davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
School To Confer
With State Board
Before Deciding
On Desegregation

A detailed study and discus
sion of the school desegregation
plan submitted by the State
Board of Education has been
completed by the Smyrna Board
of Education. While the group
admitted that the plan proposed
by the state board had merit, it
also pointed out that certain of
the procedures found in the plan
need Qualification and possible
revision. 1t was emphasized that
the proposal has not yet been
approved by the Court, and that
the Court may disapprove or
make notifications to the plan.
The solution suggested by the
State Board of Education in T.
point plan released last month
would desegregate the states
schools beginning at the first
grade level in the fall of 1859.
The procedure would continue
one grade every year until COM
plete desegregation was in prac-
tice in 1870. The Smyrna board
will consult with the state gov
erning body before taking any
positive action. In stating its
position on the matter, the fol-
lowing official statement has
been released: "The Smyrna
Board of Education feels that
the State Board of Education
plan of desegregation as pre-
sented has merit to the extent
that desegregation by this plan
would be started at the first
grade level resulting in gradual
desegregation beginning in 1859
and proceeding one grade at a
time until desegregation is COM
pleted. The Smyrna Board of
Education feels that certain of
the procedures found in the plan
need Qualification and possible
revision; therefore the Smyrna
Board plans to consult with the
State Board for this purpose"
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
Smyrna Educator
Receives Coveted
Doctorate Degree

George V. Kirk, superintend-
ent of the Smyrna Special
School District since 1856, re-
ceived his doctorate in educa-
ton at the University of Penn
sylvania on Saturday, Feb. 7.
The degree was conferred by
DR.. Gaylord P. Harnwell, presi-
dent of the university. DR.. Kirk
received a Bachelor of Arts de-
gree from the School of Arts
and Sciences of Temple Univer-
sity in l949, -and the masters
degree from the University of
Pennsylvania in 1852. Before
coming to Smyrna he served as
instructor of academic mathe-
matics algebra, plane and solid
geometry, and trigonometry),
chemistry and physics at Mohn-
ton High School and Central
Bucks Joint High School, Penn
Sylvania. He came to Delaware
as administrative assistant to
the superintendent of the Sea-
ford Schools. While at Smyrna,
DR.. Kirk has been involved in a
building program that has re-
suited in the addition of ID
classrooms, a gymnasium, and
industrial shops building. He has
also been in tru m e n t a in
strengthening the academic pro-
gram by requiring five majors
of all students, and improving
the school-wide testing program.
High among DR.. Kinks interests
is music. He has served as
church organist and is a mem
Der of the Pennsylvania Chapter
of the American Guild of Or
ganists. He is a member of the
Smyrna Rotary Club, and of the
official board of Asbury Metho-
dist Church. He is also mem
Der of a number of professional
Continued on Page Twelve
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
End Science Fair
Public Display
Opens In School
Library Tuesday

The second annual Science
Fair of the John Bassett Moore
High School will be held in the
library of the school all day
Tuesday, Feb. II. The many ex-
hibits from all classes in the
senior and junior high school
will be on display. The public
is invited to visit the exhibits
and see samples of the individ-
ual project work done under the
supervision of the science de-
partment. Three major fields of
endeavor have been listed for
participants in the fair. They are
physics, biology, and chemistry.
Judges for the fair have been
announced by Hunter ]. Clark,
high school physics teacher and
chairman in charge of public re-
lations, as Hal Bodley, news
paper writer; Rex Gilmore,
Smyrna town manager; and
Richard Price, prominent Smyr-
ma businessman. All students in
grades 7 to IL are eligible to en-
ter projects in the fair. Pupils
from all classes are participat-
ing, and the science teachers,
Mrs. Evelyn Mendenhall, John
Largent, and MIR. Clark, have
been very pleased at the re-
sponse on the part of their
young charges. For the benefit
of those who are unable to at
tend the exhibit in the library,
selected projects will be on dis
play at the Smyrna Parent
Teacher Association meeting on
Feb. 18. The exhibit will be ar
ranged in the cafetorium of the
elementary school. The exhib-
its will be transferred to Will
mington for statewide eXhibi-
ton on April 8, 10, and III. Stu
dents and members of the sci
ence department have worked
long and hard to make this fair
a success. Parents and other in
terested persons in the commun-
ity are urged to lend their sup
port by attending the event.
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
2 Clayton Girls
Get Straight AS

Two students attained perfect
scholastic averages at the Clay
ton School, reports c. F. Metz
Ter, principal, at the end of the
third marking period. In making
the announcement, Mr.. Metzler
praised the two girls, Patricia
Diemicke and Eunice Ziegler,
for their outstanding academic
achievements. Both girls are
of the 7B class. Other
honor students who received no
grade below B were Edward
Spencer, Marjorie Ballinger, Ern-
est Blendt, Robert Crossley,
Sandra Gonce, Mary Ellen Vosh-
ell, Glen Wright, Sandra Darrell,
Hope Hutchison, Susan Hynson,
Rebecca Wiley, and Lynn
Pietschman.
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12

uated for tax purposes by their
value on the day the gift is
made, regardless of the original
cost. Also introduced was DR..
John A. Krieger, who spoke on
the need for enlarging Kent
General Hospital. DR.. Krieger
called the proposed increase in
the hospitals capacity IAN ab-
solute necessity" pointing out
that conditions are such that
Kent General is "chronically
crowded, often with room only
for serious emergency cases.
Walton H. Simpson, president
of the Kent General Hospital
board of directors, outlined the
building program for the hos
pital which the funds realized in
the 100000 campaign will
make possible. The program
calls for the addition of a wing
and Encouragement of several
present departments, providing
more beds to bring the capacity
of the hospital TO 1873.
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
Seven Community
Churches To Join
In World, PRAYER
Services Friday

The World Day of Prayer will
be observed at st. Peters Epis-
copal Church on.Friday, Feb. l3
at s pm. and will be participat-
ed in by representatives of sew
en- local churches. Mrs. F. Sgd
ney Bancroft is chairman of the
arrangements for the service.
Robert Reed will be the organ
ist. All interested persons are
invited to attend. The churches
taking part in the program are
the host church, Asbury Meth
odist Church, the First Presby-
terian Church, Church of the
Nazarene, Bethel A.M.E. Church,
st. Pauls Church. and the Holi-
ness Church. The service for
this year, to be presented by
women all around the world,
was arranged by the Egyptian
Church, and the service was
composed by a committee OF
nine Egyptian women of Coptic,
Orthodox, Anglican, Evangelical
Churches, and the Y.W.C.A.
They represent graduates of the
French School of the Sacred
Heart, st. Mary's English School
and the American College for
Girls in Cairo. The cover on the
program is the Coptic cross, and
many Copts, or Christians in
Egypt, have this cross tattoed
on their wrist. The Coptic Ortiz
odox Church is the ancient
Christian Church founded by St.
Mark.
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
Sale Proceeds To
Finance Student

The Smyrna-Clayton Janecees
held their February meeting at
the Dinner Bell Inn, Dover, with
Mrs. Martin Golden, president,
conducting the business session.
A new member, Mrs. Jewell
Ames, was welcomed to the
group. The decision was made
to give the proceeds from a re-
cent food sale sponsored by the
Janecees to the Smyrna-Clayton
Junior Chamber of Commerce
toward a joint contribution by
Jaycees and Janecees to the for
eign-exchange student program
Continued on Page Twelve)
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
One-Act Comedy
Receives Praise
AT Ladies' Night

The ladies night celebration
of the Smyrna Lions Club was
attended also by two visiting
delegations of Lions, one from
Wilmington and the other from
the Wilmington Manor Lions
Club. Norman G. Wilder, first
vice president, presided and the
program chairman was ]. Wells
Campbell, who presented
group from the Kent County
Theater Guild in a one-act play,
Suppressed Desires" by Susan
Glaspell. The cast, which includ-
ed Bella Ward, Helene Nikell,
and Robert Bell, received an
ovation at the close of the COM
edy in two scenes for their clev-
er creation of the illusion with
out benefit of curtain or back
ground, at The Wayside Inn.
They were directed by Lois Ann
Green. A contribution was made
by the Lions toward the foreign
student exchange program
which will be presented to the
American Field Service program
now being conducted in this
community. Heading the delega-
ton from the Wilmington Man
or Lions Club was Constant
Briggs, candidate for district
Continued on Page Twelve)
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
Banquet To Mark
10th Anniversary
OF BPW Founding

The Smyrna-Clayton Business
and Professional Women's Club
will celebrate its tenth anniver-
sary and commemorate Interna-
tional Week with a banquet
next Monday evening at The
Wayside Inn. Mr.. c. A. Fulmer,
principal of Wilmington High
School, will be the guest speak
er. A well known student of
foreign affairs, Mr.. Fulmer's
topic will be 'World Outlook"
He will be introduced by Mrs.
Eva Jones, international rela-
tions chairman. International
Week is observed by the %
countries having business and
professional women's clubs, and
its theme this year is ''The Fu-
ture is Our Business" The even
ing's program will include vocal
selections by Miss Betty Jane
Griffin, accompanied by Mrs.
Gertrude Scout. Among the
guests will be DR.. Elizabeth F.
Phillips, of Georgetown, chair
man of the Northeast Region of
B.P.W. Clubs, as well as state
officers and representatives from
clubs throughout the state. Mrs.
Laura S. Myers, local career ad-
vancement chairman and state
federation chaplain, will give
the invocation. Ruth Ellen
Reihm, president, will preside.
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
Boggs Appoints
King To Board

State Rep. Charles c. King
D-Smyrna) has been appointed
a legislative member of the
Board of Control for Southern
Regional Education by Gov. ].
Caleb Boggs in action taken re-
Gently at Dover. Mr.. King will
serve as one of the representa-
tives of the State of Delaware
for a three-year term to expire
June 80, 1861. Should his term
as legislator expire before that
time, his position on the Board
of Control would also termin-
ate.
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
HOmemakers To Meet

The S m yrna Homemakers
Club will meet at the home OF
Mrs. Joseph Goldsborough, Du-
Pont Parkway, on Thursday,
Feb. l9 at 2 pm. The co-hostess
will be Mrs. William T. Now
land. Mrs. Florence Smith, coun-
ty agent, will present the pro-
gram on Making a Family Bud
get.''
Smyrna times., 1959-02-12
Kenton P.T.A. To Meet

The Kenton School Parent
Teacher Association will meet
in the school on Monday, Feb.
l6, at 8 pm.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27

has been coping with for some
time. A series Of treatment
plants serve the first water
sheds where development took
place. As new watersheds build
up, the> county is thinking in
terms of a vast, new treatment
plont at the mouth Of Pohlick
Greek.
Planning and coming confront
the county with an ever-chang-
ing problem.
Joseph Wheeler, newely-in-
stalled president Of the coun-
ty Federation Of Citizens Asso-
citation, forcees adjustment Of
the county's master plan to
rapid growth as a major chal-
lenge in the years ahead.
We've got to make faster
progress toward more compre-
hensive planning, both in terms
Of keeping ordinances up to
date and in adjusting the mas
ter plan to rapid growth" he
declared.
A-step in this direction was
taken recently with approval
of a revised coming program.
which seeks to give the county
tighter control over the type of
development that takes place
once property is rezoned.
School IntegratiOn Imminent
In still rural areas. the coun-
ty has sought to clamp down
on dense development by i'm
posing one and two acre lot
restrictions.
The need for new schools
continues to grow with the
population. Beginning next
year, the county will start
shifting to a system that in
cludes intermediate schools be-
tween elementary and high
schools. Since 1850. $43.5 mil
lion in school construction
bond have been authorized and
indications are another $40
million will be needed during
the next 10 years.
School Indignation appears
imminent in Fairfax for the
first time. Twenty-siX young
sters have applied for enroll
ment in all-white schools this
September. Fairfax has a small
Negro population which &C
counts for about four per cent
of the county public school
enrolment.
Maintaining a reasonable tax
rate in an era of so much
change and growth is a pain
full issue with those who run
the county government. To-
days rate Of $3.75 per 500 Of
assessed valuation is we'll above
the 1919 rate Of nine years ago
in view of a recent reassess-
ment. And to the current rate
must be added special levies
and charges paid in some areas
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27
Third Of q Series

activity tapered of, farmers
moaned 'as they contemplated
paying for all the new schools
and sewers the newcomers de-
manded.
That was the gloomy outlook
In the minds Of some county
elders who watched the out
ward migration of Government
workers from Washington push
past Arlington and Alexandria
into once-rural Fairfax County
scarcely IL years ago.
No prophecy ever proved to
be more wrong.
The 403-square mile county
that sprawls across the north
east corner Of Virginia today
ranks as the fastest growing
political subdivision within that
magic circle called the Metro
politan Area of Washington.
Thousands Of new families
that flowed into those first sub
divisions have stayed. More
have come to join them, and
are still coming at the rate of
about 1000 new residents a
month. Five hundred building
permits for new dwellings is
about par for any month of
good construction weather.
Roughly two out of every
three people who call Fairfax
County home have moved there
since 1850. The population then
stood at $4,000. Today, the
Economic Development Com
mittee Of the Washington
Board Of Trade counts 232, 500
Fairfax County persons among
the metropolitan areas 2 mil
lion residents.
Shopping Center Grew
Business beat a hasty path
In pursuit of the new home
owners. The big Seven Corners
shopping center, opened in
1856, brought a bit of down.
town Washington into the
county, with branches of Wood
ward & Lothrop's. Garflnckle' s
and other city stores. Seven
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27

down some Of his own money
for q real estate investment.
Prosperity has come also
from new tax returns. The
/ ,400-unit Willston Apartment
project on Arlington boule-
ward at Seven Corners was
the county's biggest taxpayer
last year with a total bill close
to 100000. Seven Corners
paid around $l25.0O0. Another
big taxpayer is Melpar. scienti-
fic research firm. whose coming
the county welcomed so gladly
1t altered coming laws to &C
commodate the plant on Airing
ton boulevard. A recent addi-
ton is the new Atlantic Re-
search plant of Shirley high
way. where fuels for rockets
and space missiles are made.
Historical Sites Attract
One important tie with the
past that remains and contri-
butes to the county's modern
day economy is history.
Studded with shrines like
Mount Vernon where George
Washington lived. George Ma
sons Gunston Hall and Nellie
Gusts Woodlawn Plantation,
Fairfax is host to thousands
Of tourists each year. Elegant
motels with wall to wall car
pets and cleaning swimming
pools line major county high
ways to serve visitors who come
to Washington and its historic
environs.
No county could hope to 90
through such drastic change
without agony. Fairfax is no
exception. At times. problems
have seemed more acute than
those Of other expanding COM
munities because change has
come so swiftly and on such
q gigantic scale.
Within less time than 1t
takes to change presidents.
Springfield was transformed
from an obscure. discontinued
whistle stop on the Southern
Railway to a thriving satellite
city" Of more than 1000 homes.
Space limitations which hold
down the size of subdivisions
in more compact communities
like Arlington we're no problem
for Fairfax developers. Recon-
ing applications involving hun
dreds of acres became as COM
monplace as permits for new
porches.
Into the new subdivisions
moved young families with
school age or pre-school age
children. They were education
minded families. More often
than not both parents had a
college background. and they
wanted the best for their grow
ing children. A typical county
family, according to statistics,
has a combined income be-
tween $1,000 and $4,000 a year
and lives in a house that costs
between $4,000 and $4,000.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27

corners safes run around $1o
million a year. according TO
merchants license figures.
Now, part Of the United
States Government and facili-
ties to serve it are on their
way to Fairfax. The portion
OF Federal Government is COM
ing with construction Of the
vast Central Intelligence Agen-
cy headquarters at Langley.
CHA employes-variously esti-
mated between 5000 and 10000
are supposed to start moving
into their new home around
1861. And at Chantilly. the
new John Foster Dulles In
ternational Airport is under
construction to give Washing
ton its first real jet-age term
inal.
Coming also in the immedi-
ate future is a branch Of the
University Of Virginia. A site
adjacent to the town Of Fair
fax has been acquired by the
town and turned over to the
State. Planning funds have
been appropriated. Construc-
ton money will be sought next
year.
Bulldozers are scraping paths
for major new highways. The
w a hin g ton circumferential
will swing from one side of the
county to the other, connect
ing the new Jones Point and
Cabin John bridges across the
Potomac River. Several Sec
tons Of the circumferential
already are under contract
Route Sc, a major link in the
Federal interstate highway
program, will bring new east
west thoroughfare through the
county.
Taking shape on a site along
Gallows road is the country'S
first hospital.
Continuing Boom Seen
All these changes and more
seem to assure a continued
boom in Fairfax, which for all
its rapid development still can
lay claim to some Of the closest
vacant land around the Nations
capital. BY the year 1000,
experts figure Fairfax will have
a population of one million per-
sons.
Prosperity and problems are
fellow travellers Of the swift
development that hit the coun-
ty with explosive force shortly
after World War II.
Those who have prospered
have done so spectacularly.
One man who dug some wells
to serve his neighbors wound
up with a 81 million water COM
pany.
Sons and daughters Of a
former slave became wealthy
overnight with a sale of their
land for the Seven Corners
shopping center.
Real estate transactions have
shown profits as high as 81
million within one year.
One analsyt who made eco
nomic surveys for just about
every community around Wash
ington turned to Fairfax Coun-
ty when he wanted to PUNK
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27
Suburbia 1860: Fairfax Is Fastest Growing Area

Such families are not wealthy
enough to afford expensive
private schools, but generally
willing to pay adequate taxes
for a good public school sys-
tenn.
School Problems Numerous
Fairfax was ill-prepared for
so many school-age children.
Quonset huts were thrown up
behind school buildings for
overflow classes. A taxpayer
covered frame building that
school officials unabaShedly
called q shack" was pressed
into service. Experimental Gin
der-block buildings were tried.
Grades went on double shifts.
The county school board was
so pressed for funds it once
limited students to a half a
paper towel each day. The
dilemma was prolonged when
older residents. skeptical that
the population was there to
stay, tied up the county's first
school bond issue a year with
a lawsuit.
The fight over that first bond
issue, plus the continuing cru
SADIE of newer residents for
better schools and better serv-
ices Of all kinds wrought a
series Of governmental changes.
First, the form Of govern
ment was altered. The old ex-
ecutive secretary system. which
left most details of administra-
ton in the hands Of the elected
supervisors, was discarded in q
referendum in favor Of today's
county executive arrangement,
which vests a paid administra-
tor with authority to run
things according to policy set
by the governing body. The
change took effect on January
/, 1852.
Four years later the clamor
for swifter action on county
problems resulted in another
upheaval. Republicans. cam
paigning principally as defend
|ers of suburban needs in oppo-
sition to the rural control that
had dominated the county un-
der Democratic rule, won three
out Of seven seats on the county
board. That election shifted
control of the county's govern
ing body from rural to urban or
suburban hands, with several
Democrats also on the Subur-
ban side.
Avoids Growing Pains
Fairfax has managed to make
the shift from rural to urban
government-or conservative to
liberal. as it might be pictured
elsewhere-without the painful
commissions that Arlington has
endured. There have been To-
Called scraps. But whenever
there is Incorporating in Rich
mond at that" area Of North
ern Virginia where everyone
seems Ito Richmond to be out
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27

for extra services and improve
ments.
One obstacle. however. sur
passes all others In the minds
of those who are trying to lead
the county on to bigger and
better things. This is an
nexation. Alexandria, which
took o little more than seven
square miles from the county
nine years ago, once more is
estate-30 square miles worth.
Falls Church is counting rough
ly six square miles. Towns
within the county have am
billions to grow.
Annexations Vex Officials
Confronted with the con-
slant threat Of losing healthy
portions Of territory and popu-
lation, the county finds 1t pre-
picking to plan for the future.
Each annexation affects income
from taxes. Sometimes facili-
ties are taken which the county
finds difficult to replace, even
though there is compensation.
In an attempt to solve the
constant threat of shrinkage,
Fairfax is exploring several
moves. One is a new form of
government, with some sort of