Evening star., 1950-10-26
Head
Schoo|sDisputes
City Testimony
Alexandria, County
Superintendents in
Annexation Duel

The Alexandria Fairfax County
annexation suit has touched off
a polite battle between school
superintendents Of the two COM
munities over their respective
educational systems.
Fairfax Schools Supt. w. T.
Woodson yesterday took the stand
as county witness to refute
unfavorable comments that were
made about county schools by
Alexandria Supt. T. C. Williams
when he testified for the city.
The city was to begin cross-ex-
animation of Mr.. Woodson today.
The Fairfax superintendent yes
terday said certain testimony by
the Alexandria superintendent
about overcrowding and teacher
loads in county schools was lin
correct"
Corrects Teacher Figure.
Mr. Woodson said there are 10
teachers for Shirley-Duke stu
dents, instead of eight as report
ed by Mr.. Williams. Mr.. Wood
son said the teacher load at Lee
Jackson and Lincolnia Schools
are lower by at least 10 students
In some cases than reported by
Mr.. Williams. All of these schools
are in the 71a square miles that
Alexandria seeks to annex.
Replying to testimony of the
Alexandria superintendent about
Fairfax teachers, Mr.. Woodson
said more than 10 per cent have
college degrees, which is above
the State average, and that in
many cases teachers with tenn
porary certificates are better
suited for their jobs than those
with the degrees.
Mr.. Woodson said Mr.. Williams
must have been "misinformed"
about the Manassas Regional High
School for Negroes not being. ap-
proved by the Southern Associa-
ton of Secondary Schools and
Colleges. The Fairfax superin-
tendent said that school, which
accommodates the county's coll
ored high school students, has
been approved by the association
since 1941. He added that the
county's white high schools met
the associations standards, but
until recently application for ap-
proval had not been made.
School Bonds Approved.
Mr.. Woodson said the county
had approved a $1O.5 million
tschool-bond issue that would i'm
iproye the overcrowding in county
schools. This money, he said.
Twill provide for a new 2O-room
school at Shirley-Duke.
The Fairfax superintendent said
that, Il the annexation is accom-
fplished. the county will have to
absorb about 543 more children
into its schools outside the an
nexation area. This is because
many students living outside the
area Alexandria seeks attend the
two schools in the area.
Should parts of the county be
taken away" said Mr.. Woodson, j
1t would disorganize our school
system"
Suit Dismissal Denied.
The county opened it's case yes
terday with a routine motion to
strike the city's evidence and dis
miss the suit, on the ground that,
the need for annexation had not
been proved. The three-judge
court denied the motion, and
County Electrical Inspector T. E.
McDonough took the stand as
the county's first witness to ex-
plain the duties of his office.
Other county witnesses yester-
day were Miss Ruth Ashburn.
county librarian, who said county
residents enjoy the advantages Of
a bookmobile service; Police Chief
Carl Mcintosh, Executive Secre-
tary R. M. Loughborough and Fire
Warden Marcel Pfalzgraf.
The city rested it's case yester-
day, after only three full days Of
testimony. Attorney Horace Ed
wards. who represents the city.
said 1t was the speediest presen-
tatlon OF an annexation case he
could recall and that he expects
the entire case will set a record
Tor brevity. The recent Falls
Church-Fairfax annexation suit
took six weeks.