Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-23
School Hearinq
Hit Group
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or no interest in determining the
full facts respecting the District
schools.
They appear to be uncon-
cerned about the solution of the
serious problems confronting our
school system such as overcrowd-
ing. inadequate teaching stats
and lack of facilities.
Therefore a number of citi-
ZenS active in District affairs
have joined together in order
that the voice of the community
may be heard. 1t is imperative
that both the progress that has
been made and the problems
which need attention be made
known to the city and the coun-
try as a whole"
The new committee, it was
learned from a member. actually
has been functioning informally
for several weeks. Members have
been gathering facts about the
city'S school operations in con-
nection with the current House
investigation.
Hearings Followed Closely
Mr. Van Arkel, in a prelimi-
nary disclosure of the commit
tees plans on Friday. said the
group is following the House
hearings closely and expects
eventually to issue its own report
Tilford E. Dudley, assistant
director of the committee on
political education of the ALL
CLIO and a member of the COM
mittee. said the group plans to
make its own evaluation of
Washington indignation. which
has been the focal point in the
House hearings.
Mr.. Dudley declared that his
group believes that 1.-The Davis
committee is conducting a biased
study" His committee. he said
lis going to try to conduct an
honest study
Other Committee Members
The membership of the new
committee includes the following
besides Mr.. Van Arkel and Mr.
Dudley:
Edward Burling, jr., chairman
of the District Citizens for Els
enhower; James A. Cobb, former
Municipal Court Judge; DR.. A,
Powell Davies, pastor Of All
Souls Unitarian Church; Charles
Donahue, president, Washington
chapter, Americans for Demo-
cratic Action; F. Joseph Dono-
hue, campaign manager for Sem
ator Kefauver of Tennessee, and
former District Commissioner.
Also, Mrs. Todd Duncan, for
mer ADA Washington chairman;
Robert Eicholz, George Fleming,
= Mrs. Alfred Friendly, Rabbi Nor
man Gerstenfeld of the Wash
ington Hebrew Congregation,
Mrs. J. Borden Hartman, long
time Democratic national COM
mitteewoman; Alexander Halves,
attorney: Mrs. Henry Gichner,
Melvin Hildreth, Democratic ma
tional committeeman.
Also, Dr.. Mordecai johnson,
president of Howard University;
Joseph D. kaufman, Mrs. Eugene
Meyer, wife of the chairman of
the board of the Washington
Post and Times Herald; Robert
D. Nathan. Democratic Central
Committee member: DR.. John
j. O'Connor, Georgetown Uni
versity faculty member; Joseph
L. Rauh, national chairman,
Americans for Democratic Ac-
ton Victor Reuther; Seymour
J. Rubin: the Very Rev. Francis
B. Sayre, Dean of Washington
Cathedral. G, Rowland Shaw
and the Rev. Albert P. Shirley.
pastor of Mount Vernon Place
Methodist Church and president
of the Washington Federation
Of Churches.
Interested Citizens Invited
The committees announcement
invited citizens interested in join
ing to write the Washington
Committee for the Public
Schools, P. o. Box 1918, Wash
ington, D. c.
The Davis subcommittee con-
Quoting the House inquiry con-
sists predominantly Of Southern
members. Its staff. headed by
William Gerber. Memphis at
torney. also is mostly Southern.
The announced purpose Of the
inquiry is to study juvenile
delinquency and lowered stand
ards in District public schools.
But a series Of witnesses. mostly
school teachers and principals.
who appeared at hearings on
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
were questioned almost exclu-
sively about integystion and its
problems
All the witnesses, il is under
stood had been interviewed
privately in advance. and the