Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-12
Southeast Gets
School Board
REPRESENTATION
Mrs. M. B. Petit
Known Among PTA
Members, Named
BY JAMES G. DEANE

IIlCI DOdIu VI GOOCdGAOAA DCSlIA-
ming July l.
Mrs. Manson B. Petit. wife Of
a st. Elizabeths Hospital psy-
chiatrist and a former PTA pres
ident, was appointed to the
board yesterday by the judges
of the United States District
Court for the District of Column
bia. She will succeed Miss Mary
H. Parker, whose three-year
term is expiring.
The judges reappointed two
other members. Col. West A.
Hamilton and Walter N. Tobriner
Appointment of a Southeast
observation-disclosures not that of
Mrs. Petit in particular-was
forecast several weeks ago. Judge
James R. Kirkland, who heads
the courts selection committee.
said then he was anxious to have
candidates from the Southeast
suggested by civic group.
Mrs. Petit was nominated by
the Eastern Branch Kiwanis
Club.
Known to PTA Members
An active member of the XII
Wives, Kiwanis women's auxil-
larry, the new appointee is also
we'll known among parents and
teachers.
She formerly was president of
the PTA at Kramer Junior
High School and Congress
Heights Elementary School. In
addition, for the last seven years
until this year-she worked as
a part time Office clerk at
Kramer, a job frequently filed
by parents in the Districts
school system.
She also has served as a sub
stitute teacher at Kramer.
Reached in Atlantic City,
N. j., where she is attending a
convention with her husband,
Mrs. Petit told The Star she
plans to carry out the role of
Southeast spokesman.
II think we have more than
our share of problems in the
Southeast. I feel we should have
someone to bring matters of
concern to the Southeast to the
attention of the board" she said.
Concerned Over Crowding
Among other problems the
new appointee said she is con-
cerned about crowding in
Southeast schools, particularly
at Anacostia High School.
Our population has always
been way ahead of construction -
she pointed out, asserting that
she feels the board should give
early consideration to building a
new Southwest senior high
school.
She is also very much inter-
eSted, Mrs. Petit said, in the
work of the psychiatric clinic at
Anacostia, which is sponsored by
the Kiwanis Club, and in the
need for more psychiatric service
and special classes for mentally
retarted pupils throughout the
school system.
She expressed special interest
in a new proposal, reported in
The Star yesterday, for setting
up new courses for gifted and
retarded pupils in the senior high
schools.
The new appointee, a native of
Vancouver, Wash, Is a graduate
of Oregon State College, where
she majored in home economics.
The Pettits have two children,
John w., a sophomore at Duke
University, and Mrs. Carl C,
James, whose husband is assist
ant athletic director at Duke.
Here Since 1880.
DR.. Petit joined the st. Eliza
beths staff in 1880 and the
Pettits have lived on the hospital
grounds since that time.
Mr.. Tobriner, an attorney, is
completing his first three-year
term on the board. He is chair
man of the boards personnel
committee.
Col. Hamilton, one of the
boards three colored members,
originally joined the board in
1887 and was later reappointed.
He resigned in 1943 to serve in
the Army, from which he retired
in 1949. The judges put him
back on the board again three
years ago.
Col. Hamilton was a target in
a controversy early last year.
With Wesley S. Williams, a
colored colleague, he was called
on by the head of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People here to resign
because he had disagreed with
the third colored member, DR..
Margaret j. Butcher, on policy
matters.
Mr.. Williams later was reap
pointed to a new three-year
term. DR.. Butchers term-l1er
first-has another year to run.
Both Col. Hamilton and Mr..
Tobriner have been strong ad-
vocates of giving Supt. Hobart
M. Corning independence in ad-
ministrative matters.
The other board members are
Mrs. Frank S. Phillips, Rowland
F. Kinks, Robert r. Faulkner and
c. Melvin Sharpe, president.