Evening star., 1956-12-04
ZeIIers Predicts
No Tax Rise in
5-Yeor Proposal
BY JAMES G. DEANE

1eacnerS COoay VOJeo unanimous
support for School Superintend-
ent Hobart M. Corning's new $40
million school construction plan.
Deputy Superintendent Charles
N. zellers told the PTA leaders
school officials hope to get Board
of Education approval for the
plan and submit it to the Com
missioners next week.
Mr.. Zellers predicted that the
plan would not bring a rise in
taxes. and might reduce them.
Spokesman for the city's PTAS
lined up solidly at a hearing last
night for the Corning proposed
flve-year school expansion pro-
gram based on borrowing.
Witnesses repeatedly attacked
present District pay-as-you-go
school construction, complaining
it is not remedying overcrowd-
ing. The session heard charges
that the District Commissioners,
and Congress. have been tight
listed" and 4"pussyfooting" on
school financing.
Larger Glasses Opposed
There was also unfavorable
comment on a recent suggestion
by Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Lane,
Engineer Commissioner, report
edly in the nature of tuial ball
Iloon-that the city hire teacher
aides to make classes larger and
avoid new construction.
Russell N. Shoemaker. legis-
Ilative chairman of the District
Congress of Parents and Teach
ers, said the aide plan would
require building larger class.
rooms, Mrs. Henry Munroe, pres
ident of the League of Women
Voters said her organization
would vigorously oppose such .
plan.
j Later, DR.. Ellis o. Haworth, .
representative of the Janney
PTA and American University
Park Citizens Association and q
professor at District Teachers
college. was applauded when he
declared:
Its the prerogative Of the
Board of Education to determine
teaching procedures, class size
land SO on, and not to allow the
District Commissioners to as.
sumo that prerogative."
The hearing was attended by
: more than 100 persons repre-
, Isenting various parent and civic
groups. The session was called
by the Board of Education,
} which is expected to consider the
Corning plan next Monday or
! shortly aftereafter.
Pressure Demanded
Mr.. Shoemaker led the long
procession of PTA leaders who
/ attacked present financing and
, demanded strong pressure on the
| Commissioners and Congress for
the new plan.
The PTA legislative chairman
: called school construction under
the present city works program
; Tagging and grossly inadequate"
' He opposed as "unthinkable" q
proposal-also made by Com
] missioner Lane-that the Corn.
: ing plan be held up for a restudy
!. of the entire works program.
John B. Gillilland, PTA con-
gress president. also promised
PTA support for the school pro-
posal. He said he disagreed with
assertions that 1t would put the
city "on a big spending spree"
Several projects in the Corning
plan also won special indorse-
I ment. Witnesses backed proposed
. construction Of a new teachers
college. a consolidated vocational
+ high school. and remodeling Of
Armstrong High School as a new
y occupational school.
Student Voices Plea
Among those urging replace
ment Of the present two Ceach-
ers' college buildings was
Thomas Held. 19-year-old
sophomore class chairman ct
the college, who declared:
Remember. we are future
s teachers and taxpayers. Many
students are taxpayers now"
= Mr.. Gillilland indorsed q plan
: to build a new central school
y administration building.
. Mrs. Max j. Fischer, a parent
from the Oyster Elementary
J. School. was the witness who
e leveled the charge Of pussy
footing" on past school
financing.
She complained that the city's
children ARE growing up." as
serting:
IF we fool around too long.
they'll be gone and it'll be too
late TO do anything about t."
Louis J. Perlstein Of the Keene
! ! PTA declared that projects
needed several years ago hadn't
: been taken care Of because Of the
"tight-fisted policy" Of the COM
misaioners and Congress. Mrs.
: Jack 0ottsegen, representing the
: National Council Of Jewish
!, Women. said growing children
cannot mark time and wait for
: adequate classroom space"
} Wants Half From Congress
q Mr. Perlstein proposed that the
: 25-year-loan asked BY Or. Cor
: ming be sought from the Federal
Government interest-free. and
D also that Congress be asked 70
4 pay half the building program 8
! cost.
: Mrs. Melvin Lore. representing
Z eight PTAs In the Northwest
z sction Of the city. complained
y that al eight schools are over
q crowded and are getting more 70.
9 She said parents are looking %
{ the school board 70 remedy the
isitiiatlou.