The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1952-12-11
by I'll. S. Douglas

Some four hundred citizens, in
terested in the government of their
city and county - including quite a
number of ladies - attended the an
nual Town Hall Dinner Meeting at
Franklin Court auditorium on Tues
day evening, sponsored by the
Chamber of Commerce. Richard
/ Grumbacher was the General Chair
man.
Following the dinner, Odello M.
i Letter, president of the Chamber,
welcomed the guests and then pre-
sented the St. James School Glee
Club, directed by DR.. Vernon B. KEEL
lett, headmaster of the school, who
gave a very fine program, including
a novel and very clever rendition
of the ever popular "Bones" song.
Mr.. Letter then introduced the
guests at the head table, after which
he turned the meeting over to Roy
M. Dancer, ST., the Moderator, whose
humorous asides kept the audience
in good humor all evening, and the
Fourth Annual Town Hall Meeting
was underway.
Most of the questions were direct
ed to the Board of County Commits
sioners, due possibly to the fact that
the majority of the members of the
City Council were absent, leaving
just Mayor Herman L. Mills and
Councilman Jack Hellane to carry
the ball for them - for my comment
on their absence see around Town
With The Editor" - and let me say
right here that Mr.. Mills and Mr.
Hellane both did fine job, as did
president WinsloW F. Burhans and
his fellow members of the Board of
County Commissioners, Chester
Delphy, Clarence Eldridge and JOS
eph Hoffman. Commissioner Lester
Mobley, Jr., has been i'll for several
weeks and was unable to be present
Naturally, the public school sys-
!, TEN in the County was the source of
a number of questions and out of
them came the following interesting
: details:
On the question of the Hagerstown
High School problem, which, within
the next two years is expected to
have an enrolment of 1900, that, if
only the present high school is avail
able, would necessitate the students
attending school in shifts, both Mr.
Burhans and William M. British, SUI
perintendent of schools, supplied
some really interesting information.
Mr.. British stated that his Board is
now closely studying the situation,
with a view to deciding whether to
build a second high school, probably
in the South End of Hagerstown, or
to build an entirely new school, cap
able of handling the anticipated fu-
ture enrolment. In that case, Mr..
British added, such a school would
probably be built on the Dual High
way site purchased by the Board of
Education some years ago. Mr..
British stated, however, that the pres
> ent thinking was along the line of
: two schools.
Mr.. Burhans, enlarging on the
subject, first stated that he and his
fellow Board members leaned to-
ward the two high schools plan and
then gave some enlightening figures
on the present and future school
building program.
Pointing out that the Board of
County Commissioners have already
spent two million dollars in the
past two years for new schools, Mr..
Burhans stated that it is hoped that,
within the next two years, additional
schools, costing approximately six
million dollars, will be built. These
schools include: the Salem Avenue
School (nearing completion); new
schools at Clear Spring and Smiths
burg, and second high school in
Hagerstown.
Explaining that if this ambitious,
but badly needed construction pro-
gram is undertaken on a pay-as-you-
go program, it would extend over a
period of at least ten years, Mr..
Burhans stated that the Board of
Commissioners has decided to take
advantage of the State Education
Building Fund borrowing plan,
which will enable the Board to Dor
row the needed money at much
lower rate of interest than they could
get from banks or Investment
houses.
Mr.. Delphey and Mr.. Hoffman
answered a number of questions re-
garding the County Road program,
and Mr.. Eldridge explained the plan
for taking care of the old folks at
Bellevue, after it was torn down tn