Evening star., 1947-05-28
Arlington Approves
School Board Change,
S1,7m,OOO in Bonds
By Robert c. RoIIinos

which also brought:
Authorization of 81. .766, 900 bond
issue for expansion of elementary
= Defeat of the balance of a
Sc 100000 bond issue for schools.
: Defeat OF a s5,15o,oo bond issue
fcr public works.
= On the basis of unofficial returns.
the change from the present method
.of selecting the School Board was
voted yesterday by decisive 2641-
vote margin, but the bonds for
school expansion were authorized by
only 104 votes.
Slightly more than 10000 Arling-
ton voters cast their ballots in Il
precincts to decide the most contro-
versial issues in the county in re-
cent years.
Both sides claimed victories to-
day.
Proponents of the School Board
change and the the bond issues
were jubilant because what they
considered the most important item
was passed. plus part of the school
bond issue. Opponents pointed to
their defeat of $9,374 900 in bonds.
The proposal to end on December
81 the present system under which
the School Board is named by the
court-appointed School Trustees
Electoral Board was voted over
whelmingly in all but one precinct.
The choice OF direct election rather
than appointment by the County
Board carried almost to /.
Voted down emphatically were
the proposed SIS, $50, 900 public works
bond issue, $3.50 to 4,02s, and the
first, second and fourth items of
the suggested $6,000,o0 school bond
issue. The item of $655,000 for es-
tablished of kindergartens failed,
1884 to 4,276: s53o,ooo for full
day sessions in the first and second
grades lost, 5,149 to 1866, and $3,-
029,000 for secondary school expsn-
SIGN was beaten, 5,o22 to 4.665. The
affirmative vote on the item for
Sl,776,00 was 1890 to 1926.
One Precinct Favors Bonds.
The public works bond issue pro-
posal received favorable vote in
only one precinct, Arlington. where
the tally was 961 to 888. 1t was the
only precinct which voted In the
affirmative on all items.
DR.. Oscar r. LeBeau. president of
the Citizens Committee for School
Improvement, one Of the organiza-
tlonS which led the fight for passage
OF all items, said late last night:
THE victory for direct election in
Arlington bids well for the future
of public education in the commun-
ity. Parents and teachers alike can
rejoice at the outcome of the ref
erendum. We would be remiss if we
did not remember at this time the
untiring efforts of thousands of good
substantial citizens who helped to
achieve this victory.
THE vote against the school bond
Issue wos also a vote against the
present school administration. We
are convinced that If a more mod
crate amount had been put out To
the electorate it would have carried
overwhelmingly"
Promises to Continue Fight. q
2 Charles o. Pratt, president Of the
Greater Arlington Association group
which spearheaded the opposition,
declared:
."We were beaten on the principal
issue. The Citizens Committee for
School improvement has thrown
open the selection of the School
Board to the fate of politics.
The bond issues were defeated
because the public has no confidence
In the unnamed board they expect
to choose. We still hope for good
schools in Arlington and the Greater
Arlington Association will, continue
Its fight for that purpose"
Harley M. Williams, chairman of
the Better Government League, a
proponent organization, asserted:
The huge majority for an elected
School Board reflects the sincere
belief of Arlington citizens in the
basic democratic processes.
The insistence of the School
Board in submitting a $4,000 ,000'
bond issue in the face of public de-
mand for a $3,250, 900 issue resulted
in the defeat of the issue. Undoubt-
edly this is what the School Board
meant to do.
Five to Be Elected.
THE people will prove their de-
sire for moderate county and school
bond issues which undoubtedly will
be submitted after We have elected
a responsible School Board"
Under the law placed into effect
by the affirmative vote for a change,
five members of the School Board
Will be elected in the November
elections. The three receiving the
highest number of votes will serve
for four-year terms and the two
receiving the next highest number
will be elected for two years each.
At the end of the terms of the
latter. two members will be elected
for four-year terms. Elections will
be held every two years there
after. three members being named
one time and two the next.
Representatives of the Citizens
Committee. the Arlington Civic
Federation, the Better Government
League, the League of Women
Voters and other citizens groups
already have announced plans for
seeking qualified candidates to run
In a non-partisan race for the
School Board.
Half Loaf" Mrs. Planck SAYS.
Mrs. Charles E. Planck, nom
partisan candidate for the County
Board. said Arlington voters got
half loaf yesterday. They can
get the other half in the November