Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-13
Tobriner Asks End
To Teacher College
Urges Creation
Of 2-Yeur Plan
AS in Counties
BY JOHN M. McKELWAY

District Board of Education
President Walter N. Tobriner
today suggested abolishing Dis
trict Teachers College and
creating a District junior coll
lege which ultimately would
grow into a four-year city COLI
lege.
Speaking to students of the
teachers college, Mr.. Tobriner
added that under his plan the
city would substitute the train
ing of future teachers at ANY
approved university" Such
teachers. he added, would be
required. if called. ito accept
appointment to the District
school system and serve there
for a specified number Of
years"
In the District, he said, IT
think there can be little doubt
that the local community wants
and will support education be-
yond the high school.
THE question:" he con-
tinued, ito which we all must
address ourselves is not whether
to abolish higher municipal
educational facilities in the
District, but to ascertain what
function those facilities should
perform, not to give UP higher
tax-paid education here, but
to ask ourselves what kind Of
education is best suited to and
merits the support of the ulti-
mate master of all of us, the
supporting community.
Cites Suburban Flight"
This question in turn de-
mands a weighing of the rela-
tive Importance of an institu-
ton devoted solely to turning
out teachers, as against a COL
lege in which ultimately that
function shall become one of
many he said.
Mr.. Tobriner again empha-
sized his position that a we'll
balanced and prospecting Dis
trict required that we reverse
the trend of suburban flight"
He said a suburban Maryland
family has enormous and di-
verse facilities for education at
the University of Maryland
with fees well within the
average income"
He also called attention to
the establishment OF a junior
college III Prince Georges
County and pointed to the high
enrolment of District residents
lie per cent-at Montgomery
Junior College.
Teacher Source
Il would suggest tentatively"
Mr.. Tobriner said. establish
ment of a Junior college in lieu
of the present teachers college,
looking ultimately to the crea-
ton of a four-year college in
which teacher education would
be only one department"
Turning to the source of the
city's future teachers, Mr.. To-
briner said:
For those desiring to become
teachers / would suggest the
subsidization of their training
at any approved university,
local or State. under contract
with each teacher so subsidized,
requiring him if called to &C
cept appointment to the Dis
trict of Columbia school sys-
TEN and serve there for q
specified number of years."
District Teachers College is
currently undergoing an ex-
animation as to its future by
a special committee Of the
Board of Education.
Cramped Facilities
The college is troubled by
both cramped and separated
facilities. With integration, the
teaching colleges of Wilson and
Miner merged-though blocks
apart. There is also some dan
ger of the college losing its ac-
creditation.
Other problems of the college
include its lack of authority to
grant a masters degree. and
the poor showing of its gradu-
ates who have taken the Ma
tional Teachers Examination.
Mr.. Tobriner, turning to
other problems Of the District
school system. criticized the
systems public relations"
He said the system has not
told the full story Of integra-
tons successes. We have merely
attempted to explain the fail