Evening star., 1951-10-03

TSSuoOliOIlS HCIICOS
City Council Urged
To End Investigation
Denying each charge that had
been made against it. the Falls
Church School Board has asked
the City Council to end its in
vestigation of the schools admin
iStration.
The plea was made at a closed
session of the City Council last
night. The School Board pre-
sented the Council a 13-point an
swer to charges that launched the
investigation of school policy.
DR.. Joseph w. Seay, a member
of the School Board, read the 22-
page reply as the Council con-
Quoted its fifth hearing on the
charges.
1t was announced after the
meeting there would be no fur
ther hearings until the latest tes-
timony has been studied.
Both the School Board and City
Council had professional stenog-
raphers take down verbatim re-
ports of the hearing.
Replies to ALI Charges.
The School Boards statement
decides accusations into five
charges" and eight beliefs" It
replies to each.
The accusations were made bv
the School Emergency COMMITTEES
and touched off the City Councils
investigation.
A summary of the School Boards
reply follows:
l. The new city high school.
which the citizens committee
termed "unneeded," was necessary
because of over-crowding in Fair
fax County schools.
2. The designs for the new Falls
Church high and elementary
schools were modern and eff.
Ic1ent" and not novel" as charged.
The School Board added that it
stood ready to support that state
ment with testimony of archi-
Itects.
8; That a pupil exchange plan
with the county was ended be-
cause OF overcrowding in the
county schools. BY ending the
exchange plan, Falls Church has
been able to eliminate double shifts
in its schools, The School Emer-
.gency Committee had charged the
School Board with lack of discre-
ton in canceling the exchange
arrangement.
Temporary Units Defended.
4. Remodeling of two houses to
be used temporarily as schools
already was under way when the
School Board was charged with
violation of fire, building and san.
ASoUAOll 1CSu1dGlOllS.
5. State education authorities
have assured Falls Church that
the use of temporary school build
lngs will not penalize the students
in receiving credit for their work.
| 6. The pupil exchange program
was not resumed by the city
School Board because it would
have meant a return to halliday
sessions.
Z. The Falls Church School
Board has permitted a limited
pupil exchange so primary stu
dents can attend the county or
city school, whichever is nearer.
8. That the remodeling and
renting Of two houses for tenn
porary schools can be paid for
from funds budgeted for the op-
Grafton of two new schools. or
from a $1,000 unassigned sum.
The two temporary schools were
arranged for after the School
Board found the new high school
and elementary school would not
be ready this fall. The Citizens
Committee had charged that the
board did not have authority to
rent temporary buildings because
money for that purpose was not
budgeted.
Salary Charge Answered.
9. That the salary of the super
lntendent "is in proportion to the
quality of education we want to
provide" not in proportion to the
number Of students. The Citizens
Committee had charged that the
superintendent's $1,000 annual SAL
ary and other administrative ex-
penses~ were excessive for the
system.
10. All teachers engaged by the
board are busy teaching and their
employment before completion of
the two new schools was not "un-
warranted" as charged.
II. There was no delay in the
selection of designs for the two
new schools.
IL. That the modification of
the high school and elementary
school plan was necessary be-
cause of rising construction costs.
Is. That the School Board
never promised a 16-room high
school and an 8-room elementary
school from the 100000 bond is-
sue, as charged, and that the re-
|duction in capacity of the high
ISrhnnl nos,enl ~,