Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-10
School Plan
Is Opposed
AT Hearing
Witnesses Hit
Armstrong; Use
As Special Center

1
Opposition ranging from
mild 10 bitter 10 the use Of
Armstrong High School as 9
rehabilitation center for prob
lem students was expressed by
witnesses at q special District
School Board meeting yester-
day.
On the more basic question
of closing Armstrong as a high
school. opinions were less In
tense and more evenly divided,
Former School Supt. Ho-
bart M. Corning proposed
early this year that Arm
strong be closed and that its
students - who take remedial
academic instruction and shop
courses-be sent 10 schools In
their own communities.
Three months later Acting
Supt. Carl p. Hansen submit
ted q companion proposal"
urging the schools use as q
rehabilitation center for mall
adjusted students and q Job
training center for older
youths.
DR.. Hansen assured those
present that II Armstrong is
closed its students will be able
to get the same special courses
at other high schools.
Segregation Feared
Thirteen citizens, including
two Armstrong students, gave
their views. Raymond MORT
gomery, representing residents
in the immediate area Of Arm
strong, which Is at First and
o streets NV. charged that
establishing a rehabilitation
center there would mean a re-
turn to school segregation.
1--WE are positive problem
children are not confined to
one ethnic group" he said, but
his neighbors feel "only one
ethnic group would be repre-
sented there"
He suggested that Armstrong
be re-established as a co-edu-
cational school, which he said
would raise its enrolment from
less than 400 to 1000.
Robert L. Washington, a 10TH
grade student at Armstrong
drew praise from two board
members for his plea 70 pre-
serve the school.
Real Help to Students
He said he was below average
in English and mathematics
when he entered the school last
September but due to the per-
sonal attention he got in the
small classes, his progress has
been most gratifying"
Many Of the other students
feel they are succeeding for the
first time in their high school
lives" he said.
1--WE ask Of you, the care
takers of education not to de-
prive us Of the privilege Of at
tending the school Of our
choice" he said.
Mrs. Felix winston, speaking
for the Washington Chapter of
the Americans for Democratic
Action, said the ADA favors
closing Armstrong, but objects
to establishment of the rehabil-
itation center because appar-
emily mo detailed research or
concrete planning" has been
undertaken.
Louis P. Rhone, of the Arm
strong Parent Teacher ASso-
Ieiation, said his group is
amazed" that the adminiStra-
ton would consider closing
Armstrong when school facili-
ties are badly needed.
Robert M. Weston, chairman
of the Washington Urban
Leagues educational commit
tee, said the league favors
closing Armstrong, but while it
realizes the need for a rehabili-
tation center, it feels Arm
strong is not the place for it.
The witness with the most
singular problem was John D.
Fauntleroy, trustee of the
Marion P. Shadd Scholarship
Fund, which awards $1,000 to a
needy female graduate OF Arm
strong.
ITO my knowledge there are
no female students, which is
destructive of my program" he