Evening star., 1951-02-27
Board
Wins Supporto on
School Building
Citizens Indorse Plan
For Construction of
Complete PIonts

Speakers at an Arlington mass
meeting In the new Stratford Ju-
nior High School last night gave
almost unanimous Endorsement to
the School Boards policy Of build
ing complete schools"
The meeting was called by the
School Board to find out what
type of schools the public wants.
Colin c. Macpherson, School
Board chairman. said a new bond
issue request will be announced
"in the very near future
A SIS million bond issue pro-
posed by the School Board last
fall was defeated by the voters
after a campaign in which the
School Board was accused Of
building too elaborate schools.
Mr.. Macpherson assured the
500 county residents who attended
last nights meeting that the
School Board "is anxious to be
responsive to the will of the
people"
Supporters Are Applauded.
The audience applauded speak
ers who said critics of the present
construction program are "pur-
veyors of half truths; that old
schools should be brought up to
modern standards" and that Ar
lington should have schools "of q
quality rejecting the county's
wealth."
Urging the board to continue
its policy of completing school
buildings when they are first con-
Structed were representatives Of
Stratford. Mckinley, James Mon
roe, Bancroft, Glencarlyn, James
Madison. Abingdon. Peyton Ran
dolph, Dolly Madison, Kate Waller
Barrett, John. Langston, Thomas
Nelson Page, Robert E. Lee,
Kemper and Hoffman Boston
Parent-Te Associations. Also
backing the present program
were speakers for the Arlington
Forest, Caremont, Rock Spring
and darlington Citizens Associa-
tions.
Spokesman for the Citizens
Committee for School Improve
ment and the County Council Of
PTA's and a number of individuals
also recommended that new
schools be built similar to. those
recently constructed.
C. of C. Official Cautious.
Robert j. johnson, business
manager of the Arlington Cham
Der Of Commerce. said, "If I had
my vote, I wouldn't take away
one bit of anything from this
lovely school," but he said his
organization docs not recommend
construction of full and complete
schools at this time"
Mrs. Marian Sumner, speaking
for the Schools Committee of the
Arlington Democratic Council,
said the council feels that "the
public would be more receptive to
a program limited to immediate
needs" She said the council also
believes that "non-essential facili-
ties should be eliminated.
Charles M. Medford, 4748 North
Twenty-fourth road, and Mrs.
Monroe Dufill, 2605 South Joyce
street, said they believe schools
recently constructed could have
been built at less cost.
Greater Economy Stressed.
Speaker after speaker asserted
that initial construction of "com-
plete schools" is more economical
than building a strip school"
limited to clasSrooms and a min
imum of other facilities. Most Of
the speakers specifically recon-
mended including "multi-pur-
pose room" in all new schools.
Alan L. Dean of the darlington
Civic Association said county resi-
dents should not expect of the
School Board "a perfection we
would not find in the angels them
selves" He said he had never
seen a school board So solicitous
of what the community opin-
ion is"
The absence of opposition to the
boards program was noted by
E E. Hackman of 1912 North
Thirty-third street. He asserted
that these purveyors of half
truths are afraid to come before
this group" Critics Of the boards
complete" construction program
'do not take the trouble to find
out what these special features
are for" he added.