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

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tive williams directed some
barbs at the school administra-
ton in connection with the test
gap between the colored and
white pupils. and at testimony
that the gap caught the school
system by surprise.
Mr. Gerber asked Mr.. Cantrell: !
Don't you think the top
echelon In the school system. If
they'd been on the job. could
have foreseen the matter we're
concerned with now?"
I'D hate to say we weren't on
the job" replied Mr.. Cantrell.
grinning. I'm one of them"
Don't you think the super
intendent Of the overall system"
Mr.. Gerber pursued, should
have known what conditions
were in the Division 2 (colored)
schools?"
81 don't think there was any
way to find out all the problems
without experiencing them" Mr..
Cantrell replied.
"You could have given these
tests" Mr.. Gerber interjected.
Mr.. Cantrell agreed to this. But
he added:
II think we used almost every
means at our disposal, except
perhaps tests"
Mr.. Gerber then asked:
Don't you think the colored
administrators in Division 2
knew their students were on
grades several years below those
of Division -"
Believes They Knew
81 believe they knew" an
swered Mr.. Cantrell.
did they so inform the school
administrations" asked the
counsel.
81 don't think So" Mr.. Cam
trell said.
Representative Williams asked :
Don't you feel a school adj
ministrator-we'll say the school
superintendent and those who
set policies-who was seeking
honestly to provide separate but
equal schools. as he was charged
with the duty of providing,
would have given such a test
N order to determine the rela-
tive achievement of students in
the two divisions?"
Il think the individual schools
in both divisions had a pretty
clear idea of the achievement
of children in those particular
schools" Mr.. Cantrell replied.
The school administrator,
asked by Mr.. Williams whether
the city's school achievement
levels were not going down,
agreed they were.
No Reflection
In saying that, I hope very
sincerely it will not be taken as
a reflection on colored pupils.
think they know and we know
they were not up to Division /
schools when they were first
Iintegrated." he declared.
He said, however. that he did
not feel the school systems
standards have dropped.
In this connection he pointed
to the continued high achieve
ment record at some schools. Mr..
Gerber called this record very
commendable." Mr.. Cantrell also
ascribed falling test averages to
the increase in colored enroll
ment and drop in white.
Mr.. Cantrell declared he felt
regarding the colored achieve
ment lag. that "we1l bring them
up" But he added that this
would take enough teachers
and money"
Il hope Congress and the pub
lie will realize that" he told the
legislators.
Mrs. Cramer blamed segrega-
ition and economic deprivation
for much Of the situation.
Asked how long it would take
to equalize achievement levels,
he said "a good number OF
years"
The director Of instruction OF
Washington's elementary schools
yesterday told congressional in.
Investigators she believed the city'i
colored teachers ''in general are
mot as satisfactory" as its white
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-
Inied that the city's good teach
ers of either race have lowered
their standards because Of in
tegration.
Mrs. Cramer said that she wal
not surprised at the difference
between some colored teacher.
and those of the white schools
She pointed out that colored per.
sons in Washington for many
years were denied opportunitie:
readily available to white
people. I" such as attending white
Itheaters 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 moi
admit colored people.
Queried on Booker T.
Mr.. Williams asked, did you
ever hear of any shows being
given for white people at the
Booker T.?" The Booker T. il
a theater on U street NV. in 9
Epredominantly colored neighbor.
hood. Wouldn't you call thai
discrimination" he also asked
Mrs. Cramer disagreed.