Evening star., 1949-03-21
Two Plans 10 Improve
Schools Studied by
ST. Marys Heads
By ]. |. Michoet
by a Stoff Correspondent Of The Stor

By J. |. Michael
BY sioff Correspondent Of The Stor
LEONARDTOWN, Md, Mar. 81.
Two plans for improvement of
st. Marys County public schools
areI being studied today by the
cotnty commissioners.
One was submitted by M. c.
Thompson. jr., chairman of the
st. Marys County Planning Com
mission, and the other by r.
Bascom Broun, who headed an
executive committee of the IT.
member School Advisory Board
named by the commissioners.
Both groups had been asked
to make recommendations as to
whether all or part of proposed
$550,000 bond issue should be
sold and if so. where the funds
should be used.
S250,000 For Mechanicsville.
The advisory board reported
that the full amount should be
issued and the money allocated as
follows:
Mechanicsville area $225, 900
for a nine-room auditorium and
cafeteria building. The new
school would take care of about
$50 pupils now enrolled at
Mechanicsville. Oraville, Chapti-
co, Charlotte Hall and Laurel
Grove.
Leonardtown area-$100.000 for
a four-classroom school with au-
ditorium and cafeteria. to serve
Leonardtown, Newton Neck, Med
ley's Neck, White Point, and
Glebe. The five schools have a
total enrolment Of about 130 pu-
pills.
River Springs. Clements and
Ridge would be allowed $4,000
each.
The committee said it felt 1t
would be very practical" to buy
four variety-type buildings to be
used as a manual training sec
tion at the Margaret Brent High
School near here.
S150,000 for Banneker.
For Negro schools. the commit
tee recommended the following
ALLEGATIONS:
Banneker-s150,OO0 for a six
room building with a cafeteria
and auditorium to absorb present
schools at Oakville. Phyllis,
Wheatley. Milestown, Abel, Fen
wick and Budd's Creek.
For the upper part Of the
county, the committee recon-
mended $4,000 for a building
with classrooms and one multiple
purpose room to consolidate
schools at White Marsh. Mechan-
icksville and Gravelly Knoll.
The committee said: We are
informed that school needs in the
lower end of the county have been
provided for by acquisition of the
former Carver Heights dormitory.
Thus" the committee said,
"the colored schools would receive
total of $4,000 and the white
schools 1891 900. leaving a bal
ance of $4,000 for architect fees
and other expenses"
Total of 5 Districts Asked.
The report of the Planning
Commission suggested that the
county be divided into three
major districts for white schools
and two major districts for colored
schools with a consolidated school
group composed of both elemen-
tary and high school grades on
sites at Helen, Leonardtown and
Great Mills.
In order to serve the extreme
lower end of the county, the COM
mission suggested that improve
ments be made to the present
elementary school at Ridge.
Schools recommended for the
two major Negro districts would
be located at Banneker and Carver
Heights. An elementary school,
the commission said, might be To-
Gated in the vicinity of New Mar
ket to serve colored elementary
pupils in the upper corner of the
county.
School at Helen Asked.
1--WE are of the opinion" the
commission said. that these i'm
provements should be accom-
plished on cash basis. but due to
approval of the bond issue we feel
that funds from this source should
be made available as soon as pos
sible and expended in the follow
ing priorities:
Il. An elementary school at
Helen and, 2. necessary construc-
ton or Improvements at Banne-
ker; the remaining money if any
to be applied to Leonardtown
elementary and high schools"
The commission also recon-
mended that the plans for each of
groups include a modern gymna-
Sium.
Further recommendations for
financing the program were that
in 1850 approximately $4,000 be
made available to continue the
program on a cash basis. It is
further recommended that as soon
as new school facilities are avail
able, the abandoned schools be
sold and the monies applied to the
school building fund"