Evening star., 1954-06-08
Pre-PrimdrY
Glasses Voted
In Arlington
Go Into Effect in
September if Funds
Are Released

The Arlington School Board
has approved a pre- primary pro-
gram for children whose sixth
birthday falls between October
and January /.
The. plan will go into effect in
September, if the county board
releases funds it set aside for
the program.
In another vote, the school
board last night voted to con-
tinue textbook rentals for junior
and senior high school students.
The fees will be the same in
September as in the current
school year, 81 for eighth and
ninth-grade students, and SIS
for those in grades 1912.
Also approved was a $346, ,643
contract for an addition and al
terationS to Swanson Junior
High School in Westover. The
low bid of Certified Builders of
Silver Spring, was accepted by
the board.
Many New Features.
The contract calls for a band
room, vocal work room, two home
economics units, art room, speech
room and enlargement of the
cafeteria and kitchen. The school
Office. clinic and guidance facil-
tiles will be moved to a new one
story addition on Washington
boulevard.
Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell, the
board chairman, said appoint
ment of a committee to study
problems of integration as re-
suit of the Supreme Court deci-
sion will be announced Saturday.
The pre-primary plan was
adopted after the County Board
declined to provide funds for a
full kindergarten program with
out a referendum. The County
Board set up $4,000 TO be used
in the pre-primary program.
Children whose sixth birthday
falls after October l and before
January will be eligible but will
not be required to attend. School
officials estimated about 600 chill
dren are eligible and about $50
are expected to attend.
No psychological examinations
will be required for admission to
the program.
.21a Hour Sessions.
The 3children in the program
will be5in school 212 hours daily.
Each teacher will have two
groups under her direction, one
class in the morning and one in
the afternoon.
Glasses are expected to be held
in five or six schools in different
parts Of the county, school OFF,
Gals said. y
No school bus tranSportatiop1
4
will be provided.
Insofar as possible" the board
staten1entsaid, "the children who
have had one year of previous
school experience will be placed
in separate classes in the pre-
primary program.
The achievements of each
child will be carefully evaluated
at the end of the school year.
1t is probable that most of the
children will enter the first grade
of the primary department upon
completion of one year in pre-
primary classes" the statement
said.
To Set Registration.
Registration schedules will be
announced later. They will be
from $3.50 am. to 1890 pm.
daily from June 81 to 25.
The board officially an
nounced details of it's budget for
4OO1-OO III Vic dIA1Ou11U dHHIOVCu
by the county board. $7,665, TIT.
This amount does not include
the 100000 set aside for the pre-
primary program.
The $453, 300 reduced from the
recommendations of Supt. Ed
ward Rutter will be absorbed
this way
Eliminate $258, 200 for kinder
gartenS, $4,000 cut from funds
originally estimated as needed to
bring school employees into
county retirement system, $50,-
900 taken from fund to bring
county-school salaries into line,
$4,000 proposed teacher salary
scale increase eliminated, $26,-
900 for free high school text
books also. taken out of the
budget, and other smaller items.
A. - IN