Evening star., 1945-03-11
Fairfax School
Improvements m:
Called Essential
Mrs. Osborn Says
OutIoys Are Held
To Bare Minimum

Asserting that the educational
vell-being of Fairfax County chill
dren is at stake, Mrs. R.. A. Osborn,
co-ordinator for the County Parent
Teacher Association Federation, said
last night that proposed increases in
the county school budget provide
only the minimum of needed school
improvements
Under the proposed $1,671 ,954.90
budget, Mrs. Osborn said, SLOT, OPS
OF the $168,025 increase over last
year would provide a 500 increase
in teachers salaries. Other increases
in operational costs and capital out
lays are unquestionably necessary,
she said.
Even with this increase in teach
ers' salaries" Mrs. Osborn added,
"our teachers, after two years train
ing, will begin at $3.50 a year, and
after four years training will receive
$3.50, while boys and girls with no
more than high school education
may enter Government service at
sl,440 year."
EApiaihS 1NCcu lOT DuStS.
Pointing out that the only other
substantial increase in the proposed
budget is $4,000 item for the
purchase of 10 school buses, Mrs.
Osborn declared that Fairfax Coun-
ty now is transporting 5000 children
daily on SO buses, or an average per
day load of 139 children per bus.
Sc cit will i,,
after the purchase of the new buses,
Mrs. Osborn said, without antici-
pating increases in school popula-
tion. In the last five years the
school population has increased by
$500 children.
I'm the Wellington area alone"
Mrs. Osborn asserted, 1923 elemen-
tary school children are transported
by bus from to II miles to the
Groveton and Lee-Jackson schools
Many of these children, ranging in
age from to s, must leave home at
7:20 am. and return at 4:45 o'clock
in the afternoon-a situation detri-
mental to both the mental and phys
ical well-being of such small chill
dren."
School Facilities.
Mrs. Osborn declared a $4,000
fund for equipping new buildings
is self-explanstory," since COM
pletion of the Falls Church High
School, the Oakton Elementary
School and shops at the Fairfax
High School make this necessary.
Citing inadequate school facili-
ties, Mrs. Osborn said that at Falls
Church approximately 900 children
are housed in the 10-room Madison |
School building and two temporary
3-room buildings. In addition, she
said, there are 100 children housed
in the Hillwood Community House.
In order to provide space for
these children, she continued, fve4
classrooms are used for two classes /
a day. one reporting for classes in
the morning and the other in the /
afternoon.
Inadequate sanitary facilities, fire
protection, cafeteria facilities and |
library space are merely additional |
defects, Mrs. Osborn reported.
Would Use New Site.
"Colored schools in this area are
not to be discussed" Mrs. Osborn
said. They are SO far behind the |
standards of our day that it is with |
shame that we must look at them.
The two colored schools cortem-
plated in this years budget GER |
tainly are necessary"
At Franconia. Mrs Osborn ex-
planned, all possible additions have
been made to the present school
building, and a temporary building,
covered with tar paper, has been
constructed to handle the overflow. |
The proposal to purchase a site and
construct a building at Garfield
tSimms' Corner) for Franconia also
is necessary.
At Groveton, she said, the pic
ture is much the same. There ele-
mentary children are housed in four
temporary rooms, heated by hand
fired soft coal stoves. The children
must carry fuel from the main
building across muddy yards to feed
the fires.