Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-12
MERGED SCHOOLS
VOTED IN FAIRFAX
People of Southern Section
Favor improved Institu-
tons of Learning.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


WOODLAND. Va, May 12.-Con-
solidation of schools In Mount Vernon
and Lee districts has been discussed
the past week in practically every COM
munity in the area affected. 1t is sell
dom that any subject has awakened as
widespread interest or received as cor
dial support as seems to be accorded the
movement now on foot to modernize the
school plants of the southern section Of
Fairfax County.
The people Of the two districts have
assembled to discuss the proposition at
Lorton, Franconia, Groveton, Wood
lawn, Potters Hill, Snowden and Sher-
wood Hall. 1t has been the chief topic
under consideration at Grange meet
ings, fraternal organizations, school and
church gatherings and the publicity
which has been focused on the prob
lens of the south side has reused the
people to contrast their school facilities
with those of the northern sections Of
the county, where modern school plants
have been erected by bond issue funds.
$50 at Franconia.
At least $50 people gathered at
Franconia Tuesday night to discuss the
problem as presented by the committee
which attended the joint meeting of
Shs
Speeches were made by George Smith,
John Martin, Mr.. and Mrs. George
Baker, Mrs. Bassett Sin1ms and E. H.
Allen. The meeting voted unanimously
in favor of consolidation of schools at
four main centers in Mount Vernon
district, selecting WoodlaWn, Groveton
and Franconia for new plants and leav-
ing Potters Hill as 1t stands today. With
one exception every man and woman in
IN nf
issue as the best means Of financing
such construction and as the only
means by which any immediate con-
structton could be hoped for.
At the Groveton meeting Tuesday A.
D. Kirby, A. r. Harrison and Herbert
Blunt were appointed a committee to
cooperate with similar committees from
other organizations In selecting proper
sites for such consolidated schools. The
Potters Hill community, according to
E. II. Allen, is practically unanimous in
favor of bond issue and in favor of
locating one of the new centers in
FTanconia, rather than transporting
Franconia'S children to Potters Hill, as
the school board originally suggested.
Lorton Interested.
At Lorton Friday night the meeting
arranged by Herbert Haar was attend
ed by an enormous crowd from Lee dis
trtct. Here the vote taken was also
unanimous in favor of consolidation,
with Burke and Lorton as the centers
for Lee districts school population, and
unanimously in favor of a bond issue
@s the fairest means of meeting the
Gust. The favorable reaction to the
question of a bond issue for new schools
has been one Of the most interesting
and surprising features of the recent
movement Much opposition has been
expressed to the bond issue now under
discussion for road building, 4 and an
attempt to bond Lee district several
years ago to improve the Ok road met
judges scarcely bothered to count the
votes.
A committee from Mount Vernon
district, Rev. C. A. Langston, Mrs. Har-
vey Clapp and Mrs. Lewis FinkS, has
been appointed to interview the Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association, now in ses-
sion at Mount Vernon, to present to
these women the problems confronting
the Woodlawn and Mount Vernon
neighborhoodS and to ask the aSsocia-
ton to appropriate funds to help with
the construction of a school to care for
the children of the Mount Vernon
neighborhood. It Is also expected that
financial aid will be forthcoming from
the District and Federal Governments
IN constructing the Lorton school,
which cares for the children of en-
ployes of the Government institutions
at Lorton and Occoquan. Supt M. M.
Barnard has pledged his cooperation
in obtaining labor and materials at cost
The Government Is now cooperating
with the Fairfax County school board
in the maintenance of the public school
on the Fort Humphreys reservation
where the school building is furnished
and one of the teachers Is paid by the
Government, the remaining costs Of In
struction being met by the Fairfax
County board.
E. C. Gibbs Of Mount Vernon, chair
man Of the committee from the Cham
Der Of Commerce appointed last month
to study the situation, and also chair
man of the committee appointed by the
supervisors and school board to sound
out public opinion. both as to consolida-
ton and means of financing any propo-
sition, has called a meeting of the sew
eral committees at his home next week,
at which time Supt w T. woodson,
Supervisor w. F. P. Reid, Trustee John
Haislip and other leaders, will confer
with citizens and map out a concrete
program for presentation to the voters.