Evening star., 1949-07-11
Arlington School Head
Believes in Keeping
Door Open 10 Public
By Robert c. RoIIinqs

new superintendent of schools, be-
lieves there are no secrets in
public administration"
And when the 43-year-old Off
cial settles down today for his
first full week in the county since
assuming the post, his office door
will be open-literally.
II am willing to talk to anyone
about schools" Mr.. Early declared
today in his office in the school
systems new headquarters at Will
son boulevard and North Edge
wood street.
Talking to people about the
school system is such vital part
of this job that it probably will
take up about 95 per cent of my
time.
And talking about" is synony-
nous with selling" the system
to the public as far the former
Norfolk County superintendent is
concerned. He succeeds Supt.
Fletcher Kemp who was not re-
appointed after serving 80 years.
SCHOOLS Sold Short"
In a talk to the school admin
istratiye staff, the day after he
took over the job, Mr.. Early
asserted:
you should know about this
school system. I have gone to all
the schools in the county and
found so much that was good. The
Arlington schools have been sold
short. You should know-and be
able to tell about-the good points
here"
Referring specifically to Arling-
ton instructional personnel, Mr..
Early said Il have found them
to be above average
Administratively. already a few
changes have been made. Edward
j. Braun, who has served as
School Board consultant, has
been named an assistant super
intendent in charge of the con-
struction program, school ac-
counts and records, and purchas-
ing. Charles j. Walsh will con-
tinue as an assistant superintend-
ent and will be in charge of in
structional personnel.
For the first time in the sys-
TENS history, the maintenance of
buildings and grounds is under
special supervisor. He is j. A.
Smith, jr.. an engineering grad
uate of King College. Bristol,
Tenn, who will work under Mr..
Braun.
AS for changes in classroom
methods and the operation of the
system where it is felt by the
public. the pupils and the teach
ers, Mr.. Early said "a lot of things
are in the planning stage"
Welcome Suggestions.
But Mr.. Early. who headed a
much larger system before he
came to Arlington, explained he
does not care to elaborate-for
several reasons.
First, he hopes that improve
ments in the system will come as
a result of suggestions by the
teachers and members of the ad-
ministrative staff, themselves.
II expect to learn a lot of things
from the teachers" Mr.. Early
said. Their ideas might well be
better than mine"
And he appears to hope they
will be.
Secondly, it may be long time
before the ideas now in the plan
ming stage are placed into opera
tion-and they may be vastly
different by then, so there's not
much point in saying anything
about them now.
Already planned are teachers
meetings which will be held be-
fore the opening of school IN
September, during two-day
mid-term class holiday in jan
uary and at the end of the school
year in June. These meetings,
Mr.. Early hopes. will be virtual
"idea factories"
One observer described Mr..
Early as having a reputation of
"delegating responsibility" and
predicted the Arlington system
will become much stronger be-
cause individuals will have re-
sponsibilities they have never had
before"
And looking through Mr.. Early's
open door into the other Offices.
that much already appears evi-
dent.