Evening star., 1963-01-15


who are ready to move into
private industry If somebody
will only hire them. We are
applying to private organiza-
tions in the community to take
experienced boys, employing
them from l to S, or 2 TO 6
pm"
The program Is not an at
tempt TO restrict the boys to
careers in building mainten-
ance. This is Just q first step,
to get them started" said Mr..
Brown. JOB training is going
to become more and more inn
portant in every type Of field"
However, there is good oppor-
tunity In the maintenance field,
he said, "for a top custodial job
may pay, with overtime, as
much as $4,000 O year"
The boys are happy with the
program. As one said: IF I
mess up in this program, ia
be q fool. The only thing that
keeps me out Of school now is
II I'm really sick" A few
months before, he had been
ready to drop out of school.
Other Programs
There are many other pro-
grams in Washington that are
similarly changing the attitudes
Of youngsters whose ambitions
were too high for their abilities,
or who were resigned to Q dis
NAL life.
One is the guidance project
at MacFarland Junior High
School, Iowa avenue and Web
ster street NV. This three
year-old program is co-ordi-
mated with Roosevelt High
School and tries to give stu
dents the personal attention
they need to develop to their
full potential.
And on the elementary school
level, the Great Cities Language
Arts program tries to increase
the communications skills Of
children learning to read.
Throughout the Washington
public school system, the basic
track curriculum was designed
for the potential dropout. The
Amidon plan, heavily Stressing
fundamental education in the
elementary schools, also serves
as a dropout preventive.
The school-connected Urban
Service Corps projects include
an adoption of New York's
Higher Horizons Program to
expose under-privileged chill
dren to otherwise unknown oc-I
cupations and cultural pro-
grams. There Is also q program
of practical instruction for
unwed mothers Of school age.
Youth Council Helps
Beyond the school. the area
boards Of the Commissioners
Youth Council have under
taken programs to encourage
youths to stay in classes and to
help those who have dropped
out.
A lot is being done. But, as
Mr.. Henley Of the Urban Serv-
ice Corps said, I'VE need more,
a lot more"
One thing needed is an over
all plan to combat the problem.
One attempt, announced De-
cember 16, Is the anti-delin-
quency program Of the United
Planning Organization. It will
try to coordinate all the met
ropolitan areas governmental
and voluntary programs on
Juvenile delinquency. 1t goes a
part Of the way toward q pro-
posal made last fall by the
Commissioners Youth Council.
This proposal was to corre-
late all the agencies which
serve youth into neighborhood
centers. Although the main
reason was to cut costly dupli-
cation Of operations. one de-
sirable side effect might be TO
increase the sense Of comlnu-
nifty spirit in these areas.
Corps Approach
Nationally, President Ken
nedy yesterday called for the
establishment Of q version Of
the Youth Conservation Corps,
which failed to pass Congress
last year. I'VE need TO strength
en- our Nation by investing In
our youth" he said in his state
of-the-Union address.
Last years bill would have
permitted young men is TO
81 to enroll for a minimum Of
one six-month period. Besides
II BRING |