Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-01
BOYS
New School
Meets Woes
WithApIomb
Continued From First PAGE

Continued From First Page
to the side Of the room and
made ready. The threat eyapor-
ated.
Mrs. Carolyn Stewart, who
teaches speech, remembers the
time she asked one Of the boys
to shut a window. He picked
up the window pole. For q few
anxiout moments, the pole
somehow wavered over Mrs
Stewards head-but the win
dow was eventually shut and
another crisis was past.
A visitor to the school finds.
surprisingly, an easy atmosphere
maintained by seven stan mem.
bers. II there is any fear Of
the boys. no one shows It.
Most Of the boys tower over
Mrs. Hazel Wentworth. who
teaches remedial reading and
who somehow manages to
smile and pass calmly among
the boys. one Of whom is always
shadow boxing or going through
q kind Of shufiing movement
ended by Topping down in a
chair. The other day she was
patiently hearing the troubles
of one boy-he was lying on the
window sill, his legs propped
against the wall and his hands
dabbling with the loose end Of
the string on the window shade.
Mrs. Wentworth is 40.
Typing Fascinates Them
William Ulrich. 81, teaches
social studies, math and tipping.
Candid and serious, he admits
he's not sure he's been able
to get anywhere with the boys.
He discovered they are fSsci-
mated by tipping and got one
boy up to 20 words a minute.
1t is one of the few things
they'll stay at. punching away
at the machines in deadly
earnestness.
1t is questionable whether
the school can keep Mr.. Ulrich.
The rewards are few and far
between. One day he sees a
light in the eyes Of one boy. the
next day the same boy refuses
to try anything. His interest
wanes overnight.
AS Mrs. Wentworth puts it,
"they just can't sit still" To
provide some outlet for this
nervousness, she introduced
painting which helps now and
then. but hardly enhances re-
medal reading. Some Of the
boys read on first, or second
! grade levels. Alone, they'll read
for her. With the other boys
some Of whom read quite well
] they clam up.
The staff says these things
about the boys:
They are far from stupid.
They are sensitive. They need
individual attention - and II
they don't get it. will stage a
fight for it, They know exactly
why they are there. They know
why everybody else is there.
There is some chance of "re-
facilitating" each boy. but the
chance diminshes with the
coming Of a new pupil. For the
new pupil, or pupils, the new
element in the group. is always
disturbing. The competition
stiffens in the surge for atten-
ton or some recognition.
The rules of the school. set
up by DR.. Bennetta Washing
ton. principal, are far from
rigid. The boys come in any
time between $3.50 and $3.50
am. Sometimes. the staff will
let a boy of early. He just has
to get out of the building.
Some Of these boys" DR..
Washington explains. seem to
reach a point where they can't
take even the relatively easy
direction they get here. I've got
to let them leave the school,"
No Ugly Incidents Yet
This approach to the boys
has apparently paid of. There
have been no ugly incidents as
yet-though members Of the
staff smile and cross their I'm
gers when relating this.
While it is. still too early to
tell If the school is accomplish
ing anything in the way Of re-
Mobilization, there has been one
significant development: Start
ing of with few boys in Octo-
Der. and adding a few more
each week. it has demonstrated
a holding power, definite at
traction.
AS one youngster told a
visitor a while back: TITS not
bad here, except you don't find
any girls to talk to-"
1 Critics Of the plans for such