Evening star., 1949-11-18
Vote Tomorrow
Decides School
Bond Proposal.
$500 in Falls Church
Eligible to BolIot
On 500, 900 Issue

pIUpcI w OWIlCIS VI + dllo SilA Ih
are eligible to go to the polls to-
morrow to decide whether the new
city may borrow 100000 to build
new schools.
The funds, if authorized, would
build a new Junior senior high
school and a new primary school
and would enable the School
Board to remodel the city's pres
ent Madison Elementary School.
Unlike the Statewide referen-
dunn and election held earlier this
month. voters need not pay the
State poll tax and register to be
qualified in this referendum. All
property owners 81 years Of age
or over whose names appear on
the approval list of "freeholders"
may vote. This hist is posted at
the City Hall, the School Board
Office at 1857 West Broad street
and at other locations.
25-Cent Tax Increase Seen.
The School Board has estimated
that adoption of the building pro-
gram would increase the present
$4.55 tax rate by IS cents per 500
Of property valuation.
The city at present has no high
school and only one elementary
school. When a separate Falls
Church school division was estab-
lished in June the city sought tol
gain control Of all schools withinI
its boundaries, but a Fairfax Cir
cult Court ruling held that Fairfax
County could not be required to
give up the Falls Church High
School and Oak Street Elementary
School.
Falls Church parents now payl
tuition to the county for educa-
tion of city students at the high
school. A reciprocal arrangement
exists whereby the county and city
charge each other for elementary
school students attending the two
lower grade institutions.
Robert M. cullum. president Of
the combined Falls Church PARENT
Teacher Associations, has estimate
ed that more than 400 students
would attend the proposed junior
senior high school in the first year
OF its operation.
City School Supt. Irwin H
Schmidt has estimtaed students
attending elementary schools from
Falls Church total more than $780,
Mr.. Cullum said he expects there
will be about 100 more first-gradel
students next year than now arel
enrolled.
Ne Organized Opposition.
The question on the ballot is
sued voters tomorrow will read: |
"Are you in favor of issuing1
bonds of the City of Falls Church
in a total amount not to exceed
100000 for the purchase of land
for school sites, the erection and
improvement of the school build
ings. and to equip the same, said
bonds to mature within a period
of 80 years and to bear interest
at a rate not to exceed 6 per cent
per annum, and to be general OBJ
legations of the City of Falls
church,"
Political leaders in the city who
were on different sides in the City
Council election in June. the Au-
gust primaries and in last weeks
general election, have united in
public statements urging that the
proposal be approved. No organ
lied opposition to the proposal
has appeared.
House-to-House Drive On.
Among the supporters Of the
bond issue are Mayor Albert M.
Orme; LaRue Van Meter, city at
torney; A. Burke Hertz, commits
sioner of revenue, Lytton H. Glib
son, assistant Commonwealth S
attorney of Fairfax County; John
A. K. Donovan, attorney and City
Democratic Committee chairman;
John w. Koons, vice president of
the Falls Church Chamber Of
Commerce, and Mrs. Merrill Lee
Chanel, former council member.
A promotion committee Of sol
members headed by Mandley T.
Rust. city councilman, is conduct
ing house-to-house drive urging
support of the bond issue.
The mayor OF the Junior Civic
League. Donald Glover, 16, and al
former mayor, James Beard, Is,
will be at the Office of the School
Board to arrange for free Girl
Scout baby sitters and for trans
portation to the polls for persons
calling the I office. Fails Church
5000.
Mrs. William DohI Heads