Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-20
81 Bills Offered
lnVirgiinid
Legislature
s4,7s3, 800 Program
For Schools Among
Measures Filed

Ey the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, Mar. 20.-A a..
783, 800 program for public schoo
improvements, plus the issue of out.
right repeal of the poll tax as pre-.
requisite to voting, was before the
Virginia General Assembly today ir
special session called primarily tt
arrange for a constitutional conven.
ton.
The legislators lost no time ir
starting the machinery toward en-
actment of the tions
made by Gov. Darden on the open
ing yesterday. Fifty-four bills, many
of them relating to school improve
ments and Virginia's franchise laws
were already in the legislative hop
per as the two houses convened for
their second days work at noon.
Poll Tax Fight Seen.
A fight over poll tax repeal was
promised when the Senate received
two and the House one joint resolu-
ton looking toward abolition of the
tax. If approved at this session and
by the regular session next January
the question of a constitutional
amendment could be submitted to q
vote by the people early in 1916.
Gov. Dalden recommended in his
message that a study commission oil
nine consider the question of repeal
and substitute qualifications He
said he intended to submit the ques-
ton of repeal to the regular session
A resolution embodying this
recommendation by the Governor
was offered in the House by Floor
Leader G. Alvin Massenburg and
Delegate Stuart Campbell, Wythe
Offered Similar Resolutions.
Delegate John B. Spiers, Radford
and Senator w. N. Neff, Abingdon,
offered similar resolutions for re-
peal Another repeal resolution was
offered in the Senate by Senators
Ted Dalton, Radford Republican,
and Leonard G. Muse, Roanoke.
Delegate Robert Whitehead, Am
herst, introduced resolution aimed
at abolishing the tax for the vet
Grams of all wars and providing for
its mandatory collection from all
other persons. The tax at present
is not collectible by legal process
until it is three years past due.
The Governor recommended the
use of approximately $1,120,0O0 for
improvement in visual aids to edu-
cation, with cities and counties to
put up 81 for each 50 appropriated
by the State.
Other School recommendations.
Other school recommendations
included:
l. The work of formulating plans
for vocational education should
await developments on proposals
by the Federal Government for
compulsory military training. Some
Federal plans contemplate extensive
vocational training.
q Undertake now additional
training in. home economies, ex-
tending aid to cities as well as rural
areas. Appropriate 100000 for COM
munities not receiving help, in ad-
dition to approving an $84, 1000 deficit
which the Department of Education
has been authorized to incur.
8. Appropriate $4,000 to reopen
% departments of agriculture closed
in schools last year for lack of
help, and $4,000 for distributive
education or training in salesman
ship.
Funds for Trade Schools.
4. Appropriate $4,000 for the
regional school in trade and indus
trial education at Manassas and for
two or three other centers con-
templated; an additional $4,000 so
that vocational courses now being
offered may be continued. If veca-
tional training is to be kept within
limits imposed by financial re-
sources, regional schools must be de-
veloped and should be, not junior
colleges, but part and parcel Of the
public school system"
5. Establish now two of the six
additional centers for adult coun-
selling recommended by the Denny
Commission, to cost $4,000 for the
coming year
6. Appropriate $175,000 for en-
ployment of additional supervisors
and visiting teachers for the schools
to correct the greatest defect in the
public school system"-lack of ade-
quate supervision.
7. Appropriate 100000 to be spent
in collaboration with local authori-
ties in employment of selected
school principals in different areas
on a 12-month basis, the State to
defray two-thirds of the cost of the
additional summer months.