Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-29
ss655i SEAJHI SrB,qBI1er cIo..e.
Would Help Indignation in District

Continued From First Page
grafton pattern as a model for
other places. in view of current
achievement and other problems.
Mr.. Cantrell answered the last
question by stating that II there
was "a thorough study and un-
derstanding" Of the problems in
advance, then no doubt there
would be a much smoother
operation Of indignation in those
communities" Without such
study. he said. 1T would no
doubt be a mistake"
He added that integration
here had made "a tremendous
impact"
Although we had worked to-
gether at the top level, we had
not understood the problems
that existed in the classrooms, I"
he said.
Mr.. Cantrell, who formerly
headed the city's white Junior
highs and now heads all OF
them, blamed the gap between
Negro and white test standings
on economic and social differ
ences,
Background Lacking
For the most part, he said,
the city's colored children don't
have the cultural background or
economic background" to COM
pete with white children coming
from better homes, although he
stressed that some of the city's
formerly all-white schools are
also in poor neighborhoods.
Those schools have had lower
achievement records than schools
in better sections, too, he noted.
The school administrator
stressed that the junior highs
have always organized their
classes according to ability, so
that the brighter pupils won't
be handicapped by sitting next
to slow ones.
He was quizzed, nevertheless,
on why pupils trailing as low as
fourth grade or worse-as shown
on the charts-had been pro-
Imoted to eighth grade, and how
they could be taught when they
got there.
For Social Reasons
Mr.. Cantrell said there was a
social" reason for the promo
tions.
ut is not educationally sound
to keep a child in the fourth or
fifth grade. even though mentally
he is on that grade level. when
he's IL, Is. IA. Is years of age"
The school Official told the
committee he thought it could
understand the reason if it could
Imagine the embarrassment and
disappointment a l4-year-old boy
or girl would feel in an elemen-
tary fourth grade, towering over
all the other children and re-
|ceiving the jibes all the other
children would poke at him."
Such a pupil. he added, would
almost inevitably become a real
social or behavior problem.
The school administrator adj
mitted that such children are
actually fourth-grade children
housed in a junior high school.
But many of them. he told the
investigators. haven't the capa-
city to go above the fourth grade
If we keep them in school for
ever, Therefore. he said. sit
isn't necessarily the teachers
fault If they don't advance with
the rest of the class"
For the extremely retarded,
junior highs have separate
classes where students are
taught apart from others, he
POINTED out. And for all pupils
far behind grade level, special
textbooks written down" by the
publishers are used so the pupils
can master them, he explained.
Would Permit Dropping
Mr.. CantrelI admitted, under
questioning from Representative
Williams, Democrat of Missis-
lsippi, that he felt some students
should not be in school at all.
He said he would favor a revision
lof the existing District compul-
sorry schooling law SO that prin-
lcipals could have more leeway
in dropping such students.
The present law requires
school attendance until 16. ex-
cept with the granting of a spe-
cial work permit. starting at H.
There has been no official move
to change it.
Mr.. Cantrell declared he
thought there are "a great num-
Der of children so constructed
Iemotionally and mentally that
their interest and the interest
of society would be better served
if they would drop out Of school,
land go to work."
Mr.. Gerber and Representa-.