Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-15
School Failures Tally
By Race AskedHere
Davis Committee
Seeks Statistics
On Scholarship

Vii SSuVtuISIlIP
District school officials, at the
request of the House subcommit-
tee investigating juvenile de-
linquency here. have ordered a
survey of school failures by race
in spite of a Board of Educa-
ton policy against such racial
breakdowns.
Distribution of the school
forms was disclosed at meeting
last night of Negro leaders, or
lganized in protest of the Capitol
Hill probe.
Meanwhile. Representative Da-
Wis, Democrat of Georgia, chair
man of the special House Dis
trict investigating subcommit-
tee. announced that public hear
ings will get under way at 10
am. Wednesday, Heavy atten-
ton is expected to focus on the
effect of Indignation on Wash
lngton schools.
Distributed Wednesday
The race-by-race forms were
distributed Wednesday to teach.
ers in junior and senior high
schools, asking for figures show
ing the number Of Negro stu
dents who failed last year as
compared with white failures.
Its title is Distribution OF
Failures by Race in Junior, and
Senior High School Subjects in
June, 1856"
The forms were circulated at
the request of William Gerber,
counsel of the Davis subcommit-
tee, and returned yesterday to
the Office of Carl F. Hansen,
assistant superintendent of sem
ior high schools.
Mr.. Hansen said he ordered
1.-THE distribution, after comforting
with School Superintendent Ho-
bart M. Corning. although in
doing so l knew it was a viola
Ition of board policy"
Mr.. Hansen said he and Dr..
Corning agreed that an order
from the subcommittee repre-
sented "a superior authority to
board policy
The next board meeting is set
for next Wednesday, and there
has been no meeting, since the
Gerber request was received, Of
ficials said.
Sharpe mot Upset" III
C. Melvin Sharpe, president of
the board, said he knew nothing
of the survey. but said he was
mot upset" about the school of
ficials' decision.
Mr.. Sharpe said he had not
been in agreement with the poll
icy against keeping school rec
established by a close split vote
few weeks after the Supreme
Court decision on school inte-
grafton, he said.
Two previous exceptions to the
policy have included simple stu
dent census cards and tabula-
lions of the numbers of white
and Negro enrollees.
Issuance of the new forms was
revealed at a meeting in the
Twelfth Street YMCA of Negro
leaders who met to map their
steps Of protest against the in
lvestigation.
This QUESTIONABLE" said
Eugene Davidson, president Of
the District branch Of the Ma
tional Association for the Adj
vancement of Colored People,
the group which called the meet
ing of church and civic leaders,
will be used by the committee to
defame District Negroes"
Sees Misuse Of Figures
The QUESTIONABLE statistics
he said. would be used" by four
committee members, Represent
iatives Davis of Georgia, VIII
lliams of Mississippi, Jones of
North Carolina. all Democrats,
and Broyhill of Virginia, Repub-
lican, who are "segregationists
and signers Of the infamous
Southern Manifesto" Mr.. Da-
wilson called another meeting Of
the group for September % at
the Metropolitan Baptist Church.
Space is provided on the UNI
signed QUESTIONABLE for the to-
tai number Of students who
failed. Two other columns call
for the number of white and
Negro enrollees, separately.
which make up the total figure.
Each teacher was to sign her
name and the name OF the
school. e.+
School sources explained last
might that the forms will be
summarized" by school officials
and an overall report sent TO
Mr.. Gerber.
Earlier this year Representa-
tive Williams requested statistics
from school officials based on
race. Despite a recommends
ton from DR.. Corning that the
request be honored, the Board
of Education voted against 1t.
/ - as-a--as@a-a#r
- - nsH.