Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-12-01
'PTAin Fairfax
Redistribution
School Program
Emergency Group
Expected to Seek
Bond Vote Petition

Fairfax County's proposed multi
million dollar school construction
program was Endorsed by 200 rep
resentatives of county Parent
Teacher Associations at a meeting
with the School Board last night.
Architects have estimated the
program would cost $4,000. 900
and the Fairfax County School
Emergency Committee, which has
been cooperating with the School
Board in determining needs. will
meet at 8 pm. tomorrow at the
Oakton School to decide the
amount of a proposed bond issue.
w. Alvord Sherman, committee
chairman, predicted last night
that his group will start at to-
morrow nights meeting to obtain
signatures of voters on petition
for a referendum on the bond
issue.
School Board Chairman Fred
w. Robinson told the PTA mem
bers the $12,000.000 estimate was
based on a construction cost OF
so cents per cubic foot. The total
need includes $270,500 for land.
Sees Higher Tax Base.
AS to the increase in the tax rate
which would be required to retire
bonds, Mr.. Robinson said he had
made some estimates based on q
tax base of $70,0O0,000. The pres
ent $62, 000, 900 tax base is expected
to be raised to at least that amount
by new building and higher prop
erty values. school authorities said
The school officials emphasized
that any bonds authorized would
not be sold all at once because it
would be impossible to start con-
struction of all schools at the same
time.
Mr.. Robinson said if. for in
stance, S4,000,00O in bonds were
sold to finance the first years con-
struction, a Decent tax increase
would be necessary. If the amount
were $4,000 the tax rise would
be about 43 cents, the chairman
estimated.
If we decided to sell $4,000, 000
in bonds all at once, it would mean
an 80-cent tax increase" he as
serted.
Rate Now $3.1S.
The present rate is 1919 per
500 of assessed valuation. OF the
total. $2.65 is for schools.
Asked what would happen If the
proposed bond issue fails. Mr..
Robinson predicted it would be
necessary to operate the schools u
months q year, with half the chill
dren attending for a six-months
period. and the other half for the
next six months. He said more
temporary rooms in churches, boil
er rooms and auditoriums would
be required and that it eventually
it may be necessary to have some
Of the children attend at night.
. A check revealed today, how
ever, that for local school systems
to qualify for State aid, the school
term must be at least 100 days in
length. It would be impossible to
meet this requirement in a six
months period, even with classes
on Saturdays. 3
Proposal Supported.
A proposal by Schooi Supt. W.
T. Woodson that county residents
be transported in school buses to
visit overcrowded schools. won the
support of Mrs. Dorothy McDer-
mott, president of the county PTA
Council. She said she plans to
assist in carrying out the sug-
gestion.
Last nights meeting was called
to represent to PTA leaders a pic
ture Of the county's overall educa-
tional needs. The School Board
previously had met with represen-
tatives of each school In series of
magisterial district conferences.
The proposed building program
includes 20 new schools and addi-
lions to 26 existing plants.