Evening star., 1952-07-03
Fairfax School
Additional Wing
Seen Assured
Bourd Outlines Plans
For New Negro High
Before Supervisors

DShViO SNFS'
The Fairfax School Board ap-
parently has won it's struggle to
include an elementary classroom
wing on the county's proposed
new Negro high school at Merri-
field.
School board members dis
cussed the situation yesterday with
the Board of County Supervisors.
Mrs. Anne Wilkins, supervisor
from the Falls Church District.
offered a resolution asking the
school board to reconsider its
decision to put an elementary
wing on the school. There was no
second to her motion. Another res
olution was adopted thanking
the school board members for
appearing at the meeting to ex-
plain their decision.
Explains Original Setup.
Fred w. Robinson, school board
chairman, acknowledged that a
separate Negro high school and
Elementary school at Mount Pleas
ant had been set up in the $l0.5
million bond issue program. He
said that was done when the
county thought it might lose the
James Lee Colored Elementary
School by annexation to Falls
Church. and would need another
elementary school in the Mount
Pleasant area to replace it.
The Falls Church annexation
failed. Another annexation suit
then came into the picture, and
some colored children who would
have attended the Mount Pleasant
school were annexed into Alex
andria.
Rising construction costs made
it appear unlikely that complete
colored high school could be built
with the $586,000 set up in the
bond issue. and since it appeared
the Mount Pleasant school was
not needed Immediately. Mr.. Rob-
inSon said the school board felt
it could build a better school by
combining funds for the two
separate projects. He said without
inclusion of the Mount Pleasant
money, it appeared impossible to
build a Negro high school with all
facilities.
Recalls Change Of Mind.
Robert F. Davis, school board
member from Falls Church dis
trict, said he and r. r. Buckley Of
Centreville district had opposed
the consolidation plan. He re-
called that a majority of the
school board once voted to go
ahead with separate schools at
Merrifield at Mount Pleasant, but
later a majority of the board
changed its mind.
The Rev. w. E. Costner, of the
Second Baptist Church. said the
colored people he talked with
were opposed to combining the ele-
mentary and high schools. He
suggested the high school be built
without the elementary rooms and
that construction of the Mount
Pleasant School be postponed
until more money is available.
Mr.. Robinson said it was plan
ned to build the elementary class
rooms so eventually they could be
used for high school classes. He
added that the school board still
will consider building new COL
ored elementary school when con-
Iditions justify it. He pointed out
that Herndon High School for
white students is the only high
school in the county accredited by
the Southern Association of Sec
ondary Schools and Colleges and
that it is a combination element
ary-high school.
1t was voted to refund 1949 and
1850 trailer park license fees.
which were collected under an or
dinance subsequently declared in
valid. The Virginia Supreme
Court of Appeals threw out the
enabling act under which the or
dinance was adopted, declaring it
was special legislation. c. C. Mas
sey, county executive, said taxes
COLLECTED during those two years
amount to $25 300. He said money
|, was set up in last years budget to
make the repayment and was car
ried over into this years budget.