Evening star., 1947-07-14
Prin1eGee|tqes
oConsolidate
Small Schools
Long-Ronee Plan
To Get Under Way
Within 10 Years
By ChorIes A. McAIeer


land. 10 are located in Primo
Georges County.
In addition, the county also ha
21 two-room schools. some of which
have only one teacher because o
personnel shortages Altogether
there are SO schools in the county
This was reported yesterday b.
county board of education official
who disclosed plans for the eventua
elimination or consolidation of mos
small schools.
Although not scheduled for th'
immediate future, major portion
of the program is expected to be un
der way within 10 years.
10 Colored Schools Proposed.
This will involve consolidating thu
81 colored schools of the county
30 of which are in the one. two ane
three room category. Tentative
plans, according to Paul C. Cooper
county supervisor of school con.
struction. call for colored elementary
schools to be consolidated in II
buildings.
The one-room schools for white
students are confined to rural areas
Last year, % students attended the
six grades at the Nottingham Ele-
mentary School, and 18 at the
Brookridge School. A total of 81
attended the first three grades ir
the Seabrook Elementary School.
One-room schools for coloreo
pupils are located in Annandale
Croome Station, Accokeek. Dupont
Heights, Poplar Hill, Brandywine
and Fletchertown.
Two-room schools for white chill
dren, with only one teacher last
year, are located at Accokeek, where
the three upper grades went to
Brandywine; Columbia Park, where
the upper grades went to Cottage
City, and Berwyn Heights, where
GRADES four to six were sent to the
3erwyn Elementary School.
Closing of School Opposed.
In the case of the Nottingham
nd Brookridge schools, Mr.. Cooper
aid, residents of the area are con-
tent to continue with the same ar.
rangement rather than consolidate
and have their children transferred
to Upper Marlboro. Both may be
consolidated, however if attendance
drops, he added.
An effort by former School Supt
Nicholas Orem to close the Brook
ridge School resulted in pleas tt
the School Board for its retention
Mr.. Cooper added.
Residents of Seabrook have lone
requested a new school for theil
community, but none is included ir
immediate plans. The School Board
has decided that children of the
area can use the Lanham Elemen-
tary School mile away.
Under the proposed reorganiza-
ion of colored schools, the 1C
elementary structures would aver
age six rooms and would include
"afeteria and auditorium facilities
All would be located within six to
light miles of their pupils.
3 Colored Schools Overcrowded.
The situation in the coloreo
chools is not as critical as it is
Y some white schools, Mr. Cooper
aid. The only overcrowding, where
double shifts were necessary last
year, was at Glenarden, Chapel Hill
and Paramount Heights, he said.
In Paramount Heights, construc-
ton of eight rooms, an auditorium
and cafeteria as an addition to the
elementary school already has beer
started under this years $4,000 00(
school building program. In addi-
ton. this years program includes
preparation of plans for a new col
ored senior high school at Fair
mount Heights.
Last years attendance statistics
show 1914 of the $4,000 students OF
county schools were colored.
There are "a elementary schools
for colored students, two senior high
schools at Berwyn and
Douglass at Upper Marlboro-and
the Highland Park Junior High
Elementary School.
Complete Change Sought.
The program for colored schools
which would be conducted on a
basis of the present population. still
is little more than a dream of Off
GALS
TT would be the ideal setup fol
colored pupils and would near
abandonment of almost everything
we've got for them now" Mr.. Cooper
explained. 1--WE have only five
reasonably good, modern schools Out
of the total of 81 for colored -
Bladensburg, Oxon Hill, North
Brentwood and Fairmount Heights
Elementary Schools and Douglass
High School,
Work to Start This Week.
Work is expected to begin this
week on the construction of q
modern elementary school at Land.
over Hills, it calls for nine class
rooms. workshop. auditorium
cafeteria and library.
Bids will be opened July % fol
the erection of six-classroon
gymnasium and cafeteria addition
to the Laurel High School: on Au
gust u for construction of nev
senior high school at Upper Mari
boro, and on August 26 for SINH
lar project at Oxon Hill. Both nev
high schools will include IA class
rooms. an auditorium, gymnasium
and cafeteria.
Ground is expected to be pur
chased under this years program
also for new senior high schools IL
the Bladensburg and the Hyatts
vile University Park areas.
Millions in Bonds Authorized.
The Maryland General Assembl,
at it's last session authorized $4,000,
900 in bonds for Price George
County school construction, equal.
divided between 1947 and 1948. Hal
of this amount was sold last Tues
day
Behind times in its school con
struction. the county has been at
tempting to match its school facili