Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-19

the pilots backs and permit
them to go of the defensive
and into the area they know
best-flying an airplane in a
manner consistent with the
highest degree of safety.
Paul NJ. Means.
Extroyogont Schools
Richard G. Neal, a teacher,
reveals that the cost per child
in Arlington County schools
is $473.90 a year. Despite the
fact that this amount reflects
almost a threefold increase
in school costs in little more
than a decade, Mr.. Neal feels
that this amount is merely
penny pinching." After all,
it comes to only 80 cents
per hour per child. What a
DEAL" says he.
Mr.. Neal, however, misin-
terprets his own figures. As
Stunning 80 pupils per teacher,
the taxpayers are spending
SIS per hour per class. He
might consider why teachers
get such a small proportion
of this amount. What hap
pens to the rest?
During the past decade
there has been a steady in
crease in school budgets OF
nonteachers assistant su-
pervisors, principals. mana
gers, counselorS, psychologists
etc. In many school systems
these officials consume close
to one third of the school
personnel budget.
Extravagant costs of school
buildings also cut into school
budgets. Few new school
buildings have as much as
so per cent of their floor space
devoted to clasSrooms. Extra
wide corridors, huge audi
forums, gyms, cafeterias and
support rooms are costly items
which add little to true educa-
ton, the training of the mind.
Would still greater public
expenditures improve educa-
tional standards? In view OF
present trends, such expendi-
lures would be largely con-
sumed by more administrative
personnel, still more bricks
and mortar. The proportion
going for teachers salaries
and higher standards would
be almost negligible.
James Watson.
X X X 4
Four members of the Falls
Church School Board -
Messrs. Gibson, LIE Nome,
Pierce and Strople-have just
bought for themselves a
school system for the year
1959-60 which will rank Sec
ond to none on the road to
being regressive and second
rate.
They obviously believe that
the classroom teacher can
operate in a vacuum. that
auxiliary services which
tighten the work load, enrich
the curriculum, provide ad-
ministrative supervision and
furnish tools and equipment
are dispensable. Librarians
are dependable. Mr.. Gibson
says a librarians work can
be done at a clerks salary. A
psychologist is not necessary,
nor are remedial reading or
special teachers. This work is
not within the province of
the public school. We can do
with less physical education.
and without an audio-visual
teacher. Maintenance of the
school plant has been neg
lected for ten years; another
year of neglect will make no
difference, says Mr.. Strople.
Principals at the elementary
school level are not essential,
Mr.. Gibson stated.
1t is incredible that in Falls
Church, a community of less
than 10000 souls, a large
proportion Of whom are ex-
ceptionally well-educated pro-
feSSional and business people,
the City Council could find
four men with a philosophy
OF life which permitted them
to say the things and take
the actions we witnessed at
this February IL School
Board meeting.
May l express thanks to
Mr.. Acosta, Mrs. Dexter and
Mr.. Lewis, who did their best
to save the school budget
from complete ruin?
Susan L. OlOm.