral tone"
in the community and in the
home. Cursing and profanity in
the home and in public places
is increasing and these young
people realize it," he said.
DR.. Charles Bish, principal of
Mckinley High School, said
young people today appear to
have a greater sensitivity to the
spiritual side of life" The home
and the community should seek
to FLY develop this sensitivity,
he said.
An important factor in con-
trolling delinquency is the in
tegration of the local school
system, DR.. Bish said.
Milo F. Christensen, superin-
tendent of the District Recrea-
ton Department, stressed the
need for family recreation as well
as organized community recrea-
ton in filling the leisure time OF
young people.
Mrs. Agnes Arnold, assistant
principal of Mcfarland Junior
High, told the group. school stu
dents polled at Mcfarland were
agreed that delinquency begins
in the home. These children
realized, she said, that the ex-
ample and training of their par
ents played an important role
in their development.
During luncheon session, the
organization was addressed by
Mrs. Raymond Clapper, director
of the Washington Office OF