Evening star., 1947-05-24
Members Split
On Election Of
School Board
BeoIe and Mrs. Smith
Oppose Stone 5 Stand
On Arlington Chonge

oppose otOHe SStun0
On Arlington Change
a statement by one member Of
the Arlington School Trustee Elec-
toral Board opposing the present
method Of selecting the School
Board brought replies today from
the two remaining members up
holding the existing system.
Earle q. Besle, chairman Of the
electoral board, and Mrs. Paul A.
smith, member, replied to a
statement released yesterday by
Harold A. Stone, third member Of
the group which I appoints the
School Board.
Mr.. Stone said he never had ap-
proved the indirect method OF
selecting School Board members
because 1t departs from principles
of representative government
Appointments Not Political.
Mr.. Beale declared that during
his tenure mo person has been APP
pointed to the School Board at the
request or insistance Of any pott-
cal organization. /, personally, have
never known or delyed into the
politics OF any member OF, or candi-
date for, the School Board.
Il, personally, have no axe to
grind for or with any one. neither
am under the influence or per-
suasion Of any individual, groups,
organizations, either political or
otherwise or factions Of any kind.
am independent In every way po-
litically and otherwise, and this Is
well known to every one who
knows me-"
Mr., Beale said the law requires
open public advertised hearings on
School Board appointments. He
said IT have listened to every one
most attentively and the one Sc
Iected I deemed to be the best
qualified for the position"
Mrs. Smith Issues Statement,
Mrs. Smith issued the following
statement:
II was very much surprised at DR..
Stones statement to the press. In
my opinion his use of his position
as a member of the School Trustees
Electoral Board to influence the
voters of Arlington County is re-
grettable.
The question of changing the
method OF selecting the school
Board to appointment by the
county board or by direct election
will be voted on Tuesday In refer
endum which also includes propo-
sails to authorize bonds for school
and county improvements.
Various Arlington organizations,
meanwhile, continued their cam
paigns to gain support for the main
issues involved in Tuesdays voting.
ave Makes Charges.
The North Arlington Chapter Of
the American Veterans Committee
today charged the School Board de-
liberately raised the figure on the
bond issue from the requested $3,-
CSC, 900 figure to 100000 to make
lit more undesirable to the voters.
The Arlington ave wants change
in the present method Of selecting
School Board members because the
present system is "a device ridden
with machine politics"
A fee charged by the Arlington
school superintendent's auditor for
going over accounts of the Patrick
Henry School fund today was cited
by member Of that schools Parent
Teacher Association as a reason the
method Of selecting board members
should be changed. Boris S. Yane,
former president of the Patrick
Henry P-TA, termed a $400 fee
charged for auditing the $6,6O2 fund
"outrageously excessive" and COM
pared the fee with those charged
other non-profit organizations.
Broadcasts Scheduled.
I'm my opinion" Mr.. Yane said,
"the fee was intended to teach the
P-TA lesson for its temerity in
inquiring into how funds raised by
children and parents were spent.
Under the present method Of select
ing the School Board, parents have
no recourse against such abuses"
| The Greater Arlington Associa-
ton today cited the "inefhcieney"
and resultant resignation OF an en-
tire West Virginia school board that
was elected by the people in its
campaign for retaining the school
board appointment method.
| The question is to be aired in two
discussions over Radio Station
WQQW, 7:45 to BIS pm, today and
Monday. Representatives of the
Citizens Committee for School I'm
provement, who are supporting di-
rect election of board members and
Representatives of the Greater Ar
lington Association will argue the