Evening star., 1948-11-30
Arlington Residents
Hear Familiar Rinq
In Strayer Report
"a "A
By Robert G. RoIIinqs

Many Of the general recomenda-
tions of the Strayer report on
Washington schools have familiar
ring to Arlington residents who
have been shearing the same sug-
gestions concerning the county sys-
tenn for more than year.
DR.. George D. Strayer of Colum-
bia University, who was employed
by Congress to survey public schools
in the District, last week gave the
first part of his report in which he
recommended expenditure of almost
s38 100000 for buildings. The study,
financed by a 100000 appropria-
ton, will be completed in January.
The Arlington counterpart of DR..
Strayer's recommendations have
come from the new elected School
Board, the boards consultant, DR.
Edward J. Braun, and from ad-
visory committees named by the
School Board to study various prob
lens.
Bonds Voted as Result.
AS a result, voters on November
2 approved a s4750,OoO bond issue
to finance construction of school
buildings. The building program is
based largely on a special census
which disclosed that the school
population will double within the
next few years. The construction,
which school authorities hope to get
under way soon, will take care of
the pupil load through 1872. At
that time another review is recon-
mended.
DR.. Strayers recommendations
regarding the size Of classes CORE
sponded with that made in Airing
ton-30 pupils per class.
AS to size of classrooms, DR.. Strayer
recommended a minimum of 900
square feet instead of the 704 re-
quired in the District. DR. Braun
has set the Arlington goal at 900
for the higher elementary grades
and at 1850 for the two primary
grades.
DR.. Strayers survey found District
elementary schools lacking the ia
cilities of auditoriums, gymnasiums,
lunchrooms, clinic rooms and stor-
age space.
Last week, DR.. Braun recommend
ed that a teachers room, Office,
clinic room and a playroom audi
torium with adjoining kitchen facili-
ties be included in four of six new
schools which are planned. In the
other two, all the nonclasSroom IA
cilities except auditoriums were pro-
posed. The auditoriums were left
out of the plans because of the
availability of such space in other
nearby structures.
Report on Sites Compared.
Smallness of school sites in the
District was criticized by DR.. Strayer
He said senior high school should
have minimum site of 20 acres,
a Junior high school Is acres and
an elementary school S acres.
DR.. Braun's proposals have been
for basic sites of S acres for ele-
mentary and 10 for junior nigh
with an additional acre for each
100 students in each case. He has
had no occasion to recommend areas
of high school sites.
The "half-time education OF chill
dren," hit by DR.. Strayer, also has
been one of the prime objects of
attack by the new officials in Arling-
ton where first and second grades
are on a half day schedule, some
classes attending in the morning and
others in the afternoon.
With funds made available from
a s1.776,000 bond issue sold last
month and with the proceeds to be
obtained from the $4,750,000 issue,
Arlington authorities plan to provide
classrooms to eliminate the short
sessions.
All in all, advocates of school
improvement in the county are we'll
pleased with the Strayer report.