Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-29
Why Should
Little Snow
ShutSchooIs?
By CHARLES L. HOFFMAN

A~S S84AAA~AAA~S 49, @A~S . SsAAAeF
Red faces were the uniform
Of the day for area school off,
cials Thursday and the color
was not caused by bitterly cold
weather.
Weather its fickleness -
and a cloudy crystal bali were
the chief causes Of chagrin
among school officials who be-
fore 7 am. ordered schools
closed because Of icy road con-
ditions. Three hours later,
roads had been cleared by an
almost unwelcome sun and
grinding car chains.
Thursday was no freak day
or unique situation for school
ofIicials here as District Supt.
Hobart M. Corning noted:
THE decision to close the
schools is always q gamble. We
seem to lose all the close ones
School officials are the first
to admit that the snowfall
ofiicially less than one inch and
not more than three inches by
even the widest estimates
would hardly be noticed in
many sections of the country.
IF they closed schools in
Colorado or Upper New York
the way we do. their vacation
seasons would have to be re-
versed." Arlington School Supt.
T. z. Rutter said.
Foetors in Decision
Factors affecting decisions
vary from county to county In
this area.
In Montgomery. for exam
pie, where many Of the school
buses which carry $4,000 pupils
to class are operated by wom-
en-, there is q special con-
sideration.
It is not that school officials
mistrust women bus drivers
their safety record is good.
But If there is no advance
warning on road conditions
the buses are caught without
chains.
These women drivers simply
can't get the chains on in the
early morning" Schools Supt.
Forbes H. Norris said. That
was one factor that led to
Thursdays closing. the third
day lost this year.
Another problem is the
foreign" driver. They come
from all parts of the country.
"Some have'never seen snow
before and a little fall over
here will tie traffic up for
miles," Supt. Rutter said.
The Other Driver
1t isn't our buses that we
worry about so much" Fair
fax Supt. w. T. Woodson said,
tits the other driver. With
chains, buses have good trac-
ton. But you still have to
watch out for the other fell
low"
In Alexandria where schools
rarely close because OF the
weather. school buses pose no
major problem. But II the
AB&W is running late sched-
ules, officials feel it unfair
to keep students waiting on a
cold street corner an hour for
q bus.
Getting teachers to school
Is another worry according to
Prince Georges Supt. William
s. Schmidt.
IT'S not like the old days
when teachers lived near the
schools. Most have to travel
long distances and many of
them over country roads,"
Supt. Schmidt said. DR.. Corn
ing agrees, recalling that one
day last year one District
school was manned by only
one teacher who lived nearby.
School officials also doubt
that students who walk to
school learn much on days
when they are grumbling in
classes about bus students who
have the day of.
In all instances school off,
Gals confer with police, trafic
control heads, road crews, pub
lie transit officials and the
Weather Bureau before max
ing q decision.
why worry about losing a
day. anyway" one ofiicial said.
1.-THE kids aren't getting q
break"
A school year has q mini
mum number Of class days. II
weather cuts In on the sched-
ule days lost must be made
I'm