Evening star., 1955-05-18
By JAMES G. DEANE

washington elementary schools
have been told to give special
care to promotions this spring.
Principals have been advised
that promotions are not to be
automatic but should be decided
on an individual basis. with the
chief concern being each child's
needs.
Disclosure Of the promotion
move came in the wake of let
ter made public by the Washing
ton Teachers Union yesterday
reporting that some teachers had
been told to promote pupils to
reduce the number Of failures.
The union said it was not clear
on promotion policies and asked
Supt. Hobart M. Corning for an
explanation.
School officials promptly stated
no instructions for easing pro-
motions had been issued by
school headquarters.
Policy Memorandum
It was also disclosed that prin-
cipals, last week, were given an
eight-point memorandum on
promotion policy, making it clear
that children could, and in some
cases should, be kept back.
The teachers union, in its
letter, said a number of teachers
at various levels of the school
system had reported they had
been instructed to promote pu-
pills either from grade to grade
or in a particular subject in Or
der to reduce failures.
Miss Marion Magruder, presi-
dent, said the letter resulted
from a meeting last Wednesday.
Only one specific recent in
stance was cited at the meeting,
Miss Magruder said. This, she
said, was a case in which an
elementary teacher submitted
list of pupils she proposed to
keep back next month, but re-
portedly was told by the prin-
cipal:
you can't keep back that
many, it wouldn't do"
Sl0w-learnerS
Miss Magruder said the pupils
in question were slow-learners
and the teacher felt they should
be kept back to learn "at least
what they are supposed to learn
In first grade"
Apparently there has been a
tendency in the past and still
is now to push them on" Miss
Magruder told The Star. adding
that similar complaints had
often been made at union meet
tngs.
Another union member said
principals tend to put on pres
sure if their schools show too
many failures in comparison
with others. Failures are re-
ported in statistics distributed
periodically through the school
system.
Miss Magruder said she did
not believe pressure from prin-
cipals to keep failures down was
widespread, but she said the
union wanted a Qualification on
policy. The letter suggested that
If there is no policy at present.
a committee should be named by
DR.. Corning to develop one.
Assistant Supt. Edith A. Lyons,
who has charge of elementary
schools, said she did not know
Of the case the union reported.
Miss Lyons said the school
system always has had a policy
of retaining children when it is
necessary. She also said the
question of promotions and re-
tentions has been under discus
sion at principals meetings since
early last winter.
Careful Study Advised
One principal recently told her
she might have more retentions
this year than usual, Miss Lyons
said. The principal was in
structed to study the cases care
fully and be sure she was justi-
fed in keeping the pupils back,
she added.
Miss Lyons said she could not
yet predict how many children
may be kept back at the end of
this term, although preliminary
estimates are now under study
In connection with next falls
organization plans.
Another official, however, pre-
dicted the number may be some