Evening star., 1951-09-12
Inquiry Is Told
Repairs 10 Open
7 Schools Soon
Falls Church Council
Closes One Phuse
Of Probe of Board


Falls Church School Supt. Irwin
H. Schmitt was hopeful that
opening of two temporary build
ings, delayed today for the second
time, could be announced soon,
possibly tomorrow.
At a dramatic public hearing in
Madison School last night, or
dered by the City Council to
weigh charges of maladministra-
ton made against the School
Board, Mr.. Schmitt said that
Doweil j. Howard, State superin-
tendent, has agreed the buildings
can be used for one year, if cer-
tain conditions are met.
Mr.. Schmitt said he believes
the conditions could be met today.
They include a requirement that
the Fairfax County Health De-
partment approve the buildings
and also call for ventilation in
each room, panic bolts on outside
doors, a handrail on outside fire
escapes and other Improvements.
500 at Hearing.
The city's f1rst-grade students
are scheduled to attend former
dwelling in the 800 block of North
Washington street, near Madison
School. Tenth and eleventh.
graders are to attend remodeled
house at 13 Sleepy Hollow road,
near Seven Corners.
Witnesses were sworn and teSti-
mony taken at the hearing. at
tended by about 500 persons, as
the council opened its inquiry.
Witnesses were Mr.. Schmitt, H. P.
Strople of 1900 Gibson place. one
of the signerS of the charges
against the board r. Claude
Graham, director of research and
planning for the State Department
of Education, and Mrs. Helen
Regan, school board chairman.
Mayor Charles E. Kellogg an
nounced, at the conclusion of the
hearing, that second session will
be held at a date to be announced.
The Mayor said that, in view of
the work that has been done to
make the two temporary buildings
safe, he considers that part of
the inquiry closed. provided the
school board complies with the
conditions set down by Mr..
Howard.
The charges against the board,
in addition to the assertion that
the board was preparing to open
unsafe buildings, accused the
board of wasting funds for novel
design for its high school, of act
ing without discretion in canceling
a pupil exchange agreement with
Fairfax County, and authorizing
use of inadequate facilities for
high school students.
Had PIanned Fire Escape.
Testimony last night centered
on the two temporary buildings.
City Attorney Lytton H. Gibson
questioned the witnesses.
Mr.. Schmitt agreed that, on
September 4, six days before
school was to open, work had not
been started on construction of
fire escapes, buttressing of the
foundations and installation of
fire resistant materials around
furnace rooms. The superin-
tendent insisted, however, that
fire escapes were to be built before
the buildings would be opened,
regardless of whether the COM
mittee had published its charges
or not.
The superintendent admitted
he had not sought approval of
the condition of the buildings for
school purposes by the State
Board at the time the charges
were made. He said he planned
to ask for this approval when the
city board had taken care of
everything that was needed"
After the meeting, Mr.. Schmitt
said Mr.. Strople and the other
committee members had not
brought their complaints to the
local board before making the
charges to the State Board.
Emergency Situation.
The State official who headed the
group at last nights meeting, Mr..
Graham, read the State superin-
tendent's letter to the city board
Mr.. Howard said he considers this
to be an emergency situation and
added that temporary use, for not
exceeding one year, would be I'M
reasonable conformance with State
Board of Education regulations, if
the conditions he listed are met.
Mrs. Regan said a committee of
the board started looking for avail
able classroom space early in July,
after it became clear that a new
high school and primary school,
now under construction, would
not be completed.
Mrs. Regan said no plans or
specifications were approved by
the board when the remodeling
projects got under way. She add
ed that the board was trying to
conform with the law and that
State approval was to have been
asked when the major part of the
improvements had been made.