Evening star., 1950-10-12
High Priorities
Asked for New
School Building

Silver Spring Group
Told Construction
Is Vitul to Future
Schools must receive priorities
on building materials or face a
stoppage of construction, Silver
Spring residents were warned last
night.
Mrs. Durward v. Sandifer, a
member of the Montgomery Coun-
ty Board of Education, told resi-
dents of the area served by the
Oakview Elementary School that
school needs should be second only
to those of the Department Of
Defense to prevent breakdown
of the country's educational sys-
tenn.
She urged them to work for
establishment of school building
priorities by the Federal Govern
ment.
Study to Begin Next Week.
At mass meeting of some 500
persons. officials revealed that DR..
Nicholas l.. Engelhardt, ST., New
York school planning expert.
would study the situation next
week. DR.. Engelhardt is a con-
sultant for the county on school
problems.
A small committee to be named
by presidents of four citizens
associations involved and the
schools parent-teacher associa-
ton was invited to work with him.
The four associations which
sponsored last nights meeting are
the Sligo-Branview Community
Association and the Long Branch,
Clifton Park and Indian Spring
Citizens Associations.
Residents complained Of over
crowding resulting in double shifts
for two grades and charged that
faulty planning had led to the
erection of a building known to
be inadequate to the needs Of the
community.
Transfers Criticized.
Others hit the necessity of fire.
quent transfer of children from
school to school as the community
grew.
School authorities estimate an
overload of about 1875 children
at the 14-classroom school. of
which the present enrolment
is 625.
Assistant Supt. of Schools Rich
ard Carpenter said parents had
chosen the double shifts in pref
erence to transportation to a
school outside the community
when the choice was offered last
spring.
He told them completion of 10
classrooms for temporary ele-
mentary use in the new Eastern
Suburban Junior High School un-
der construction at Old Bladens-
burg road and Franklin avenue
would place them next September
Gin the best position in the county"
if they chose to use the rooms.
2 More Rooms Set.
Two other rooms will be avail
able in the Silver Spring Inter-
mediate School in January, he
said.
No new elementary school can
be completed for the area by next
fail because funds have not been
appropriated. he explained. Five
other county schools also are
temporary double shifts, he
pointed out.
County Manager Irving G,
McNayr expressed doubt that ma
terials could be obtained for a
school building even if money
were available.
He said six county projects in
Silver Spring are now at a stand
still because contractors are un-
able to get materials. He did not
identify the projects.
Overload Still Exists.
Mrs. Herman M. Wilson, School
Board president, said Montgomery
County will have spent SIT mil
lion for school construction in
the four years ending next July
l. An overload of 1000 children
still exists despite the huge pro-
gram. it was pointed out.
In addition, the county is faced
with the need of moving it's 1000
Negro students from "obsolete
and completely inadequate small
buildings to modern schools as
fast as they can be built, she
said.
Mrs. Sandifer explained that
school funds had to be spread
over the entire, county rather
than concentrated in one area.
She added the board was aware
that many new schools are in
adequate.
I'VE can't build a school to
meet the total needs of one COM
munity and neglect another en-
tirely." she emphasized.
Other speakers included Wylie
w. Barrow and Thomas S. Jack
son. School Board members, and
County Councilman j. Douglas
Bradshaw.
MARYLAND IN Cnmnefe