Evening star., 1951-09-09
7 Falls Church
Schools Put Off
Opening Days
Pronounced Unsafe;
New Buses Awaited
In Prince Georges


The opening tomorrow of two
Falls Church schools was post
poned last night while in Prince
Georges County authorities dis
closed new complications because
only seven of an expected 81 new
buses for the new school year have
arrived.
The two Falls Church schools.
involved in a current controversy,
will open Wednesday unless other
wise announced, the City School
Board said.
The schools, in remodeled resi-
dences, were declared unsafe by
city inspectors last Wednesday
School authorities Immediately be-
gan work to correct the structural
deficiencies and provide adequate
emergency exits.
A statement issued last night
declares that all city students ex-
cept those in the first, 10th and
18th grades will report for classes
on opening day tomorrow.
Council Agrees to Inquiry.
The two temporary buildings
are formerly private homes. One
is at North Washington street
and the other at Seven Corners
and Sleepy Hollow road.
The school boards plan to use
these two buildings figured in a
series of charges levelled at the
board by the Falls Church School
Emergency Association. The as
sociation demanded an investiga-
tion of the school administration
and the city council agreed to con-
duct the inquiry.
Tuesday night the school board
must report to the Madison School
auditorium where the council, in
public session, will inquire into
the charges.
Metal Shortage Blamed.
The buildings were leased by the
board when it became evident that
two new schools. one a junior
high, the other an elementary,
would not be completed in time
for the fall term. The school
board attributes the delay to con
fusion in the building industry,
and particularly in the critical
shortage of metals occasioned by
defense production"
Grades two through six will be-
gin classes in the Madison School
and grades seven thorugh nine
will attend in the Jefferson annex
to the Madison School. Twelfth
graders are attending the Fairfax
owned Falls Church High School.
Prince Georges School Supt.
William S. Schmidt said the
County's lot available buses will
make more than the usual num-
Der of trips so that all routes may
be covered, but they probably will
be behind schedule on some
routes.
Substitutes to Take Over.
Mr.. Schmidt said fewer than 10
teaching assignments are still un-
filled, and they will be taken over
temporarily by substitute teachers.
Prince Georges was short about 40
teachers less than two weeks ago.
Mr.. Schmidt said there Is still a
shortage of substitute teachers in
his county, however, since many
have been put on the full time
staff. He urged all persons in
tereSted in substitute teaching da
get in touch with the Board of
Education at Upper Marlboro.
Prince Georges County pupils
will go to classes for only a half
day tomorrow. In Montgomery,
however, the regular full-day
schedules will apply.
In Prince Georges, officials said,
the double shift will be in effect
tomorrow at Agar Road, Surratts-
vile, Silver Hill, Langley Park,
Thomas Stone and University Park
Elementary schools, and possibly
at Oxon Hill, Camp Springs, Fair
mont Heights and Berwyn Ele-
mentary schools.
Montgomery Double Shifts.
Here are the elementary schools
in Montgomery where double
shifts will be necessary, accord
ing to the superintendent's office:
Lone Oak, Alta Vista, West
brook, Kensington, Takoma Park,
Silver Spring intermediate, Pine
Crest, Oak View, Glen Haven, Oak
land Terrace, Rolling Terrace,
"Viers Mill and Highland. 4
1t also is probable that the
Parkside and Bethesda Ele-
mentary schools will be on half
day schedules.
Halliday shifts also will be
necessary in three Montgomery
County junior high schools
Kensington, Montgomery Hills
and Takoma Park. They might
also be necessary at Montgomery
Blair Junior High.
Still Incomplete.
In addition, the new Western
Suburban Junior High School in
Montgomery is still incomplete
and will not open until Septem-
ber "a.
Students scheduled to enter the
seventh grade at Western must
meet tomorrow at Westbrook Ele-
mentary school, however, to plan
with their teachers for the years
work. Eighth grade students will
meet at Westbrook Tuesday and
the ninth graders will meet there
Wednesday.
DR.. Edwin Broome, Montgom-
ery's school superintendent. said
opening of new school facilities
during the coming year should re-
duce the number of pupils on
Il n