Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-29

HOt dS satisfactorily as lJS Wnlte
teachers.
But Mrs. Bessie w. Cramer,
who worked her way UP in the
city's white schools, said the
city has excellent teachers of
both races. And she firmly de-
MED that the city's good teach
ers Of either race have lowered
their standards because Of in
tegration.
She blamed publicity about
alleged lowered standards for
frightening" some parents into
transferring their children to
private schools or moving to the
suburbs. The current congress
sional inquiry was officially set
up to investigate lowered stand
ards" in the District schools.
Mrs. Cramer testified she had
been shocked" by the differences
she found after indignation be-
tween the educational and social
status Of white and colored
children.
Big Responsibility Cited
She told the subcommittee it
had been a terrific experience
for many Of ds" to assume the
responsibility for coping with
the large numbers of problems
brought by indignation.
Il certainly never dreamed
that such conditions existed
among children" she said. She
said white teachers had found
colored children deprived of
things 1--WE just take for granted
for our children"
Mrs. Cramer continued:
I'VE found many Negro chill
dren had no concept of home.
They didn't have a mother, or
they didn't have a father. When
asked who takes care of them
they said, Well, Helen"
! She told how a white teacher,
used to working with slow chill
ldren, said:
you just don't know where
to start. You have nothing on
which to build"
/ Mrs. Cramer blamed segrega-
ton and economic deprivation
for much Of the situation.
Help Seen in Indignation
| Asked how indignation had
helped such children. she said:
/ II think we've been able to do
ia great deal toward giving that
child a place where he feels Sc
cure, is respected and loved"
Mrs. Cramer testified she felt
the schools would have been able
ito meet such problems more eff
Ifectively. however. If there had
been more effort to acquaint
teachers with them before inte-
3gration. One thing that would
Ehaye helped would have been
extensive citywide tests, she said,
| She said it had been mot un-
usual" for colored children to
come into formerly all-white
schools with AS and B's and to
be found on an achievement
level considerably inferior, on
the basis Of white standards.
But then. it's understandable.
II you, are completely disassoci-
ated from one another it is very
difhcult to have the same stand
ards"
'Retraining" Advocated
| She praised what she termed
the magnificent performance
and wonderful spirit" of both
colored and white teachers. But
she said the school system ur-
gently needs more supervisors
flor "retraining" colored teachers
who have not been up to needed
standards. She also urged smaller
lclasseS.
1 She said Washington is trying
to do with seven supervisors what
Baltimore feels requires rs.
/ Mrs. Cramer said that she was
mot surprised at the difference
between some colored teachers
land those of the white schools.
She pointed out that colored per-
sons in Washington for many
years were denied opportunities
readily available to white
people" such as attending white
|theaters and concert halls.
! She said it had been impoS-
sible for colored teachers to see
broadway shows. This brought
reference to the fact the Ma
tional Theater. formerly the only
place where such shows were
presented here. for years did not
admit colored people.
/ Queried on Booker T.
Mr.. williams asked, did you
lever hear Of any shows being
lgiven for white people at the
Booker T.?" The Booker T. is
Ia theater on U street NV. in a
lpredominantly colored neighbour
Ihood. Wouldn't you call that
discrimination" he also asked.
Mrs. Cramer disagreed.
She also urged more freedom
flor children to attend schools
Iof their choice. She explained
1T is disturbing to see one colored
child in a class room Of white
pupils or one white child in a
class room OF colored pupils.
She said the city is having diff