Evening star., 1954-05-05
Fairfax May
Sell School 10
FaIIsChurch
County to Study
City's Offer for
Oak Street Building


The Fairfax County School
Board is considering sale of the
Oak Street Elementary School to
the city of Falls Church.
The Fairfax board yesterday
voted unanimously: on the mo-
tion Of Fred w. Robinson, to
explore the proposed sale. after
it was suggested by two Falls
Church School Board members,
John A. Johnson and Oliver j.
Caldwell.
The 14-classroom school was
built by the county in the city
of Falls Church in 1949, when
the two jurisdictions operated as
one school district. Right after
the school was completed. how
ever, Falls Church became a city
and was established as a separate
school district. The county re-
tanned possession Of the school,
after a legal battle over which
jurisdiction was entitled to it.
Meeting Due Next.
The resolution adopted by the
Fairfax School Board yesterday
provides for a meeting as soon
as possible to consider where
county children attending Oak
Street Elementary could be
shifted.
Falls Church discussed the
idea almost two years ago. but
the county was unenthusiastic
The original plan was to have
Falls Church assume the exist
ing loan on the school-about
$300.00O-and pay the county
the difference of the total value.
This would have left the county
without enough money to build
a replacement.
Under the plan suggested by
Mr.. johnson yesterday, Falls
Church would pay the county
an agreed price. and the county
would continue to pay off the
outstanding loan. This would
give the county money to re-
place Oak Street with class
rooms elsewhere.
In P0pulOus Area.
"Oak Street School is in the
midst of our most populated
area" said Mr.. johnson. I'VE
have to find out if we can get
it. or If we will have to build
another school-probably right
alongside Of it,"
He said the city might have
to call another bond issue ref
erendum in the near future be-
cause Of litigation over the latest
bond issue, and he said money
for the Oak Street School pur-
chase could be included in that.
He said he feels this would
make the bond issue even more
attractive, since there has been
considerable discussion in Falls
Church over the desirability of
acquiring the Oak Street School.
IF we had to go ahead with
a new school close by, you will
be stuck with a school in the
city to which you always will have
to transport children" said Mr..
johnson.
IF we can agree on a price,
Tn willing to pull out of Falls
Church." said Mr.. Robinson.
Certainly it is something we
should explore" said Richard
Stands, Fairfax School Board
member.
More Than IA Rooms.
Robert w. Walker, director Of
surveys and information for
Fairfax schools. suggested the
county might build even more
than IA classrooms to replace
the Oak Street School if the
money is used to enlarge the
proposed new Pine Spring and
Timberlane schools.
The School Board, at the same
time, voted to buy an additional
"a acres for the Pine Spring
School site, next to the new
Melpar plant, after receiving
word from Dowell j. Howard,
State supervisor of instruction,
that the existing 8.4-acre site
could not be approved. The
School Board had asked for
permission to have the 10-acre
site requirement waived because
land in the Pine Spring area
cost so much.
The School Board paid about
$4,000 for the "a acres. Mr.
Howard wrote that the site size
requirement could be waived
only under "extenuating cir
cumStances."
Preliminary plans for the Pine
Spring School already are in
Richmond, awaiting approval by
school officials,