Evening star., 1953-10-03
Arlington Schools

Decision by directors OF the State
Retirement Fund to purchase school
bonds from the Arlington School Board
is a victory for school authorities de-
serving of rising vote of thanks from
the entire county.
It is significant because it proves two
points regarding the boards devotion
to it's duties and responsibilities to the
voters who elected them:
/. 1t was accomplished without any
significant cooperation of the AIM
County Board
2. They did not eXpend valuable time
to defend themselves against adverse
publicity from AIM but stuck to the
task Of seeing that children are relieved
from halliday sessions and that con-
tractors are paid with the least possible
delay.
When the situation reached the limit
of the school boards authority to
settle, they appealed to the County
Board for assistance. The answers re-
ceived were charges of inefflciency and
criticism for not selling the entire $25
million bonds before contracts were let
Can extravagant policy to say the least)
The school board then proceeded to
SCCh OGA1CA 4ACAP WILL db1C
assistance of the Arlington delegation
to the State Legislature. received it
from a source far removed from here.
In the meantime, AIM was busy writing
publicity as to how it would handle the
situation. All that was accomplished
in that circle was few headlines.
This situation answers the most i'm
portant question as to what group. AIM
or the incumbentS elected through and
the present nominees of the School
Board Nominating Convention, will full
fill the responsibilities of the school
board in an effective and economic
manner.
This incident is proof enough to me,
and am sure to many others, that
AIM will be content to let the school
system rot while they are busy making
up stories for publication as to how
good they are.
George b. Wood.
On September 8, my youngest son
started to Arlington public schools. He
was assigned to an experienced teacher
in a colorful new room designed for
primary pupils. During the year he
will have the opportunity Of using the
new library. Although his 80 new class
mates were all strangers to him. he is
off to good start because of the gen.
orally pleasant atmosphere of the
school.
could not help but compare this
start with that of my oldest Son-now
having a good break in attending the
new Wakefield High Only years ago
In ~fo tod %o AnsliV VN11kN1in cohnn1c
He went long distance-no school bus
service of any kind-to an old building
in bad repair. His small dark class
room had furniture screwed to the floor
but that didn't matter since the cur
riculum offered didn't provide for any
mobility anyway. He was one Of 40
pupils who reported for the afternoon
shift to teacher who already had had
40 children in the morning. No wonder
he thought of school as an unpleasant
experience. When hear Mr.. Miles
suggest that poor personnel policies of
the present elected board are respon-
sible for teacher turnover, 1 would like
to tell him that my son had five teach
ers that first year under the admins
tration of the appointed board-and
with teaching load of 80 pupils they
quit so fast that they didn't even learn
the names of the pupils. The practice
of having one teacher handle two loads
was not wartime emergency-it had
been standard practice in Arlington for
a generation prior to the elected school
board.
Only parents who have children now
In junior high can appreciate the ter
rifle strides made in the local schools
for the difference in the firSt-grade ex-
periences of my and my 13 year old
sons. can only say to the present
board, grateful THANK you"
Martha w. Cannon.