Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-20
Fairfax Report
Sees Saving in
Junior Highs

Il
| A savings in school construc-
ltion costs is foreseen by q Fair
fax County School Reorgani-
cation Committee if the county
adopts a junior high school
program.
The committee, which last
April recommended adoption of
Ia junior high school program.
Submitted a final report to the
school board last night backing
lup its recommendation.
The school board voted to
hold two public hearings on
whether the county should UNI
Idertake q program which would
provide six years elementary
instruction, three years Of jun
Iior high and three years Of
senior high. The present sys-
TEN provides seven years Of
elementary school and five
years high school.
The hearings are scheduled
January IS at Mclean High
School and January 20 at
lGroveton High.
1861 Deadline Urged
The committee, headed by
Clyde Gleason. member Of the
school board, recommended
that the changeover be sub
stantially completed by the
1901 school year.
BY then the enrolment is
Expected to be 38.480 in ele-
Imentary school. 1866 in junior
high and 7,104 in senior high
school.
! The report said all the high
school students expected by
1901 in the top three grades
could be housed in four Of the
present high schools. These
would be Annandale, Groveton
and Mclean, the largest schools
now in existence. plus one Of
the smaller ones to be selected.
The remaining existing high
schools. plus one under con-
struction near Springfield and
those planned at Mtinson Hill
and Vienna could be used as
Junior highs. Six additional
junior highs would have to be
built.
The cost Of building junior
high schools was estimated at
$1,l00 per pupil, compared to
senior high school costs of
1881 per pupil.
"It seems reasonable to con-
clude, contrary to some ex-
pressed opinions, that we might
actually save a considerable
amount of money in future
construction costs if we should
adopt the six-three-three plan."
the report said.
Whatever the exact figure
may be, we can be sure of one
thing: That the people Of Fair
fax County will get more for
their money. by way of school
plants Of suitable types, If it is
decided to build junior high
schools, rather than continue
any longer with the relatively
wasteful and relatively insult
able type Of high school plants
that we have been building.
the committee concluded.
Composition Of Group
Besides DR.. Gleason, the H.
member committee was made
up OF representatives from the
teachers. the school admins
trative staff. PTA's and civic
groups.
A dissenting report was fled
by one member, Harley Will
liams. president of the Citizens
for Better Schools. He said it
would be more expensive to
operate the six three three
system and that Junior high
schools have been the favorite
organizational units for edu-
cational experimenters and
people with theological fish to
fry"
The board also awarded a
contract to the Earl K. Rosti
Co of Arlington for construc-
ton of a 16-room elementary
school at Langley Forest. The
Rosti bid of $363.591 was lowest
Of 10 bids. The Federal Gov
eminent will provide $3.50, 900
of the construction cost.
The board received a resolu-
ton from the Herndon PTA
protesting location Of an air.
port in the Chantilly area. A
site at Chantilly is one of three
in Fairfax County being con-
sidered for a second airport to
serve the Washington area.