Evening star., 1944-09-05
Polio Fight Cuts
Attendance in
Fairfax Schools
FolIs Church Parents
Keep Out Fifth of
Expected Enrolment

First-day attendance in Fairfax
County schools was cut today as
approximately 20 per cent Of the
students expected at the Madison
School in Falls Church were kept
out by parents because of reported
new cases of infantile paralysis In
the area.
Miss Audrey Snodgrass, Madison
School principal. reported that only
446 OF an anticipated enrolment Of
625 students were registered as the
school opened this morning.
In an earlier estimate, Mrs. Helen
Regan, president Of the Falls
Church Parent-Teacher Association.
said that only about 80 per cent Of
the anticipated enrolment Vas
present. In making this estimate.
Mrs. Regan emphasized it was not
based on actual figures.
Oficials at other Fairfax County
schools could give no enrolment
figures until after registration is
completed late today, but there were
no other schools where mass nom
dtCcIlOeHCe was nOteQ.
Decision Made at Meeting.
Decision to keep children home
was made at meeting last night
at Madison School at which parents
presented petitions bearing nearly
200 signatures protesting the OPEN
ing of county schools in the face Of
the infantile paralysis epidemic.
Mrs. Regan told nearly IS parents
she had learned there are three
new cases of polio in the area served
by the Falls Church schools, and two
highly suspicious cases. Two
other cases had been reported some
time ago.
Mrs. Rsgan said that since medical
science has not yet learned the WAYS
IN which polio may be spread, it is
the consensus of parents that every
precaution against its further spread
should be taken" She said post
ponement of school opening for a
two-week period seems very little
In the face of the effects of the
disease"
McCaskill to Present Petition,
DR.. j. c. McCaskill, chairman OF
the Falls Church School Board, said
his board had no authority to keep
schools closed, and County School
Supt. w. T. Woodson said that he.
too, lacked authority to delay the
opening. DR.. McCaskill said he
would present the parents petition
to the County School Board at a
meeting today in Fairfax.
Schools in Arlington, originally
scheduled to open today, will not
open until Monday because of the
polio situation. Alexandria schools
are scheduled to open tomorrow and
Montgomery and Prince Georges
County schools on Friday.
In addition to the shortage of bus
drivers and maintenance men, Mr..
Woodson said. schools were opening
this year with IL teacher vacancies.
He urged all women in the county
with teaching experience to apply
for positions
ACdCACTS 10 Mecl.
DR.. Edwin w. Broome. superin-
tendent of Montgomery County
schools, said white public school
teachers will hold pre- school meet
ing at $50 am. tomorrow at the
Richard Montgomery High School
at Rockville. Colored teachers will
meet on the same day at the Lincoln
High School at Rockville. White
and colored teachers will spend
Thursday and Friday In classrooms
in preparation for the Monday
school opening.
Elwood Mason, acting principal Of
Leland Junior High School, Chevy
Chase. announced that registration
for school entrance will be held from
to 4 pm. Friday at the school,