Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-19
School Plans
Unit Sought
For Virginia
Beverley Presses
For Assembly Action;
Council Against Ideo


Alexandria Mayor Marshall j.
Beverley today pressed for legis-
lation to study creation of a
State school architectural agency,
although a majority of the City
Council rejected his idea.
BY vote of 4 to 2 the council
last night turned down the
Mayors proposal for a legisla-
tive survey to consider creation
Of a school planning division
under the State Board of Edu-
cation. Only Mayor Beverley
and Councilman John j. Ewald
voted for the Mayors recon-
mendation.
Mayor Beverly promptly sent
kilograms to State Senator John
A. K. Donovan and Delegate
Armistead Boothe urging them
to sponsor legislation for such a
survey. He advised the legisla-
tors that the council had rejected
his idea. and that he was making
the request as one member of
City Council.
The mayor said he thought
the survey would show that a
State architectural agency could
save fast-growing communities a
lot of money by designing school
buildings cheaper than they can
be obtained from private archi-
tects.
Agency Previously Existed.
The School Board met with the
council to hear Mayor Beverley's
proposal. Schools Supt. T. c.
Williams said the State used to
have an architectural agency to
design schools until 1948.
Alexandra made full use Of
its services" said Mr.. Williams.
I'VE never paid an architects
fee until the service was discon.
tinued."
Mr.. Williams recalled that he
was one of the chief opponents
against abolishing the service.
He said the Legislature decided,
however. that the service was I'M
fair competition to private archi.
tects.
Mr.. Williams said the State
did have available standard
school plans at the present time,
but none were of adequate size
for Alexandria. He said the form
er service actually provided in
dividually designed schools as
they were requested.
Mayor Beverley said Alexan-
dria had spent about $383,913
in architects fees in the con-
struction Of SIS million worth
OF schools during the last eight
years. He estimated Fairfax
County would spend SIS million
in architects fees in the con-
struction of schools for the next
five years. For the entire State,
Mr.. Beverly figured $12 million in
architects fees would be spent
during a four-year period end.
ing this year.
Architect Protests.
Architect Joseph Saunders,
who was present at the meeting,
protested that the Mayors
statements were a direct attack
on architects. He said archi-
tects should have had some
warning Of the proposal to pre-
sent their side. He said it &C.
tually would cost more for some
government bureau to produce
plans than for the private prepa-
ration of them.
Andrew w. Clarke, who was q
member of the State Senate
when the architectural planning
division was abolished, said Col
gate Darden, who was Governor
at that time, realized that free
enterprise is one Of the funda-
mental principles of this de-
mocracy.'
Mayor Beverley later COM
mented that the arguments Of
Mr.. Saunders and Mr.. Clarke
we're ridiculous.
Follow their line of reasoning
and we might as well close public
schools because they compete
with private ones" said the
Mayor.