Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-09
FIRST YEAR
.Rumors Were Worse
Than What Happened

cases. He added there
was nothing about the situation
that could not be corrected.
The school had one problem
student who was particularly diff
ficult. This was a 15-year-old
who refused to attend classes
and otherwise behaved badly.
This included annoying other
students. The case got some
publicity when Juvenile Court
Judge Edith Cockrill, who was
dealing with the boy as q ruri-
away from home, criticized Mr..
Collins for assigning him to the
school greenhouse,
Lack Psychiatric Service
The youth has since turned
16 and has been dropped from
school. His case, however. was
cited by officials as an instance
of the schools systems serious
lack Of adequate special facilities
for such problem pupils. The
schools have neither a psychic
atric service nor enough special
classes needed for a abnormal
children. they pointed out.
Junior high schools, however.
have some special classes for
children with emotional prob
lens. Ofiicials in some cases have
assigned children to them or
transferred them elsewhere when
they caused difficulty.
Eastern officials, despite the
schools behavior problems, said
they felt some persons had an
Exaggerated idea Of them. MI.
Collins said:
ITS just as good q school as
lit ever was"
Supersensitive TO Incidents
Schools were supersensitive
during the past year not only
about knives, but on many other
matters that during any other
year would have drawn littie
notice. For instance. a girl who
made q threatening remark to q
teacher who was scolding her
was Immediately transferred to
another junior high, although
officials believed the threat was
merely talk.
During McKinley's strike
there was a rumor that some Of
the schools new students were
passing around calling cards and
asking for dates. The rumor
boiled down to an apparently in
nocent case Of one student who ,
printed a few cards in the print
shop, some of which got into the
hands OF students who didn't
know him.
Another apparently harmless
incident. In which an Office clerk
|at Mckinley was hit apparently
accidentally by q student from
Langley junior high next door.
was magnified into a whole
|rogue's gallery Of alarming re-
ports. There was nothing to any
|of them, according to Dr.. Bish.
Act TO Protect Girls Il
Two or three schools during
the year reported individual
students acted extensively toward
girls. Principals dealt firmly with
such cases. At Mckinley Dr..
Bish said there were reports that
the new students had organized
their own policing to make sure
Objectionable conduct did not
occur. If this was true. he said,
the system worked very well. =
Having integrated faculties
helped. principals said. and par
|ents frequently pitched in. too.
One elementary principal said q
|colored mother co-operated
somewhat too fully by coming to
school and slapping her daugi1-
ter with ruler after she had
admitted a petty theft.
Some principals and counselofs
said they had more than normal
difficulties with such things as
thefts. Schools in better neigh
borhoods did not, however.
Other schools have always had
such a problem.
Most of the schools serious
behavior problems stem from une
set homes, emotional disturb9
ances and lack Of means to givp
them adequate attention, onS
principal said. The schools could
do a great deal to eliminate
them, he said, with more funds
and more teachers. He added,
however, that some problems 60
beyond the schools into the
community.
SUNDAY: Academic standards.
standards.