Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-06-12
81 Part-Tin1e
Glasses Seen
For Schools
BY JOHN McKELWAY
star stan Writer

SeeA eteA WAtset
District school officials ex-
pect at least 32l part-time
classes in September, or double
the present number.
This is revealed in testimony,
released today, before a House
Appropriations subcommittee
on the District budget. Under
examination was the school
budget for fiscal l959-$40.-
256, 900 in operating expenses
and $9.748.000 for capital out
lay.
The heavy part-time load
there were 81 such classes in
1857 and 1853 this years. the
result Of efforts to keep class
size down until building needs
are met. BY fiscal 1860, the
picture will improve.
This September could see
the placing of two teachers in
classroom of about so pupils.
Hansen Gives Views
School Supt. Carl F. Hansen
told the committee:
1T would seem possible that
we could reduce the number of
part-time classes by placing
two teachers with a large class,
say of so, in the larger class
rooms. We have done that in
the past, and have found it to
be successful.
Consolidating kindergartens
in the larger rooms under the
direction of two teachers would
make it possible to release a
certin number. unknown at this
time, of the regular classrooms
for children and to thus reduce
ipart-time classes"
"Dr. Hansen added:
II hesitate ever to defend
part-time as equal to full-time
education for children, or after
moons, it is possible to get most
of the fundamental instruction
done for the children.
"In this period between the
acquisition of buildings and the
acquisition of teachers OPP are
lrequested), we believe that it Is
lin the best interest of aducation
of these young people to use
part time and establish classes
no larger than So although
sometimes we have to go to
40 or even as"
Teachers Need Cited
DR.. Hansen pointed out if
! the system fails to get author
Iity to hire the additional teach
ers the ratio will go up to 34.2.
This year it was 1871. Next
years goal is 80 to l. This ap-
plies only to elementary classes.
other points touched on by
IDr. Hansen in his testimony:
dropping kindergarten to
provide additional space would
be a very serious deficiency. "
Kindergarten is as essential as
any other school program.
2. A major problem is re-
ducing the number of temper
airy teachers and finding a way
to attract those who meet the
standards. In 1855 there were
627 temporary teachers; In
1856, TIT; this year, GAL.
3. The recruitment of teach
ers is not related to the racial
| factor at all. We select on
merit. and we are not DESTROYS
actually of wanting to keep
the ratios the same as in the
case of the pupils.
4. If the failure rate in the
elementary school could be re-
duced from the present IL per
cent to the normal 7 per cent
|. the annual saving would
be about $580,000.
5. The one thing that would
do more for District schools
than anything else would be to
"attract the best teachers
available into the city. and
this through an adequate pay
rate and acceptable working
conditions, which includes in
part a reasonable size OF
classes. A school is as good as
| its teachers. :"
s. The estimated number Of
incorrigible and emotionally
disturbed children in District
schools is 600. Two psychiatric
teams are needed to service
these children "a psychiatric
team, on loan from the Health
Department, has just COM
pleted its first year of opera