Evening star., 1927-05-24
CITIZENS ENDORSE
PLAN TO BUY LINE
Purchase of Railway by.
Arlington County People
Favored in Clarendon.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
CLARENDON, Va, May 24.-The
proposed community plan of owner
ship of the Falls Church-Fairfax divi-
sion OF the Washington & Virginia
Railway was unanimously indorSed by
the Clarendon Citizens Association at
it's semi-monthly meeting last night.
Efforts of NJ. T.. Church and Thomas
r. Keith. who have an option on the
road until June 1, and other leading
citizens to form a company exclusive
ly of residents of Arlington and Fair
fax Counties, to purchase and operate
the service, were outlined by G. r.
Taylor. Harris Levy and A. j. Porter.
Announcement was made that ap-
proximately $4,000 of the proposed
first mortgage bonds of 100000. the
sale of which are necessary to acquisi-
tion of the road; $50, 900 being required
to meet the first payment on the pur.
chase price of S150.00O, and the re-
mainder for operating expenses, have
been subscribed.
Success Is FOreseen.
The ease with which this amount of
subscriptions were obtained, it was
pointed out, assures success Of the un-
dertaking. 1t was also stated that the
promoters are anxious to have the
bonds as widely distributed as possible,
and are making special effort to in
tereSt the small investor, assuming
that any one financially interested in
the service will be a booster and the
more boosters the more patronage. It
was suggested that the full amount of
100000 be raised at this time that
cash could be paid for the road.
Ih1s, 1t was said, would also pro-
vide a fund for operating expenses
and eliminate the need of second
mortgage bonds.
All speakers were Of the opinion
that many economies could be effected
in the operating Of the road and that
the citizens are offered golden op-
portunity" for investment. They also
We're or the opinion that scrapping
OF the road, as has been intimated
VIII happen unless the citizens pur.
chase it, would be one of the greatest
calamities the county has ever faced.
offering the prospect Of realty values
dropping 80 per cent and the credit
OF the county suffering just as
greatly.
Outlines School Situation.
Fletcher Kemp, county superintend.
ent Of schools. in an address out
lining the school situation, stated
that, now that the school-building
program is about completed, he ex.
poets to devote most of his time to
the intellectual side of the system
with a view to putting Arlington
County in the first rank with the best
school systems Of the country.
With its % modern school buildings.
valued at $1,500,000, he said, the AR.
lington County school system is now
rated No. l in Virginia by the State
Board Of Education.
Discussing financial matters, Mr..
Kemp stated that. while the money
required to operate the system has
jumped by leaps and bounds, this is
easily accounted for by the rapid and
tremendous growth in the school pop.
ulation in recent years.
Opposes Salary Cuts.
He said that cutting of salaries and
elimination OF teachers had been con-
| sidered. but discarded. because it was
felt that any move along that line
would be a detriment to the system.
He said he did not believe the people
would stand for economies that would
have tendency to impair the train
ing Of the children.
Asked for an opinion as to how
long the present school facilities will
| FULFILL the requirements, Mr.. Kemp
stated that If the railway is scrapped
| the present facilities will be more
| than ample to care for all future
| needs, but that if the service is con-
| tinued the system would have to be
augmented until the county becomes
stabilized in the matter of population.
The county now has two high schools
which are used for junior and senior
| classes. Mr.. Kemp expressed the view
that the time is not far distant when
the present high schools will have to
be used exclusively for seniors and
that two junior high schools will
have to be established if the schools
needs are to be Alternately met