Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-02
d. c. School Hearings Halt for Time
After Corning Plea for More Teachers

OF predomlnantly white schools
in "well-to-do neighborhoods'
with predominantly Negro
schools which Dr.. Corning said
were in areas on a lower eco
nomic level. Poorer neighbour
hoods lack educational advan-
tages, he said.
The investigators questioned
DR.. Corning extensively on
whether the city'S former colored
schools were financed on an
equal basis with the white. DR..
Corning said they were not. He
said the school administration
was not able to obtain enough
funds either to staff or house the
city's colored school children
equally.
Blames Commissioners
Asked by Mr.. Williams whether
Congress or the Commissioners
had denied requested funds, DR..
Corning pointed to the city
heads. He said he was not being
too critical" of them, however,
because they had to keep the
city's budget in balance.
An argument about how much
Washington spends on its
schools in comparison with other
large cities of the country de-
veloped between Mr.. Gerber and
DR.. Corning.
Mr.. Gerber said that, while
w a shington was spending
$307.S0 per pupil per year, De-
troit was spending $321.80, but
for a larger number of pupils
and a longer school year. He
said Houston and Dallas, Tex,
spend less.
Mr.. Gerber also said in Balti-
more and Memphis, Tenn, per
pupil costs are less.
DR.. Corning replied that for
the 10 cities of 100000 or more,
Washington ranks in 18th place,
and added:
THAT is not an enviable place
for the Nations Capital"
Teacher salaries also came UP,
with Mr.. Gerber suggesting that
they were pretty good here
and so there should be some
pretty good teaching.
Favors Higher Pay
DR.. Corning agreed but said
pay here Ought to be more"
Washington, he said, is not at
the top in the pay scales among
the largest cities.
Mr.. Gerber repeatedly asked
DR.. Corning about a quoted re-
mark that Washington schools
were operating on a "shoestring. /"
DR.. Corning said that he may
have been "overenthusiastic" in
that remark but asked Mr.. Ger
Der to look into the District cost
Of living.
Mr.. Gerber, in response, cited
figures to show that the average
income of residents Of the Dis
trict was $2,324 or the fourth
highest in the Nation.
You seem to be doing well
here" he said.
But what about the cost of
living here?" insisted DR.. Corn
ing.
We'll. the cost of living may
be a little higher here but the
average income is greater" re-
piled Mr.. Gerber.
Cheating Issue Raised
Mr.. Williams brought UP re-
ports of wholesale cheating" by
students at the integrated Dis
trict Teachers College. DR.. Corn
ing said he had ordered an effort
to find out what this amounted
to but that he was unable to
pin down exact proof.
Those in the class involved
who had passing grades, Dr.
Corning said. we're allowed to be
graduated.
so. presumably, some OF the
cheating students now were
engaged as teachers in the
schools here?" asked Mr.. will
Hams. DIT. Corning said that
was possibility but that since
exact proof was lacking and that
much OF the testimony about
the cheating was hearsay. he
didn't know.
DR.. Corning was questioned or
what part President Eisenhower
played In the decision TO launch
Washington integration after
the Supreme Courts May. 1854,
decision.
He said there was no direct
! Communication from the White