Evening star., 1952-10-23
Candidates Split.
On Schools as
Issue
Differ on Whether
1t Should Be Topic
In County Boord Roce

In County Boord Roce
Replies of seven Arlington
County Board candidates to a
questionnaire circulated by the
Citizens Committee for School
Improvement were made public
today.
The answers indicate a sharp
cleavage on the question: on
whether the candidates believe
schools should be an issue in the
county board campaign.
Three Of four non-partisan can
didates said they think schools
should be an issue while an oppos-
ing slate of Arlington Independent
Movement candidates said they
feel schools are not an issue.
Agree on Some Points.
The opposing states were in
agreement on these points: The
present school program is not "too
good" for Arlington; the building
program should be continued until
half day sessions and crowded
classrooms are eliminated; Federal
should be eligible for
membership on the School Board,
and. the County Board should not
freeze or alter any item or part of
the school budget once it is
adopted.
The non-partisans are Ivan A.
Booker, seeking election to a regu-
lar four-year term, and Mrs. Ruth
Cox. Mrs. Martha Cannon and
William j. DeMik, candidates for
three unexpired terms created
when Federal employees were ruled
ineligible to serve on the board
last month.
The independent candidates are
DR.. Robert H. Detwiler. Alvin F.
Kimel and Mrs. Leone Buchholz,
all candidates for the unexpired
terms. Opponents of Mr.. Booker,
Wesley w. Cooper. a Democrat;
George M. Rowzee, a Republican,
and Jacob Bechtel, an indepen-
dent Republican, did not reply to
the QUESTIONABLE.
Mr.. DeMik was the only non
partisan who said schools should
not be an issue this year. Mrs.
Buchholz was the only independent
candidate who said fatty that
schools should not be an issue but
her running mates said they feel
there is no difference of opinion
between the opposing states on the
question of good schools for Ar
lington.
Six Differences Listed.
Differences between the two
states on other questions were as
follows:
N l. The independent candidates
said they believe the School Board
nominating conference and con-
vention should be broadened to
include all segments of the county.
The non-partisans. with the ex-
ception of Mr.. DeMik, said they
believe the nominating system is
adequate as organized. Mr.. DeNfik
had no opinion on the question.
2. The non-partisans said they
would go along, if it were gen.
orally desired, with an arrange
ment that would make the School
Board independently responsible
for the school tax rate. The in
dependent slate said this RESPONSE
bility should rest solely with the
County Board.
3. The non-partisans said they
felt a $150,000 cut in the current
School Board budget made by the
County Board was too great. The
independent candidates had no
opinion on this and two other
questions on the school budget for
this year. explaining that they
had no given the current detailed
study.
4. The independent candidates
said the question of kindergartens
should be considered for 5-year-
olds only after adequate facilities
are provided in the present sys-
tenn. The non-partisans said they
favor free public kindergartens
with only Mr.. DeMik and Mrs.
Cox stipulating that other needs
should be met first.
S. The non-partisans replied
"yes" to the question of whether
or not they have confidence in the
present School Board membership.
The independent candidates re-
piled only that they have no rea-
son to doubt the sincerity Of the
School Board members.
6. The non-partisans said they
are willing to be identified with
the record of their supporters
concerning school matters. The
Independent candidates said they
preferred to stand on their own
records IN SchOnl Y1rohlnr1nS