Evening star., 1947-12-21
Arlington Board
To Intervene
In School Suit
Votes to Look Out for
= County's s Interests
On Motion by Dugon

The Arlington County Board yes
Jerday voted to enter the legal
fight between Arlington's incumbent
school board and the school board
elect.
The dispute, in the form of q law
suit through which the incumbent
board seeks to continue in Office
after January l, the date the new
board is scheduled to take over, will
be heard in Arlington Circuit
Court December 20 before Judge j.
Garland Jefferson of Amelia, Va
Judge Jefferson will sit in place OF
Judge Walter T. Mccarthy, who
disqualified himself.
In voting to intervene in the
suit. the County Board did not take
sides but merely decided "to look
out for the county's interests"
Intervention was requested by the
Executive Committee of the Arl-
ington Civic Federation and the
Northern Virginia Republican Clubs
The motion to intervene was made
by Daniel A. Dugan.
Cites Uncertainty.
Harrison Mann, representing the
civic federation, told the board that
the suit, which challenges the con-
stitutionality of the statute under
which the school board -elect was
chosen, has resulted in great uncer-
tainty not only with respect to the
statutes covering the administra-
ton of the school system but also
with respect to the whole fabric OF
the county government. He said the
suit, if successful, could result in
invalidation of the county manager
set-up in Arlington.
Lawrence w. Douglas, Common
wealth's attorney for the last Is
years, told the board yesterday that
in his opinion the suit is "withou;
merit" Mr.. Douglas said both he
and his successor, Denman T.
Rucker, have studied the suit at
some length and feel it is not COM
plicated matter nor "a profound
question
The incumbent school board has
announced it will not vacate the
office on January l nor will it turn
over books or records to the new
board. The latter has declared it
will organize and begin functioning
as provided by law.
Petition Filed by Green.
County Treasurer John Locke
Green, who last week announced he
would recognize the new board after
January /, already has filed an
intervening petition in the suit ask
ing that the new board be designated
as the board from which he can ac-
cept warrants for the payment of
salaries of teachers and other en-
ployes.
In other, actions, the County
Board appropriated $500 as Arling-
tons share of the cost of chest
X-ray survey to be held during the
first six months of 1913; voted to
increase the rent paid for the build
ing housing Fire Company No. l
from $65 to $10O per month, and re-
ceived a job classification and pay
scale study covering county en-
ployes.
The board also heard a request
from Talmadge Wilcher on behalf
of the Taxpayers and Property
Owners Association, that board
of equalization be appointed for
real estate assessments.
Approval was given the School
Boards request to be permitted to
apply for $250,OO0 in loans from the
State Literary Fund to cover con-
struction of additions at Stonewall
Jackson and Woodlawn Elementary
Schools.
The construction has been under
way for several months and has
been financed from school operat-
ing funds, Assistant School Supt.
Charles j. Walsh told the board.
He added that it may not be neces-
sary to borrow the money from the
State Literary Fund but that appli-
cations should be made so the funds
can be obtained if needed.