Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-10
STENNIS
I Continued From First Page

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can be expected to devote to
children in a primary class of
40 as compared to one of 80. In
the class of 40, if the children
were divided into four learning
groups. each group would get
only SO minutes of direct at
tention from the teacher a day,
With 80, each of three groups
could get an hour and three
quarters, she said.
This may not seem like a
great difference until the extra
time is multiplied by 100 school
days" said Mrs. Smell. Then
the total is Sc hours difference.
It would take the class of 40
children about 10 school days to
make it up"
Fred Lukens, executive sec
rotary of the District of Column
bia Education Association, a
teacher organization, told the
Senator the schools have IAN
extremely critical situation" He
cited achievement tests which
last year showed a fourth of the
city's 10th graders reading at
sixth grade or lower. and half
of the same group as far behind
In arithmetic.
This, he said. proves the need
for more high school teachers
to help these students and more
primary teachers to prevent
younger ones from getting so
far behind,
Stennis Shocked
Senator Stennis expressed
shock at the achievement lag.
He asked what had caused it
and how long it had been going
on. Mr.. Lukens estimated "a
number of years." adding:
They haven't been getting
the, proper attention"
If this has been going on all
these years and nothing has been
done about it, somebody's been
very delinquent" Senator STEM
mis- declared. 1T ought to come
out. in the open so we will get
this new problem and do some
thing to meet it."
Later the committee chair
man told assembled parents
who packed the hearing room
to overlooking. that he consid-
cred the achievement figures
alarming" and that 'it's going
to take more than just coming
before an appropriations COM
mittee" to remedy them.
4 think you're going to have
a complete reconsideration Of
your whole school program anc
a replanning of it." he told the
parents. His statement brought
applause.
Expansion Questioned
The legislator also questioned
the adequacy of present attempt,
to meet the city's school build
ing needs. Parents informed
him 3l8 new classrooms are il
the budget for next year. bu
that many others will still b,
crowded after these are built.
Il think you've got to have
real, definite long range buildinI
program here and divide it Vi
into years and push for it to b.
carried out" he declared.
Numerous witnesses urged tina
the Federal share of the Dis
trict's expenses be increased il
order to help meet the schoo
needs. Senator Stennis coun
tered these pleas with a WARNING
that parents also must be pre-
pared to pay more taxes, if tn
Federal share is insufficient
This was not disputed. however
Many of the parents expressed
willingness to do so, provide,
the increase was reflected in al
increased school budget.
Speakers told the Senator tn
schools, however, get less of tn
city's budget than they should
DR.. Ellis o. Haworth of American
University Park Citizens Associ
alton. said the schools have ha,
"a starvation budget" for year:
Others protested that take
had already gone up but tn
schools had not benefited.
Senator Stennis suggested tn
possibility of legislation to Civ
the citizens authority to vot
school bond issues.
John B. Gillilland. presiden
of the District Congress of Par
ents and Teachers. arrived a
the afternoon session with
resolution urging more teache
funds passed at the current con
vention of the PTA organization