Evening star., 1950-05-27
Fairfax Gives
Requirements
For Voting
Two Referendums Up
Wednesday; Polls to
Be Open II Hours

lined today for two Fairfax County
bond issue referendums Wednes-
day. as supporting and opposing
groups issued statements.
Polls will be open from z am
to 7 pm, daylight time. on the
questions of authorizing issuance
of sos million in bonds for schoo.
construction, and $980,000 ir
bonds for courthouse improve
mentS and a new jail.
Circuit Court Clerk Thomas p
Chapman, jr., pointed out today
that three classes of persons may
vote. These he listed as:
/. Those who were properly
qualified for the general election
last November.
Q. Those whose poll taxes were
paid on or before December 13
1949, and who are properly reg
tstered.
3. Those who became 81 on OF
after January /, .1949. These per-
sons are not yet subject to the
poll tax, but must be properly
registered.
Appeal Made to Parents.
A statement urging "every par
ent and every voter who realizes
the benefit of an improved school
system" to vote for the school
bond issue was issued by Mrs
Malcolm Morrow. new president
of the County Federation of Par
ent-Teacher Associations, and
Mrs. Hugh McDiarmid, retiring
presndent.
They declared every parent must
be aware of the overcrowded con-
ditions in their own schools, add
ing that each locality is typical
OF the countrywide need.
They cited enrolment figures as
evidence of overcrowding. For ex-
ample, they said, the Lee-Jacksor
School was built to house 24C
children but now serves 688
Forestville. built for 1870, has 249
they continued, and James Lee
constructed for 180, has 291.
Others they named included
Fairfax Elementary, 180 and 531;
Burke, 80 and 226; Oakton, 24(
and 460, and Oak Street, 42O anc
BAT.
Bad as this picture is, tn.
anticipated increase in enrolment
for the 1901 school year make.
it seem relatively inconsequential,
the women asserted.
Double Shifts Expected.
Citing 5000 children in sub.
standard rooms with some classe.
on double shifts, they declared thu
anticipated enrolment will plac,
an estimated 174 classes on doubl,
shifts. Use of the substandart
rooms will have to continue, the,
said.
This situation is bad for chill.
dren and teachers. Without hop,
OF relief it will be increasingly
difficult to hold our good teacher.
and to secure new ones. The quail.
ity OF our educational system will
deteriorate rapidly" they warned
On the opposing side, the Tax
payers Advisory Association
through Edward T. Gibbons, pres
1dent, issued a statement.
The statement declared the
proposed school bond issue "has
not been fashioned on a realistic
foundation of plans and economy
and the proposed courthouse issue
is neither an economy or a neces-
slty at this time"
Urgent Need" Recognized.
At the same time the associa-
t1on declared it recognizes the
urgent need" for additional
classroom space as being ian
emergency circumstance"
But, the group stated. "the
amount of money has no rela.
tlonshlp to a realistic construc.
ton requirement it is a lumr
sum arrived at by compromise al
a public meeting held in Oaktor
on December 2, 1949."
In February, the statement as.
serted, the School Board said i,
had no plans for the program
which sis solely to meet antici.
pated requirements only through
the 1872 school year."
Another program for the fu.
ture can be expected" it added.
The proposed courthouse bono
issue was attacked as beyond the
current existing shortage for Office
space and other facilities"
"TOO Suddenly Expanded"
"The average annual cost o1
retiring the bond issus at 3 pei
cent interest will exceed $4,000
over a 20-year period with an off
setting rental saving of only $14.-
600 per annum," the statement
said.
THE program does not appear
to be one of economy and has
been too suddenly expanded from
the original 100000 limit of a
few months ago."
In addition the association
criticized "the heavy tax pay
ments that will be required to
pay off such bonds"
School Supt. w. T. Woodson
today stated that the bonds will
not be sold all at once but only
as the proceeds are needed as con-
struction proceeds.
This, the superintendent said,
means the interest payments will
not be as great as if the bonds
were sold all at one time.