Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-25
Integrotion Going WeIIot Toft School
After Eorly Problems, Probe Is Told

That's just good administra-
ton" he asserted.
Representative Davis who heads
the investigating subcommittee,
told DR.. Corning yesterday that
the committee was not prepared
at that time to 60 generally into
the operation Of the school sys-
tenn.
1t has been indicated that DR..
Corning will be asked to testify
eventually, but Mr.. Davis said q
number Of principals and teach
ers are still to be heard. The
chairman said the hearings may
continue into next week.
Two teachers from Stuart jun
Tor High School, Fourth and E
streets NE, not far from
Capitol Hill. were among wit
nesses yesterday afternoon.
Miss Lillian c. Parham, who
teaches social studies, told the
investigators both disciplinary
and teaching problems have
grown since indignation.
On the disciplinary side, she
said there have been problems
of obscene notes and writing on
the walls, more than the school
used to have.
COlDred Pupils Lag
She also said colored young
isters are generally behind whites
In their school work. Some sew
Isnth-graders last year were read
ing in the second, third or fourth
grade, she said. adding Ehe had
to teach reading and spelling in
her social studies classes.
DO you think standards over
there have had to be lowered?a
Mr.. Gerber asked.
Eyes, definitely" she said.
The Stuart teacher said the
youngsters In two sections last
year averaged 10 In los, when
she was accustomed to 90 OF
100. She didn't specify whether
her customary sections have
been higher grade students
however. The city's junior high
sections are organized according
to 10.
Miss Parham gave great credit
| to her principal and other SUI
periors for taking the schools
problems, especially disciplinary
problems. in hand and coping
with them, however.
Absenteeisn1 Checked
She said the school was
making good Roadway against
absenteeism, making one of the
hest records insthe city last year
She also said she still had quite
q few white children in hei
Glasses despite the fact that the
neighborhood has been losing
white families for some years.
Asked whether she thought
integration had gone too fast
she said she felt It would have
been easier s Il had been more
gradual.
Howard L. Crawford of stew,
! art said:
zone Of the things that sur.
lprised me was that we had very
few Incidents between colorec
boys and girls and white boy
and girls.
Asked about pregnancies, hi
said he didn't know exactly but
Thought there were perhaps foul
or i've last year.
1 Mr.. Crawford. like Miss Par.
ham, said the, schools achieve
Iment record was low but blamed
1t on sthe type Of neighborhood.
he said the neighborhood ha.
been changing drastically fol
8 to 10 years.
Mrs. Garcia g. Mcmillan, ar
English teacher at Paul junior
High School. Eighth and Ogle.
| thorpe streets NV, told thu
committee her school has only {
small number Of colored students
She estimated the total at 5 pei
cent last year. OF her own l8C
pupils eight were colored.
white People Leaving
i Mr.. Gerber wanted to know
whether white people were leav.
ing the Paul area. She sale
they were.
| She testified, in answer to Mr.
IGerber's questions, that hel
colored pupils were generally
mot on the academic level O.
white students. but noted thai
lshe only had q few to compare
She also pointed out that thu
area has been getting whit.
children from lower economic
groups and I'VE have troubl,
with them as we'll"
The school dropped its seniol
dance last year in order t.
avoid trouble. she said. ASKED
by Mr.. Gerber whether tn,
school has any serious delin.
quency problems, she replied:
Some are serious. yes"
4 But she added: '"They are mo-
confined to the colored popula.
ton, either"
i The Paul teacher said thl
school has set up three remedia
cIasses for slow readers ant
ought to have more but has M
teachers available.
"Integration at our school hal
been gradual. Therefore we have
lbeen able to deal with many o.
THE problems. Whether wen bl
/ able to in the future remains
!. to be seem" she told the com.
Ilmittee.
Mrs. Maud F. Rohey, princi.
49, AI.