Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-31
Nelson Leaves | rodition
Of CoImness on Schools

The administration Of any
school system Is inclined to-
ward stuffiiness. Franklin
School in the District is no
exception,
one Of the men who has un-
consciously prevented the To-
cal system from sliding all the
way into dryness and GOODNESS
leaves today.
This gentleman Is Norman J.
Nelson. 81. o white-topped
veteran Of IS years in District
schools. Besides q growing
voice. which he must have used
TO good advantage as q princi-
pal. he is also possessed with
q candidness refreshing In this
town.
He can be wry.
He was asked for some happy
remark following his an
nounced retirement last May
some commentary on his years
In education.
II never hated to come to
work" Mr.. Nelson said,
though I can't say ! ever
jumped out Of bed joyously."
This built-in braking system,
or an inability to 60 too far
overheard on any subject may
be one reason why the District
school system seldom has
pressed the panic button.
Calm Figure In Strike
During the school strikes
following indignation. Mr.. Mel
son was noticed wandering in
a crowd Of excited students
outside one high school, far
less perturbed than reporters.
police or the interested obser-
vers who were drawn into the
scene.
"As q matter Of fact" he
later sheepishly admitted" Il
could not find the principal Of
the school"
Mr.. Nelson, who retires as
deputy superintendent Of
schools, has been School Supt.
Hobart NJ. Corning's second IN
command. He may have picked
UP this ability to handle q
crisis q number Of years ago
while serving as assistant prin-
cipal Of the old Central High
School.
A student, about Q am. one
day walked into the school. up
q floor and then TO q water
fountain. There he shot him.
self. He was dead by the time
the young assistant principal
arrived. For some three hours.
Mr.. Nelson handled the police,
coroner. reporters and teachers.
And the pupils stayed In their
classes.
Not Averse 10 Fun
There Is another side TO Mr..
Nelson. DR.. Corning. Mr.. Nell
sons boss at the time. once re-
ceived Q box Of mushrooms In
their earliest state. Directions
called for the box TO be placed
in Q cool. dark place-which
shortly proved TO be the attic
Of old Franklin School. Dr.
Corning had only TO wait and
see what would happen.
With the knowledge mush-
rooms grow rapidly-he Il
something of q botanist HIM
self-Mr. Nelson purchased Q
collection Of well grown mush-
rooms at q grocery store. then
placed these in the box in the
attic.
It is said DR.. Corning. on in
specting the mushrooms after
Mr.. Nelson had left the attic.
announced: Great God. look
at those mushrooms"
Turned Back on Farming
Mr.. Nelson is Q native Of
Aberdeen. 8. Oak. At an early
age he moved to North Dakota
and attended Concordia Col
lege in Moorhead. Mimi. and
Fargo College in Fargo. N. OAK.
some years later. OF Scanda-
navian stock. most Of his fam
lily went into farming.
He came to Washington in
1918. got q job as q clerk in
the Government while he at
tended George Washington
University. and received his
bachelor of arts degree In 1917.
After World War /. he signed
UP as q business teacher at
Central High School. in 1922.
Three years later, he was APP
pointed assistant principal.
In 1888, he earned his mas
far,s daopaa In, English at Har-