Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-21
School Board
Studies District
CityCoIIeqe

The Board Of Education ha;
decided to study the possibility
Of establishing a full-scale city
college for the District.
School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing yesterday was asked to look
into possible expanding of the
present District Teachers College
to a general college for District
residents. presumably tuition
free.
The school superintendent was
asked to submit a tentative plan
including cost estimates. by next
October.
The college-expanSion move
was made at a meeting at which
the School Board also approved
new school building proposals
expected to total above $40
million.
The construction plans, num-
bering a new high school, a new
junior high, three new elemen-
tary schools and five additions
are for the fiscal year beginning
July !. 1857.
Wesley S. Williams, Negro
board member, made the college
proposal.
Cites College Need
MFR. Williams cited the Ma
tons need for increased college
facilities to accommodate ex-
panding enrolment. He asked
for a plan which can be i'm
plemented."
The suggestion was approved
unanimously. The board set an
october / deadline for DR..
Corning's report.
DR.. Corning told board mem
bers the proposal was not out
of line with the thinking Of
school officials. There have been
suggestions previously for such
a city-f1nanced college.
At a recent Senate hearing. a
Teachers College faculty mem
Der said the District is the only
area in the country where citi-
zens do not have access to a
tuition-free public college edu-
cation in a non-teachers' col
lege.
Public School Operation
District Teachers College, an
amalgamation of the former
Wilson and Miner Colleges, is
operated by the public school
system under Board of Educa-
ton supervision. The college is
now housed in two separate
buildings which school officials
are anxious to replace.
Before the merger of the two
former colleges. two new S.
million buildings were proposed
to house them. But future hous-
ing plans currently are unde-
cided.
The only surprise in the con-
struction proposals approved
yesterday was a decision to drop
a projected new Phelps Voca-
tional High School building.
The board approved a large
addition to the present Phelps.
instead OF a replacement. The
proposed addition will contain
20 shops and classrooms, a gym
nasium, an auditorium and a
new cafeteria.
Chances of getting funds for
an entirely new building were
considered too dim, according to
school officials. Also, an old
plan to convert the present
Phelps to a grade school has
now been dropped in favor of
charging nearby Young School.
Biggest New Project
Biggest of the new building
projects is new Southeast
Washington senior high. The
projected school, to be built at
Fourth and Savannah streets
Sc, will have a capacity OF
1929.
Next biggest project is a re-
placement for Hine Junior High
School.
The three proposed new
elementary buildings are a new
school at Tenth and F streets
NE, another at Texas avenue
and Burns streets Sc, and a re-
placement for the Amidon-
Greenleaf Schools in the South.
west redevelopment area.
The proposed additions, be.
sides that at Phelps. are at Taft
and Randall Junior High
Schools and Moten and Payne
Elementaries. The one at Taft
is 10 classrooms and three shops
The $40 million cost estimate
came from Mr.. RieckS. He sale
it was just a guess. The tota
might be $1l million, he said.
The building proposals are ex'
pected to have more definite
price tags attached in Angus
when the school board is SLATED
to get a full budget estimate TO
the July 1957-July 1858 fisca
year.