Evening star., 1947-11-24
New Arlington
School Board
Begins Planning
Prepares to Fulfill
Pledges Made During
Election Campaign
By Robert c. RoIIinos

members OF VlrglnlaS nrSt pop
ularly- elected school board, vino will
take office in Arlington January l.,
already are laying plans to carry
out the program they laid before
the electorate during the campaign
which eliminated November 4 in
their overwhelming victory.
The five 'members-elect Mrs.
Elizabeth P. Campbell, Barnard Joy,
Colin C. Macpherson, o. Glenn
Stahl and Curtis E. Tuthill-are
aware that they face many prob:
lens, but they reiterate the stand
they took during the campaign that
Arlingtonians should not have to
apologize for their schools"
Mr.. Joy, who frequently acted as
spokesman for the slate during the
campaign, said yesterday the new
board members are using the period
before they take Office to get as
much information as possible which
will help them in discharging their
duties.
Program Listed.
The flve-point program which
the five supported after their selec-
ton by the Citizens Convention as
nominees covered the following:
"A school board responsible to the
will of the people: continuous study
of educational needs as the basis for
specific improvements; improved
conditions fo-' teaching and learn
ing in the schools; sound long
term financial program for schools,
and improved personnel policies for
Arlington's able teachers"
THE first and biggest problem is
overcrowding and the adjustment
of the school plant to the present
and future growth of the commu-
nifty" Mr.. Joy declared. step num-
Der is to get the facts on how
many preschool children we have
and where they are. Any plans
developed need to be in terms of
looking ahead"
County Wide Census Planned.
Mr.. Joy explained that the board
plans a county-w wide census of pre-
school children together with a
careful" study of existing school
facilities and their adequacy in
terms of the type of school pro-
gram the people think we ought to
have"
I'm the study of our present plant.
as in all other studies, we hope that
we will have the cooperation of
the entire school staff and the peo-
pie in each school community" he
said.
The buildings study probably will
require the employment. temporarily
at least, of specialists In that par
ticular field. Mr. Joy said, TO pro-
vide guidance for the board.
Citizens advisory committees for
each of the county's 81 schools will
be named soon after the board takes
ofhce, Mr.. Joy said. Such commit
tees are provided for by Virginia
school law which, however, does not
make them mandatory.
To Seek Advice.
Arlington Is fortunate In the
number of outstanding educational
people who are residents, Mr.. Joy
asserted.
I'VE are going to seek their ad-
vice and help along with the ad-
vice and help of the community as
a whole" he declared.
He mentioned, as being among
the outstanding educat tional peo-
ple" DR.. E. B. Norton, deputy
commissioner of the United States
Office of Education; Dr. r. I. Grigs-
by, DR.. J. Dan Hull. DR.. J. S. Patter-
son and DR.. w. P. Beard ali of the
Office of Education; Dr. Hazel Davis.
DR.. Ivan Booker and DR.. Fred
Wilhelms, all of the National Edu-
cation Association; DR.. George
Zook, head of the American Coun-
Gil for Education. and DR.. Mitchell
Dreese, dean of the summer sessions
of The George Washington Uni
versity.
The first meeting of the new board
will be held at pm. January 2, in
the James Monroe School. 1900 Key
boulevard. The present board meets
in the school Offices at the court
house but, Mr.. Joy explained. the
new groups feels that the atmos-
phere of a school might be better.
The Monroe School is only few
blocks from the courthouse
Some thought has been given. |
Mr. Joy said. to holding a meeting
every two weeks on Saturday morn
ings other than those on which the
County Board meets. The matter
has not been decided, however.