Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-15

which is to reduce class sizes. Dis
trict educators want to establish in
place of So an average of 80 for
elementary classes the standard
already in Maryland, Virginia and
many other places. The White
House report went even farther,
mentioning favorably a standard of
IS.
Big CIosses-Poor Schooling
The national group gave the
same reason as District educators
for this stand-a conviction that it
is the only way to assure every child
a fair deal and the country proper
ly educated citizens. This reason
ing is currently reinforced in the
District by tests that have proved
that many children in classes in
the Dos and 40s are not being edu-
Gated we'll.
The White House committee also
said it was convinced that this
standard-and better schools gen.
orally - are a demand of the
country's citizens. and that they
will insist on having it met.
Signs Of this demand have been
cropping up here at public hearings.
enough to persuade Congress to add
some teachers to the pending school
budget.
A few months ago, calloused city
budgeterS were doubtless startled
when John B. Gilliland, president
Of the District Congress of Parents
and Teachers, said he would be
willing to have his taxes upped If
the proceeds went to the schools.
Even a Cengressman's wife -
whose offspring get their educa-
ton without benefit of District
taXes-urged a looSening of the
Federal purse.
Last week, at a public meeting
here, parents stood up and de-
manded that the constituted
authorities do something to ease
the school pinch. One mother COM
mented that highways might wait
but growing children would not.
The budget. though, hasn't yet
felt very much of the impact. For
one reason, the city is poor. For
another, it is voteless and citizens
can't enforce their will. For third,
the District Commissioners have
only lately come to recognize, APP
parently, that the city schools have
ha
ing to live up to President Eisen-
hower's wish that they serve as
a national model on indignation.
Moreover, one commissioner -
Brig Gen Thomas A. Lane, an
Army engineer-has taken the view.
apparently, that the local problems
can be solved by reorganization,
and he has proposed meeting the
main one-Serious achievement lags
by retesting the city's 100000
pupils and demoting or promoting
them to indicated grade levels. He
also has questioned the need for
smaller classes. suggested that
gyms. auditoriums and cafeterias
are desirable but not essential"
and pumped strongly for a So
teacher cutback in high schools.
No FoIlow-Up in Sight
Commissioner Robert E. Nc
Laughlin, who just became head of
the Board of Commissioners, re-
Gently indicated that the Commits
sioners have no intention of APP
pointing any committee to follow up
on the Districts White House re-
port. He explained that it was felt
such group might come into con-
f1ict with the Board of Education,
although there is some suspicion
that the Commissioners are really
more wary of possible conflict in
volving themselves.
The dormant status of the report
recalls another Washington school
blueprint-the report of the Strayer
survey made eight years ago. A
committee headed by DR.. George
D. Strayer Of Columbia University
spent year going over the school
system and came up with much
the same conclusions as the Fleming
group. But in eight years basic con-
ditions have hardly changed, and
the report is still gathering dust.
Gen. Lane, who recently said he
hasn't read the Strayer report,
would solve everything by shutting
teachers and pupils and apparently
pulling the financial strings even
tighter. But school officials seem to
think the situation might require
somewhat different measures.
To some it seems slightly strange
that Washington should be looking
in one direction when the rest of
the country. on the basis of the re-
port to the White House, seems to
be looking in the other.