Evening star., 1949-11-19
Lane Sees Hope
For School Aid
Despite Ruling
Court Knocks Out
Bond Program Due
To Clerks Error
By J. B. Zatmon

By J. B. Zotmon
Despite q Maryland Court of
Appeals decision knocking out
the States $50, 200. 900 school bond
program, Gov. Lane today ex-
pressed confidence that q bill
would be re-enacted in time to
enable the various counties to
proceed with their school con-
struction plans. .
Whether this will be done at a
special session of the General As
sembly or at its regular session
next February has not been de-
cided.
In the meantime, the Governor
said, State Department Of Educa-
ton and legal officials are con-
ferring to determine whether
some method can be worked out
to tide the counties over until the
regular session.
The court ruled yesterday that
the measure did not pass the
Legislature last March because
a Senate journal clerk failed to
record its passage.
Circuit Court OverruIed.
BY its action, the appellate body
overruled Baltimore Circuit Court
Judge Joseph Sherbow. who up
held the bill as a Simple situation
where an obvious error occurred.
The court has authority to correct
that kind Of error"
AS q result, issuance of the
first $4,000 in bonds, already
authorized by the State Board OF
Public Works, was blocked. This
money was scheduled to go to the
following seven counties:
Baltimore, $2,578,594; Prince
Georges. $2.446. TOO: Montgomery,
$1.330.125; Queen Anne's, $727,-
900; Anne Arundel. $616,880;
Frederick. 100000. and Charles.
500, 900. .
The $50, ,ooo. 900 credit pool, un-
der which counties could borrow
at low interest rates, was part
of an administration program for
school aid. The bond bill and a
SIC, 900 900 grant-in-aid fund to
be distributed on a matching
money basis were Gov. Lanes
answer to pleas for increased
State assistance for county school
building programs.
Cost Question Studied.
Declaring there is mo ques-
ton" that the program will be
cleared up. the Governor said 1t
would cost about $4,000 to call
q special session land we don't
decide to make such an expendi-
ture in Maryland without much
consideration"
He pointed out funds from the
$40, ,000, 900 grant-in-aid program
may be enough to give counties
an opportunity to proceed with
their school construction plans
until the General Assembly meets
next year.
He said a decision on whether
! to call a special session will be
reached in the next few days.
The Governor was to leave today
for Frederick, where he will ded1-
cate a new gymnasium at Hood
College, after which he will attend
three-day meeting Of the Southu
ern Governors conference in
| Biloxi. Miss.
Officials in Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties doubted
whether the court ruling would
have any drastic" effect on their
school building programs.
Bonds Authorized. ..
Montgomery County Attorney
David Macdonald said the County
Council last May authorized is
suance of IS. .465 900 in bonds for
schools and other purposes as a
"backstop" in the event State
funds could not be obtained. None
of the bonds have been issued.
Under the county's charter, any
amount over approximately $780,
900 in bonds would be subject to
a referendum.
In Prince Georges County, Supt.
of Schools G. Gardner Shugart
said the county commissioners
have authority to issue $40, ,000. 900
in bonds, which could be used to
finance projects started between
now and the time the General
Assembly re-enacts the $50, ,000, 900
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