Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-07
Discrimination?

discrimination!
Are Negro teachers who
are competent and qualified
being kept out Of top adj
ministrative positions in our
school system?
The appointments recently
made by the Board Of Ed
ucation raise this question.
During the past two years a
pattern Of appointment is
slowly evolving which cannot
be laid to chance or accident.
but appears to be a carefully
worked out plan by the hid
den persuaders who run our
city to keep the major adj
ministrative positions in the
hands Of white individuals.
Look at a few examples.
/. The District Of Columbia
Teachers College.
(a) When the two units.
Wilson and Miner, united to
form the d. c. Teachers Col
lege, the president Of Miner
Teachers College, who had
demonstrated competency and
leadership in his institution,
was appointed to the dean
ship Of q then nonexistent
graduate division, rather than
to the deanship Of the coll
lege where he would have
been in q position to become
president Of the college on
the retirement Of DR.. Hager.
This appears to have been an
effective bit Of planning, with
malice aforethought, to keep
q well-qualif1ed Negro from
q top administrative posi-
ton.
(b) Presently, the Super
intendent of Schools has adj
vertised for a dean of in
struction Of the college at an
annual salary of $500. Since
every one is clamoring for
economy and efficiency in ad-
ministration. why not ap-
point the present dean Of the
graduate division to this
vacancy and allow him to
continue to handle the few
students who may be taking
advanced courses? This is
particularly indicated since
Congress has decreed that a
graduate degree cannot be
offered by this institution. It
is our belief that here again,
every effort will be made to
keep a well-qualifled Negro
from this post.
2. Senior high school APP
pointments.
These appointments are
certainly revealing in the
manner in which this sinister
plan is being developed to
keep Negroes from these adj
ministrative plums.
(a) Four senior high school
principalships recently were
awarded to white individuals.
CD A counselor at Western
was appointed principal at
Mckinley High. Yet the rec
ord shows that the present
assistant principal at McKin-
ley has been at this institu-
ton since it became inte-
grated and from all reports
has done a highly commend
able job. In addition he is a
graduate Of the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. APP
parently he has all the quail
itications to be the principal
of q technical high school, but
he is a Negro.
(c) The former principal
and assistant principal OF
now extinct Armstrong, both
competent in terms Of train
ing and experience, have beer
consigned to the center for
emotionally disturbed chill
dren and presumably we're moi
considered for the positions al
either Mckinley or Roose-
welt.
3. Deputy and assistant SUI
perintendent positions.
If one looks at the positions
Of responsibility in the high.
er administrative echelon. one
finds but two Negroes. In 6
year or two one of these viii
reach the retirement age anc
there will be only one left.
This is not a plea for thu
appointment Of Negroes JUS
because they are Negroes, bu'
rather for the selection of in
dividuals on the basis O
merit. 1t would be tragic in
deed If the city which hai
been cited for the orderly anC
peaceful manner in which de-
segregation of its schools wa
achieved, allows an almos
lily-white administrative hier
archy to become the order o
the day.
One other inequity shoulC
be mentioned here. It is m!
understanding that the racia
ratio on the Board Of Educa'
ton was established SOM
time ago when the Negro
white pupil ratio was / to 3
Although in recent years thi
pupil ratio has changed h