Evening star., 1955-06-22
Wider Pupils Freedom
In School Choice Asked
BY JAMES D. DEANE

The Federation of Citizens As
sociation today asked the Board
of Education to allow Washing
ton public school publis more
freedom in choosing schools to
attend.
| Ralph E. Cushman, education
chairman of the organization,
told the board the boundary Sysy
TEN, under which the schools
are now operating on a racially-
integrated basis. is causing hard
ships because it is too rigid.
| He said that while school
officials have granted some ex-
Iceptions to boundary rules. not
enough exceptions are being al
lowed and that this is causing
transportation problems, divid-
ing children of the same families
and bringing property instability.
Mr.. Cushman, who put in an
appearance at the boards
monthly meeting, urged that the
board reconsider the present
boundary rules next month.
Decision Cited
He asked that the board note
the fact that the Supreme Court,
in it's recent desegregation de-
cree. did not stipulate that boun-
diaries for integration should be
fixed, or children be required to
stay within them.
The board took no action on
Mr.. Cushman's request. Last
year, the citizens federation un-
successfully protested the fixed
boundaries to the U. S. District
Court for the District of Co
Ilumbia. The school system
granted some 400 exceptions
from the boundaries to both
white and colored children dur
ing the past school year. and a
special committee is consider
ing requests for similar excep-
tions for next fall. Some al
ready have been granted.
| The School Board, meanwhile.
was slated to take up a last
minute switch in administrative
Iintegration plans.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing yesterday informed the
board he is dropping plans to
name new permanent depart
ment chairmen.
Instead, he proposed a scheme
for alternating department
chairmen on an annual basis
and dividing their duties.
The switch in plans was dis
closed at a closed meeting OF
the boards personnel committee
lat which several key appoint
ments also were approved. These,
it was learned afterwards, in
clude the naming of Lynn F.
Woodworth as principal at East
Iern Junior Senior High School,
succeeding John Paul Collins
who is retiring July 81.
Action Today
The appointments are sub
ject to final action at today's
board meeting.
The status of present dual de-
partment chairmen-half from
the former white division and
half from the colored-has been
hanging fire for several months
DR.. Corning some time ago OBJ
tanned board approval for plan
under which the present heads
would be retained. but with one
becoming chairman and the
other assistant chairman in
most cases. The two jobs were
to continue until either lncum-
bent retired, when one job would
be eliminated.
I In English, history and mathe-
mates, however. DR.. Corning
proposed keeping two persons
permanently. because of the
large number of teachers in
each of these fields.
Yesterday, board members re-
ported, the superintendent an
nounced he had changed HIS
mind and decided to alternate
the chairmanships in each de-
partment. He also told members
that the craftsmanship would be
onl va nominal status, for ad-
ImirffStrative convenience, and
that no present department head
would suffer any real loss Of au-
thority at any time.
DR.. Corning already had as
Isured the department heads they