Evening star., 1951-08-04
Showdown Due
lin ForestviIIe
School Fight
County Heads See
Buck Passing by
Superintendent Aide

A showdown fight is in pros
pect Tuesday between Prince
Georges County commissioners
and school officials over alleged
buck passing" on school con-
struction priorities.
School Supt. william S. Schmidt
said he will postpone his vacation
i'm order to appear before the
commissioners at Tuesdays meet
ing with his assistant, Thomas S.
'Gwynn, jr.
The commissioners, angry about
a letter Mr.. Gwynn wrote to For
|estville Elementary School trus-
tees. called on him to explain his
statements. in motion approved
at yesterdays meeting in Hyatts-
vile.
In the letter, dated June IA,
Mr.. Gwynn told the trustees that
a new addition they demand had
been included in the construction
program for this fiscal year, but
the commissioners could finance
approximately one-half of the
amount needed for the approved
program and among those schools
deleted was Forestville."
Deny Priority Stipulation.
Mr.. Gwynn was referring to
the commissioners decision last
spring to give the Board of Edu-
cation only half of the $6.6 mil
lion it requested for school con.
struction, with the other half to
be forthcoming next January for
the second six months of the
current fiscal year. With the ex-
ception of the deletion of four
auditoriums. however, the COM
missioners say they did not de-
signate the schools to be given
priority.
LET the Board of Education
shoulder it's own responsibility in
stead of passing the buck" Com
missioner Everett Marion indig-
nantly declared at yesterdays
meeting. He. later pointed out it
is the school boards responsibility
to decide priority for school prof.
ects, not the commissioners.
Mr.. Gwynn's letter was for
warded to the commissioners by
the Forestville trustees, who
charged in a letter of their, own
that the school board has been
giving them "a merry brush-offs" !"
| "We have definitely been told
repeatedly" the trustees wrote.
that an addition to the school
was planned, and each year some
ridiculous explanation was given
to us as to why the addition
would have to be postponed. The
confusing part of it is that the
school board blames the
county commissioners
i Schmidt Criticizes Action.
The trustees who signed the
letter are George w. Eisenacher
Palmer Pabor and Joseph M.
, Harris.
Informed Of the commissioners
action, Mr.. Schmidt criticized
them for going out on a limb in
: passing such a motion without
first checking into it."
The Forestville trustees, he
: added, have never discussed their
| demands for new wing directly
with him. Their action in COM
planning to the commissioners
without first discussing the prob
lem with him is very unethical'
one, Mr.. Schmidt stated.
He said he had approved Mr.,
Gwynn's letter before it was sent
out and that there was no inten-
ton OF passing the buck.
Both Mr.. Schmidt and Mr.
Gwinn said they will appear be-
fore the commissioners at Tues
y days meeting in Upper Marlboro
!, In another action the commits
! sioners yesterday urged Senators
Butler and O'Conor to support a
f $25, 900 appropriation for planning
flood relief at the Bladensburg
Peace Cross. The planning item
! is now being considered by the
! Senate Appropriations Committee