Evening star., 1949-11-15
Fairfax Request,
Legal |. Help on
School Bonds
Boord Studies PIons
To Alleviate Burden;
!, Referendum Sought

" SNt'SNbStS SS'SSIIF
, Referendum Sought
Attorneys were called in today
to advise Fairfax County schoo
authorities on the best procedure
for obtaining a bond issue refer.
endun1, as that county wrestlee
with mounting school problems.
/ At meeting last night with II
members of the School Emergency
Committee, the County Schoo
Board decided to ask Attorne,
General j. Lindsay Almond. jr.. fol
an opinion on the, legality of hav.
ing the board petition the count,
supervisors and the Circuit Court
for referendum.
&, Members of the School Board
and administrative officers re-
viewed with the committee more
than so projects proposed to al
leviate the school burdens i'm
posed by Fairfax's rapidly grow
ing population. The projects,
which include new buildings, ad-
ditions to structures now in use
and the purchase of school sites,
would be financed by bonds.
Plans Sent to Architect.
Plans for this work were sent
today to Richmond. where archi-
tects will prepare estimates. The
estimates will be considered Fri
day night at another meeting of
the Emergency Committee and
the School Board.
At the urging of Robert M. Cul-
f1um. president of the combined
Falls Church Parent Teacher AS
isociations. the board instructed
Chairman F.. w. Robinson and
Sasp& w. T. Woodson to sign q
statement, already signed by the
Falls Church City School Board
chairman and the city super
intendent of schools, calling GER
tain facts to the attention of the
people. of Fairfax and Falls
Churcha
The statement declares that
"more school facilities will be
urgently NEEDED than can possibly
be built under the proposed bono
issues for both the city and the
county by the time those ia.
cilities can be completed"
Vote Slated Saturday.
Falls Church voters will ballot
Saturday on a 100000 schoo
construction bond issue.
If either bond issue is de.
feated," the statement continues
sit is certain that many children
in Falls Church or Fairfax County
or both, will be severely over
crowded; will have to attend
school in rooms not suited for
classroom use. and may have to
attend only halliday sessions .
Expressing hope that residents
of both areas will approve bond
issues, the statement asserts II
they do there will be no wasteful
duplication or overlapping in the
facilities provided and we will Co
operate in arranging for pupils to
attend the schools most convenient
to them, wherever that is feasible y
Definite Stand Urged.
Members of the committee urged
the board to take a definite stand
last night on the method to be
used in getting a referendum. II
was pointed out that the one sure
plan is to gather signatures o1
1000 qualified voters on petitions
to the Circuit Court. Under this
method. the judge sets date fol
the voting.
Under the alternative method
about which Commonwealth's At
torney Hugh B. Marsh and Mr.
Robinson expressed doubt, the
school board request must be ap-
proved by the County Board OF
Supervisors and the circuit judge,
with either having power to deny
the petition.
Board members expressed belief
the supervisors would reject the
latter method. preferring that the
request come directly from the
people. Harold Ward of the COM
mittee, argued that in obtaining
1000 signatures much valuable
time would be lost. This could be
avoided. he said, by direct action
of the board. ..-
Mass Meeting Is Held.
While the county board was
meeting a mass meeting was be-
ing held in Falls Church to dis
cuss the city bond issue. The
statement signed by the, city
school board was read at the
meeting.
Joseph w. seay, member OF
the city board, said the $700, 900
city issue would cost about $685.
TOO a year to pay of. He esti-
mated this is equivalent to about
so cents per 500 property valua-
ton. At least half of this amount,
he predicted. would be paid from
the current school tax rate. re-
quiring a tax increase Of only Is
cents for the construction pro-
gram.
City School Supt. Irwin n
Schmitt, commenting on prospects
for State or Federal aid, said the
city cannot depend on funds
f~ox. o;%I,ar ~ ithaca eo,,raee