Evening star., 1949-01-06


improvements for the Montgomery
County school system during the
next four years are placed at about
100000 600 in the biennial report of
the Board of Education, made public
today.
OF this amount, $l1 100000 must
be made available from State and
county sources in l949 for the initial
stage OF the program, the board
says.
The report and recommendations
required by law. come at time
when the Maryland Assembly begins
its 1949 session and is expected to be
asked to raise the ceiling on indebt-
edness which the county may incur
under it's new charter form Of gov
ernment.
The report also comedies with to-
days election of the new county
council which has greater legislative
powers, including control of school
budgets, than heretofore held by the
county governing body.
May Bring More Bond Issues.
Already spent or allocated is the
S. 100000 school bond issue for
which authorization was given by
the l947 General Assembly. Today S
report, which goes to the county
General Assembly delegation and
members of the new county council
is regarded as prelude to addl-
tional bond issue authorizations.
The exact figure for the four-year
program is S19,419.890. Although
10000 is sought initially. the
report also recommends that au-
thorization be made for subsequent
appropriations so that the program
may be advanced If the situation
becomes even more critical
The overall program is broken
down into three general classifl-
cations:
ACQUISITION of sites for q ele-
mentary schools; four Negro con-
solidated schools; four Junior high
schools: one senior high school and
additional land for three elemen-
tary schools, totaling $696,7S0.
sl7.21O,000 Construction Sought.
Construction of 154 white and Il
Negro elementary school rooms
classified as critical, would cost
s9,195 900 plus another $7,8l5,O 900 for
projects classified as essential. In
addition. construction Of a school
for children who have ''unmet,' or
special instructional needs, would
cost 100000, bringing the total
construction figure to $l7,210,0O0.
Reconditioning, including eXpend-
itures for new school buses, furni-
ture and equipment for existing
schools, is estimated at 81 l,342.110.'
The problem admittedly lis q
staggering one the report, pre-
pared by Assistant Schools Supt
Richard E. Carpenter. says.
Needs of each Of more than 60
existing schools are listed and the
report says schools still are Sc
riously overcrowded and have been
able to continue on full-time basis
only because all available space has
been used for class purposes"
$4,000 Students Seen by 1858.
The report says AZ additional ele-
mentary school classreoms and ac-
commodations for $50 Junior and
high school pupils are needed at
once. School facilities for Negroes
also require immediate attention
the report says. including four ad
ditional consolidated elementary
schools and completion of Negro
senior high school at an early date
An analysis of population and
school attendance trends is included
in the study, which predicts 10000
children will be of school age by
1858. There now are 21.000 en-.
rolled, or 5000 more than in 1940
The estimates for school site &C
QUESTIONS are brokn down as follows
Piney Branch Road Elementary
School site at or near Clifton Park
to accommodate apartment type
dwellings south of Piney Branch
road between Sligo Parkway anc
Old Bladensburg road, $35, 900.
New Hampshire Avenue Elemen.
taly School site. An estimated
SO, 900 additional Is needed to match