Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-14
Corning Quits
Post as School
Head in March
Boord Begins Hunt
For Superintendent
To Succeed Him
BY JOHN M. McKELWAY


The District Board of Educa-
ton began today a leisurely
search for q successor to Supt.
Hobart M. Corning.
The board, particularly its
Personnel Committee. has until
next March to fill the hot spot
DR.. Corning decided yesterday
to give UP.
The 6-foot-5 educator, who
for IL long. often rocky years
guided the system, told the board
in a letter that it was "fol
my own best interest to plar
for a less strenuous life.'
The board had asked for his de-
cision by June is, and DR.
Corning gave 1t an extra month
to study the situation by re-
plying in May. He will continue
in the post until March.
Only q short time ago. DR.
Corning's next in command
Norman N. Nelson. announced
his retirement;- effective in Oc-
tober. Thus. the two top posts
in the system must be filled in
less than q year from now. The
superintendent position is the
only job in the system over
which the board can exercise
appointive power.
Walter N. Tobriner. chairman
Of the Personnel Committee, said
today the committee has enough
time to make q careful search
for q successor. but offered nc
possible candidates.
Gratefulness Expressed
He said the board was CRATE
full to DR.. Corning for steering
the school system through the
difhcult transition to integrated
schools and back again to the
business Of education.
DR.. Corning is 81 and will be
SO when he retires next March
He will be eligible for retirement
benefits and probably will re.
ceive anywhere from about 3,00(
to $1,000 annually, depending or
whether he has contributed Il
the optional Northumberland
plan or chosen to take only the
amount provided by law.
DR.. Corning's plan came at q
time when the board has taken
steps to raise the superinten.
dents salary from $4,000 Il
1000 to make the Job, recog.
nized as one Of the most dificulI
in its class throughout the
country, somewhat more attrac.
tive.
It has only been In recen,
months that DR.. Corning ha,
been able to relax somewhat ir
his job.
He came to Washington Il
take over the superintendency o.
the school system in March o.
1916. Shortly thereafter, hi
troubles began.
Felt Rising Pressure
DR.. Corning found a grea
backlog Of construction need
and felt steadily increasing pres
sure from colored citizens t,
provide equal opportunities
for colored students. Later, h,
was harassed over moves {,
eliminate segregation.
In the late ,1940s. the perio,
Iof his administration was marke,
by a running feud with forme
School Board member Adelber
Nv. Lee.
Several times, DR.. Corning wa
returned to Office by q split vot
of the board. AS late as 1855, d.
Corning was reappointed by
6-to-2 vote. DR.. Margaret
Butcher. a former board mem
Der. charged at that time d.
Corning was not "desegregating
fast enough. And last year, tn
school system was criticized b
10 House subcommittee for de
segregating too fast"
DR.. Corning Is a native o
Ohio but attended the publ
schools Of Washington.
Despite both parent strike
and students strikes. during tn
days before indignation and tn
actual transition to indignation
DR.. Corning still found time b
spin yarns - often about hi
unusual height-or break into
wide grin.
!, Proud Of Record
He is proud Of his record. citin
the reduction In the number o
part-time classes because Of tn
. construction programs he ha
. engineered. The idea Of borrow
. ing funds for school construction
still to be passed by either tn
District Building or Congress,
largely his idea-one conceive
: when DR.. Corning first arrive
on the scene. DR.. Corning ais
, was largely responsible for estab
fishing q single salary teacher
! pay schedule and higher teache
pay.
; He has often been cited as tn
; man largely responsible for tn
] fact integration is working 1
Washington.
]
; va