Evening star., 1953-05-06
School Budget
Slash Fought
Arlington Group
Seeks Retention of
Commission. Post

Aroused by a County Board
Committees recommendation Of
a 100000 slash in the proposed
school budget, mem
bers of the Arlington Civic Fed
Grafton have voted to present
their views to the school board.
The federation's preference
was for the county board to hold
a public hearing on the report.
Board Chairman Robert A. Peck,
however, has said there will be
no further hearings on the $17.1
million budget.
Final action on the budget is
scheduled for 8 pm. Monday ct
the courthouse.
School Board Chairman Bar
nard Joy. protesting that the
committees plans would mean
emasculation of the school pro-
gram. has invited citizens to a
board meeting at 10 am. Satur-
day in the Administration Build
ing, 1926 North Quincy street.
The federation, at a meeting
in Lyon Park Community House
last night, urged the county
board to reconsider its decision
not TO hold public hearing on
the report.
Salary Raise Slashed.
Members protested that adop-
ton of the advisory commit.
tees recommendation would rid
die the school system and
would be unfair to teachers.
The school board had urged a
$500 salary increase for teach
ers. The committee, appointed
by the county board to study
the budget, favored a $10O boost.
In another attack on the
committee report the federation
voted to petition the county
board to retain the position Of
executive assistant to the Coun-
ty Public Utilities Commission.
The committee said the job
should be abolished.
Walter Kingsbury, chairman
of the federation's public utili-
ties committee, said elimination
of this first line of defense
against the imposition of ex-
cessive utility rates would be an
occasion of great rejoicing on
the part of utilities operating in
the county"
Glassman Praised.
Mr.. .Kingsbury praised the
present executive assistant. Ger
aid j. Glassman. He said Mr..
Glassman was largely respon-
sible for legislation approved by
Senate committees on Metropol-
1tan Area transit regulation.
"The budgetary savings that
would be effected by the proposed
elimination of this position" Mr..
Kingsbury said. represents not
more than one-tenth Of one per
cent Of the annual expenditures
in the county for utility serv-
ices"
Savings to utility users since
the position was established in
1850. Mr.. Kingsbury said, have
amounted to we'll over 100000.
In other business, the fedora
ton asked the county board to
deny a request by Washington
& Old Dominion Railroad for
rezoning of a l4-acre tract at
Bluemont Junction.
Warehouse Planned.
The railroad wants to build A
warehouse on the property which
lies in the $500 block of Wilson
boulevard, across the highway
from Bon Air Park.
A report by Herbert B. Sholar.
chairman Of the Community De-
velopment Committee, said that
to change the present residential
classification would be spot
zoning at its worst"
The federation president, Mrs.
Ruth Cox, was chosen to receive
The Evening Star Trophy award
for outstanding service.
Her husband, Robert w. Cox,
former county board chairman,
won the same award in 1949.
Mrs. Cox will receive the tro.
ply at the June meeting for her
work with the Chamber of Com
merce and other business groups
in an attempt to reconcile the
unfortunate antagonism between
residents employed in the Federal
Government and residents en-
ployed or operating businesses
within the county,
The federation unanimously
adopted the recommendation Of
the Selection Committee, headed
by Malcolm Miller.