Evening star., 1953-05-26
Parents Protest
School Changes
AT Arlington
Plan to Bur Pupils
OF 5h Years Hit
Strongly at Hearing

NSSJ ~
The Arlington School Board
will reconsider its decision tc
eliminate program under
which 512-year-olds have been
admitted to school. a group OF
400 parents were told last night
1--WE will certainly give con-
sideration to the problem
brought before us" Board Chair
man Barnard Joy declared.
Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell, a
member of the School Board,
also agreed the board would
have to "re-think" its revised
budget in light of the protest.
The board meeting was moved
from school administration
headquarters to an auditorium
in the nearby Washington-L Lee
High School because of the un-
expectedly large turnout.
Parents Voice Protests.
Almost every speaker was the
parent of a child who would not
be admitted to school next fall
because the child'S birthday
came after October l.
Last week the School Board
announced it would eliminate
this program as a means of
making up $105,000 of a $780,
900 budget cut enacted by the
county board when it approved
the school budget. Virginia law
requires the school board to
admit only those who are 6 on
or before October l each year.
In the past three years, 5a-
year-olds have been accepted in
the school system If they passed
entrance tests. However, board
members explained last night
that Federal and State funds
have not been paid for such stu
dents until midterms when they
become 6 years old.
Many Suggestions Offered.
Speakers offered a variety OF
suggestions for cutting the school
budget in other places to permit
continuation of the program.
Some of the speakers were:
Ralph Altman, 5422 North
Twenty-second street, 1--WE know
whence this dilemma comes and
we all know we have an account
to settle with the County Board -
1--WE, don't plan to sit still while
this cut is applied in the harsh
est way possible, against our
children"
Mr.. Altman suggested the pro-
gram be continues on a tuition
basis but the board rejected this
plan saying Virginia law pro-
hibitS collection, of such fees
from county residents. Most of
the parents indicated support Of
the tuition idea with loud ap-
plause.
Daniel Freeman, 57O1 North
Thirty-Sixth street: "Why not
trim $4,000 from the mainte-
nance and repair fund and take
the $4,000 from the contingency
fund so we can continue this
program?"
John p. McAdams, 5034 North
Thirtieth street: "You can't bor-
row year from a child's life
and make it up to him at a later
time, but you can borrow money
from a maintenance program
and make it up later. 1t would
be better to have these children
In classroom that needs paint
ing rather than not have them
In school at ALL"
Robert Graham, jr., 5426
North Twenty-second street
told the board that refusal to
admit the 900 children whose
birthdays fall after October !
will only add to the problem in
the school term beginning in
September, 1854.
Several speakers said they felt
the school board had made the
proper decision in allocating the
funds available to it.
James C.. Pettee, chairman of
the Citizens Com mittee for
School Improvements, declared
that teachers have taken as
much of a licking as this group
of people because of the budget
cut"
Mr.. Pettee said the board had
to pare down it's plan for a $500
salary increase for teachers to
$500.
Approved Summer Schedule.
At the conclusion TO the four
and a half hour hearing, the
board proceeded to the business
originally scheduled on its agenda
and approved a summer schedule
p for elementary remedial classes
beginning June % and ending
July 81. The board voted to in
/ crease the tuition fee from So tC
$40 for the elementary summer
session and from 81 to SIS fol
high school summer sessions.
The board recessed it's meet.
ing until 10 pm. Thursday wher
1t will meet at the Washington.
Lee High School Office to reap
point teachers for the next