Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-29
Move 10 Pare
Retarded Pupil
Funds Blasted
BY JAMES G. DEANE

1UlIUS OhUJIVU
BY JAMES G. DEANE
Congress today had plenty of
evidence from organized citizens
that they want funds for teach
ing retarded children restored
to the District school budget.
Thirty-two civic leaders last
night paraded before the House
District Appropriations Subcom-
mittee to register their reactions
to 1866 city spending plans.
All but five of the witnesses
urged restoration Of the re-
tarded-pupil funds. Most also
underscored the need for other
special teachers and expressed
concern at other cuts by the
Commissioners in the proposed
school appropriation.
Budget Is Big Topic
The school budget was the
main subject Of the session.
Another group of witnesses is
scheduled to testify On other
aspects of the city budget at 1880
o'clock tonight.
Representative Rabaut, Demo-
crat, Of Michigan and three
other committee members-Rep-
resentatives Passman Of Louisi-
ana and hatcher of Kentucky,
Democrats, and Wilson, Repub-
lican, Of Indiana-listened to the
citizen pleas last night.
Mr.. Rabaut. subco ON m ittee
chairman, gave no indication as
to how the pleas would be
treated. He told several wit
nesses he was gratif1ed to see
them taking such an interest in
school problems, however, and in
one such case he specifically re-
ferred-with apparent sympathy
to the retarded pupils.
The Commissioners, before the
pending budget was sent to Con-
gress, detected $225,155 intended
to provide so special elementary
teachers-the only additional
teachers requested by the public
school system this year. Twenty
one of the teachers were for the
retarded, seven for speech cor
rection, eight for remedial read
ing, three for shut-ins and the
rest for special subjects now in
adequately stated, including
music, art and science.
This deletion was the main
focus at last nights hearing.
Spokesman after spokesman
from parent, teacher and other
organizations deplored it as
harmful to the schools and the
community at large and urged
its reversal.
Among the groups protesting
the slash were the District Con-
gress of Parents and Teachers,
the city's largest educational
body, and the Education Asso-
citation Of the District and CO.
lumbar Educational Associa-
ton, the biggest teacher groups.
Mrs. Richard Radue, legisla-
tive chairman of the PTA Con-
gress, made one of the strongest
statements. She said that re-
tarded children urgently need
to be separated from normal
pupils because both groups suf-
fer when they are together.
Mrs. Radue pointed out that
the school system now has more
than 1000 retarded pupils in
regular classes. This was first
disclosed by The Star in an ar
ticle three months ago. Most
of these children, Mrs. Radue
pointed out, cannot read or
write.
The PTA leader also called for
restoration of $10,408 for two
school psychologists needed 10
work with children emotionally
Ill. This plea was also echoed by
q number of other witnesses.
Burdens Teachers
Mrs. Radue and other speak
ers stressed that failure to pro-
vide for handicapped and dis
turbed children adequately low
ers school standards, burdens
teachers, deprives many children
Of the best education and leads
directly to delinquency nnd
crime or relief rolls.
Two witnesses proposed cuts
elsewhere In the city budget to
provide more money for the
schools. DR.. Ellis Haworth,
president of the Northwest
Council Of Citizens Associations,
suggested eliminating the pro-
posed Constitution avenue
bridge, q tuberculosis hospital and
other items totaling STAT mil
hon. Garland E. Taylor, presi-
dent Of the American University
Park Citizens Association, also
questioned need Of the bridge
and hospital.