Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-15
School Board Okays
$50 Million Budget
Imposse Over
Armstrong
Project Ends
BY JOHN M. McKELwAY

4 AAC SAotA Nv 0QdA0 Va kSAala-
ton today approved its $50
million budget for 1859 after q
fight over a proposal to develop
Armstrong High School as q
center for learning chill
dren.
Board President Walter To-
briner broke an impasSe over
proposal to restore the Arm
strong project to its original
position in the budget. His
vote moved the 81 million item
back to priority No. 7 after 1t
had been dropped to No. II,
bottom of the list, last Friday
by the boards Finance Com
mittee.
Opposition to the project.
which calls for renovations and
additions of shops in the Arm
strong building and merger
with Dunbar High School adj
ministratively, came from the
boards three colored members.
Col. West A. Hamilton. Wesley
Williams and Mrs. Ruth Spen.
Ger.
school For IncOrrigibles"
Mrs. Spencer told The Star
over the week end the elaborate
scheme is nothing more than
a screen behind which a
school for incorrigible children
would be set up"
School officials have stated
the conversion would only
create a center where slow
learners could be introduced to
courses in non-skilled jobs. such
as automobile maintenance and
valet service.
Expressing fiat diSapproval
of the project. board members
Hamilton. Williams and Spen-
Ger lost in their efforts to have
it dropped from the budget.
Public Hearing Set
But Board President Tobriner
called for a public hearing on
the matter to be held some time
late In August. He instructed
School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing to prepare a full report on
the project for submission to
board members at that time.
ruling out any debate on the
subject today.
The action was taken with
the understanding the project
1still could be deleted from the
1859 budget.
On another matter, a parent
and a representative of the
PTA drew from DR. Corning a
statement that 1t is still the aim
of school officials to obtain a
80 to l ratio throughout Dis
trict elementary schools.
The witnesses said newspaper
stories have created the i'm
preston that the 80 to l goal
had been abandoned.
DR.. Corning stated the only
reason the 1859 budget calls
for a ratio Of 80 to is because
he felt 80 to / at this time
would produce an excessive
amount of part-time classes"
Haven't Quit on Goal
1--WE have positively not given
up on our goal of 80 to l."
DR.. Corning said.
Russell Shoemaker. chair
man of the PTA's legislative
committee. said school officials
should "dovetail construction
needs with efforts to get more
teachers"
Mrs. Leonard w. Thomas,
speaking as a parent. pressed
school officials for the explana-
ton of their selection of the
80 to / ratio which appears
in the 1859 budget.
In other action, Mr.. Tobriner
set up a committee to probe the
future Of District Teachers COL
lege. Mrs. Spencer will serve
as chairman. Other members
include Carl c. Smuck. Mrs.
Frank Phillips, both of the
Board OF Education. and DR..
Corning and DR.. Walter Hager,
president Of the college.
improvements Called For
The college faces loss Of ac-
creditation II certain improve
ments are not undertaken by
this spring. No largescale i'm
provements are called for the
college in the 1853 budget.
/ The board also heard that
the Eugene and Agnes Z. Meyer
Foundation is ready to grant a
total Of $4,000 a year in fellow
ship grants to outstanding
teachers in District public
schools.
Mechanics Of the proposed
grants will be worked out by
DR.. Corning.
IOoLlau Aunka. N..:G.