Evening star., 1951-10-23
School oIProbIeI1ls
Taken Over by
New Board
Falls Church Council
Names 6 to Replace
Members Who Quit


school problems in Falls Church
this week.
The City Council appointed six
new members last night to replace
those who resigned two weeks ago.
Since that time. Falls Church has
been virtually without q School
Board. The only member who did
not resign, John A. johnson, Is in
Norway on Government mission.
Appointed last night were John
H. Cline. 35l North Washington
street. associate editor Of The Star,
who had been indorsed by the
Citizens Committee for Better
Government, the Falls Church
Lions Club and a group Of % citi-
zens:, Francis w. Trapp. LOOT
Parker street, public relations
man for the Potomac Electric
Power Co., indorsed by the COM
mittee: Oliver J. Caldwell, lis
West George Mason road, chair
man of the program development
staff of the Division of Exchange
of Persons of the State Depart
ment, recommended by the COM
mittee and the Madison School
PTA.
Others Named.
The other three new members
are Richard L. Saintsing, 315 East
Riley street. supply specialist with
the General Services Administra-
ton, also Endorsed by the COM
mittee; DR.. Alfred M. Palmer. Alb
East Columbia street, head of the
medical staff Of Arlington Hospi-
tai. Endorsed by the committee and
the Falls Church Woman's Club,
and Daniel V. Stapleton, ITO Villa
Ridge road. State Department rep
resentative with the Economic CO.
operation Administration, recon-
mended by the PTA.
The council voted unanimously
for Mr.. Cline and Mr.. Trapp, who
were named to serve until July /,
1854. Mr.. Caldwell's term will ex-
pire on July /, 1853, and the terms
OF other members will end next
July l.
Supt. Irwin H. Schmitt did not /
join the six board members in re-
signing.
An investigation launched by
the council after it took Office last /
month led to the designations. A
group Of citizens known as the
Falls Church School Emergency
Committee had accused the board
Of maladministration.
Resigned October Z.
The board replied to the charges,
but early in the morning Of Oc-
tober Z. the members decided to
resign, specifying that the six
members would agree to continue
to serve only as body and only If
the investigation was stopped.
A petition signed by more than
800 residents urged the Council
to reject the prffered resigna-
tions. Mayor Charles z. Kellogg
said the board had presented the
Council with an ultimatum, and
the designations were unanimous
ly accepted.
A report on the investigation
may be issued next week.
One Of the new boards first
jobs will be to examine progress
on construction Of a new Junior
senior high school and a new
primary school, both authorized
by a 1949. bond issue and still
not completed.
In other business last night the
Council set 2 pm. November 26,
as the deadline for acceptance of
bids on purchase of a $500 900
bond issue for school, street and
storm sewer improvements.
Legality Questioned.
Former City Attorney LaRue
Van Meter told the Council he
believes that appointment of a
Chicago firm as bond counsel and
awarding of q contract to codify
the city's ordinances to a Rich
mond company are illegal because
the contracts were not awarded
from sealed bids.
City Attorney Lytton Gibson ad-
vised the council that there is no
question that those transactions
are perfectly legal"
An offer by DR.. Harold Brooks
to sell the water system of Brook
haven, near Mclean, to the city
for $1,000 was rejected on rec
ommendation of City Manager w.
Rhodes Woodbury. and Director Of
Public Utilities j. w. Head, jr.
At the request of the city man &
ager, committee was appointed d,
to study the city's salary scale to /,
determine whether the cost Of (
living warrants increases. Coun- ,
Gil James E. Durant and w. Ray
mond Taylor were appointed.