Evening star., 1941-09-14
'NearbySchooIs
Feel Impact
Of Defense
Population Increase
Gives Five Systems
Space Problem

population of the Capital is being
felt heavily in public schools of
nearby Virginia and Maryland
Enrolment in Arlington County,
Va, promises to be up Is to 20 per
cent this term. About 20 additional
teachers have been hired and play
rooms and other available space are
being converted into clasSrooms.
A gain of 10 per cent or more is
indicated in Montgomery County,
Md. One school has been forced
on tWo-shifts- day basis and
another has converted its audi
torium into classrooms. Twenty
new teachers are on the job
Prince Georges County, Md, Is
trying to adjust itself to an esti-
mated increase of 1900 students in
the new school year, with records
to date indicating that fully so per
cent of the newcomers are children
of Federal Government employees.
All its schools in Washington
suburbs are at capacity levels.
Problem Laid to Defense Load.
Alexandra and Fairfax County,
a.
directly by the influx of defense
workers and service men to the
Washington area, but indications
are that defense housing projects
to be completed in the next few
months will cause crowding OF
schools in several localities.
superintendent of all five school
systems agree that the faSt-groWing
defense program is primarily re-
sponsible for their new problems.
First days enrolment in Arling-
ton County was 1899, or more than
500 greater than the same day last
year. And Supt. Fletcher Kemp
saws that more defense families are
coming in each week.
Enrolment has jumped about 25
per cent in three elementary
schools: Kate Waller Barrett, near
Buckingham and other neighboring
subdivisions; John Marshall, in a
thriving residential section, and
Walter Reed, near Westover and
other recent real estate develop
ment projects. Playrooms are to be
made into classrooms at the Bar
rett and Reed Schools, and plans
are being made to shift part of the
Marshall students elsewhere, II
necessary.
Swanson School Addition.
An eight-room addition at the
Claude A. Swanson High School is
expected to relieve the situation in
the high school grades generally. but
Mr.. Kemp declares they are now
near potential peak load.
I'VE are making all the adjust
mentS we can" said Mr.. Kemp, we
want to avoid going on a halliday
schedule if possible.
That the halliday schedule may
be the answer in many localities if
crowding continues was indicated
| by establishment of that emergency
| arrangement at the East Bethesda
| Md School. There, an influx of
| IS new pupils. swelling the total to
245. forced adoption of the plan, ac-
cording to Montgomery County
Supt. E. w. Broome. If materials
can be obtained to complete a new
building, the morning and afternoon
| schedules at the school may be elm
| mated early in 1912, 1t was said.
Auditorium as Classroom.
Mr. Broome said the auditorium
of Bethesda Elementary School is
being used for classroom work,
pending completion of the Alta Vista
School.
Gradual expansion of Washington
has been causing an increase OF
about 600 students year in the
Montgomery County system, Mr..
Broome added, but last year the
gain was 300 or more above normal,
and this year it probably will run
400 or 500 above the normal increase.
All of the increase above 600 year,
Mr.. Broome attributes to defense
activities. Early enrolment this
term already is 1000 over last years
and the margin is widening.
Superintendent Nicholas Orem as
sertS that Prince Georges schools
near the District line are. without
exception. accommodating about the
maximum number of students. At
Bradbury Heights the auditorium
has been transformed into two class
rooms, and at Cheverly. one class
room has been set up in the base
ment
Present Prince Georges enroll
ment of 10000 will be swelled as the
months pass, Mr.. Orem believes,
and he expects to add about Is new
teachers to his staff in that time.
If expansion of school population
continues, he said, "the only thing
we can do is go on a part-time
basis"
In Alexandria. Supt. T. c. Will
liamS said that the gain of some $50
| pupils noted thus far in the new
! term is about normal, but that
crowding might we'll develop with
completion of new apartment build
ings and residences, including 445
units in defense housing projects.
Like Supt. w. T. Woodson of Fair
fax County. Mr.. Williams expects a
possible pinch on school capacity this
winter. Both superintendent have
| added Is new teachers and are max
ing preparations for greater en-
rollments.
Haven't Much Slack.
Mr. Williams says that no schools
| in Alexandria are crowded at the
moment. with some $500 pupils on
the rolls, but I'VE don't have
much slack"
Fairfax's new high enrolment of
nearly $500, however, is causing
strain in few places. At Madison
School in Falls Church, the first
grade of 81 must be split into two
classes. with a new teacher added,
according to Mr.. Woodson. And at
Groveton, he said, it may be neces-
sary to open and use the old school
building. The Woodlawn School may
be taxed severely when new COM
missioned officers quarters at Fort
Belvoir are ready for occupancy.
AS for the possibility that Federal
funds may be provided under the
Lanham Act (for community facili-
ties in defense areas, most of the
superintendents seemed to feel more