Evening star., 1922-09-26
ARLINGTON SCHOOL
BOND ISSUE URGED
Clarendon Citizens Seek Sue.
cess of Move, But Anxious
Over Site.

CLARENDON. Va. September 26
(Special).-While practically unani-
nous agreement was reached by the
Clarendon Citizens Association at its
meeting last night that school ia
cilities Of the county are in great
need of improvement and that moth
ing should interfere with the sue
cess Of the $354,000 bond issue ques-
tion, aimed to bring the necessary re-
lief in Arlington district of which
Clarendon is a part. which is to be
submitted to the voters in a special
election to be held October 9, there
were few members who were
strongly OF the opinion that the loca-
ton Of the proposed high school
should be more definitely defined, be-
fore the citizens are asked to cast
their ballots.
These members declared that If the
question of the location Of the high
school was firmly hxed in the minds
of the voters, it would eliminate
criticism and dissatisfaction that
might arise II the site is selected aft
er the bonds have been authorized.
The fear expressed that the high
school might be established at some
out of the way place.
c. r. TAYLOR, president of the as
sociation and member of the citizens
advisory board to the borad OF educa-
ton which is composed of representa- :
|tives of all the civic organizations ana
school leagues in the district. after eX-
planning in detail the school building
program as far as it has progressed.
made a strong appeal for the support
of the citizens on the bond issue. stat
ing that no action will be taken in
connection with the program without
the majority approval of the citizens
board, and 1t could be depended upon
to see that the location of the high
school would be most conveniently
placed for the advantage of all COM
munities.
Fear Cost OF Ground.
Taylor stated the principal reason
why the promoters of the building
program have not gone into the ques-
ton Of sites Is on account of the fear
of a decided raise in the price OF
ground. If it became known. he said.
that the school board had its eye on
certain tract Of ground for its high
school building. the owners or the
property would undoubtedly raise the
price of the land to such height that
it would take all the money to be
raised for the entire building project
for the site alone. or they would hire
high priced lawyers to prevent con-
demnation proceedings. in which case
1t would retard the building program
for a number of years.
The need Of additional classrooms
was strongly emphasized by the re-
port of A. ]. Webb. chairman OF the
school committee of the association.
which is as follows:
THE Clarendon school opened for
the present term on the 18th instant
with an enrolment of about 400 pu-
pills. This is larger number than in
former years and the superintendent
of schools anticipates that this en-
rollment will be swelled to $50 by the
return Of many families from vaca
ton, the addition of new families, etc.
Grades Are Congested.
1T has again been necessary to put
several grades on halliday sessions, the
first, second, third and fourth. In the
fourth grade alone there are seventy-siX
pupils to be provided for. These facts
strongly emphasize the necessity of
much earnest thought and immediate
definite action for more adequate school
needs. Every family represented in
this association, which has child in
the Clarendon school. is going to nat
urally feel that their child should have
proper schooling provided. but unless
something is done at the polls, within
inc next Two "echb SOIlSO1lc cnllOEell
are going to suffer for the mistake OF
their parents.
"The bond issue now proposed is the
only logical method of relief and if
that fails now. our school system is go
ing to the dogs and the best people OF
our community will move out. If this
bond issue fails at the coming election,
another election cannot be called for a
year and this will mean two or three
years more Of increasing congestion"
President Tyler announced that the
question raised by the members of the
association regarding the site of the
high school would be submitted for the
consideration Of the citizens advisory
board, which meets Thursday evening at
the courthouse