Evening star., 1954-09-28
School Bonds
Of 100000
Sef for Vote
Falls Church to
BuIlot Nov. z
On New Issue


Falls Church will vote on No.
2 on a 1891 900 school
construction bond issue.
The School Board proposal
won unanimous approval of the
City Council last night, although
former Mayor Charles E. Kellogg
said he would prefer to set the
amount 100000 lower.
The School Boards original
for a 81 million bond
issue was reduced because Fed
eral funds, first estimated at
$123,000 actually exceeded this
amount by $4,000.
City Attorney William M. Bas-
kin will ask Fairfax Circuit
Court to order a referendum on
the date selected by the Council.
At public hearing in Madison
School last night the bond plan
drew little opposition from about
$50 persons who attended.
The principal objection was to
the School Boards intention to
add six classrooms, multi-pur-
pose room, library and kitchen
at Mount Daniel Elementary
School. Francis Trapp of the
Falls Church Citizens Associa-
ton said his group generally
favors the bond issue but be-
lieves the Mount Daniel expan-
sion is ill-adviSed because there
are not enough children in the
northwest area of the city.
Chairman Explains.
John A. Johnson, School Board
chairman, said six-classroom
Mount Daniel should be increased
to IL classrooms because it is not
feasible to operate q complete
school with a smaller number of
classrooms. He said it would be
unfair to people in that area to
be without facilities that would
be available to other sections
served by Madison School and
Oak Street School, which the city
expects to buy from Fairfax
County.
The chairman said Mount
Daniel is as convenient as any
other school for the students
scheduled to attend there.
Among the groups favoring the
School Board recommendation
we're the Southwest Falls Church
Association, Ma olson Mount
Daniel PTA, Falls Church Citi-
zens' Association, the Education
Committee of the American As
sociation of University Women,
the League of Women Voters.
Citizens Committee for the Falls
Church school program, Board OF
Directors of the Northern Falls
Church Citizens Association,
Executive Committee of the
North Greenway Downs Citizens
Association and Executive Com
mittee of the George Mason High
School PTA.
Litigation Question Raised.
H. P. Strople, a former School
Board member, and Samuel E.
McCrary, former city council
man, raised the question OF
whether the new bond issue
might face litigation.
An 100000 bond issue ap-
proved by a margin of 16 votes
last March was ruled invalid in
Fairfax Circuit Court. The new
proposal is a successor to the
plan which was successfully at
tackled in court because votes OF
property owners were not kept
separate from other ballots.
The new proposal includes a
number of projects favored by
opponents OF the previous bond
issue.
If the voters approve. the
School Board now plans to-:
Acquire Oak Street School
from Fairfax County at a cost Of
about $327,O00.
Build an addition to Mount
Daniel at a cost of about $685.
900, including Federal funds.
Add to George Mason High
School at q cost of about
1887 900.
$4,000 at Madison.
Remodel and add to Madison
at a cost of about $4,000.
The bond issue also provides
for equipment of new facilities.
The 80-year-old Jefferson
School and temporary buildings
at jefferson and Madison would
be abandoned.
The City Council rejected as
unnecessary amendments pro-
posed by the School Board, after
board members said they were
not insisting on the changes.
The council also voted to hold
referendum on November 2 on
$385,000 water system bond
issue. The proposal was ap-
proved in the March election but
officials favor a new vote be-
cause of legal questions raised
about the wording of the original
| resolution