EWP 2-5-1 Yr 1948 1949 Citizens School Study Committee.pdf

Title

EWP_2-5-1_Yr_1948_1949_Citizens_School_Study_Committee.pdf

Identifier

b1cb252aeca28ccc2325e5425a121475

a935736e651c6059f1a68fcdb44ab12c

Is Version Of

EWP_2-5-1_Yr_1948_1949_Citizens_School_Study_Committee.pdf

Is Part Of

Petitions

Date Created

2021-11-21 20:35:04 +0000

12/28/03

Format

pdf

Source

/Volumes/Elements/EWP Files/source/Ingest One/2 Petitions Plans School Board and Districts/2-5-1_Commissions_and_Studies

/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP Files/OCR/Petitions/2-5-1_Commissions_and_Studies/EWP_2-5-1_Yr_1948_1949_Citizens_School_Study_Committee_ocr.pdf

Publisher

Digitized by: Edwin Washington Project

extracted text

1939-40

1939-40
1940-41

1-4
1473
1475
1356

1941-42
1942-U3- 1386
1943-44
1319
1944-45
1357
1945.46
1337
1946-47
1947-48

1408
1401

5-7

8-11

959
887
901
828
821
841

753
746
705
671

836
883

607
639
681
678

902 708

1-4
1940.41 1947-48
1475. 1401 = 764:1726

8-11

726+ 113 = 839
|

PORT
STUDY COMMITTEE
DUNTY, VIRGINIA
15, 1948

MR. FRANK LEGARD
MRS. WADE PALMER
MR. J. STEWART SMITH
MRS. THOMAS E. TAYLOR
MRS. CONTEE L. ADAMS, Chairman
Members of Steering Committee

REPORT
CITIZENS SCHOOL STUDY COMMITTEE
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA
July 15, 1948

MR. FRANK LEGARD
MRS. WADE PALMER
MR. J. STEWART SMITH
MRS. THOMAS E. TAYLOR
MRS. CONTEE L. ADAMS, Chairman
Members of Steering Committee

REPORT OF
CITIZENS SCHOOL STUDY COMMITTEE
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
The Citizens School Study Committee consists of elected representatives of each of the civic organizations of Loudoun County. Activated by the appointee, Mrs. Contee L. Adams of Hamilton, of the
County Parent Teachers Association, at its meeting on October 10, 1947, the Committee came into bein
on November 18, 1947, when the elected members met in organization and elected a steering committe
five (5) consisting of Mrs. Adams, Chairman, Mr. J. Stewart Smith of Lincoln, Vice-Chairman, Mrs.
Thomas E. Taylor, Lincoln, Mr. Frank Legard, Purcellville, and Mrs. Jane Palmer, Purcellville.
Dr. Clarence A. Newell, Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Maryland,
was employed as a professional consultant and the more than fifty (50) members conducted their studie
in subcommittees whose reports are embraced herein.
The Committee has had the fullest cooperation of the School Board, the Superintendent of
Schools, the principals and teachers, and many volunteer workers, for which grateful acknowledgement
and appreciation is herewith tendered.
No attempt will be made to state the source material employed, the scope of the investigation or
the number of citizens consulted. Suffice it to say that your Committee submits this report with full
confidence that it represents the views and opinions of far more than a substantial majority of the citizens of Loudoun County. Although many compromises in the interest of unanimity have been made, and
although some may criticize the conclusions which are herein advanced, let it be remembered by all con
cerned that your interest, work and cooperation have at all times been solicited. If your views and opinions are not expressed herein as you would like to have had them, nevertheless it is the considered
opinion of your Committee that the educational needs of our children are such as to demand your full
support of this report as a basic improvement plan for better education in our grade and high schools.
For purposes of brevity and clarity this report is divided into two parts. Part I contains the general and specific conclusions and recommendations of your Committee. Part II contains the coordinated
written reports of the several subcommittees, as approved by the full committee.
Part I
A. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The educational qualifications of many of our teachers are below present State standards and
the training afforded our children can no longer be condoned. The fault is ours. The paths of correction
are so apparent that to state them would be to underscore the obvious. Our pay schedule does not attra
certified teachers.
2. The courses of study offered in our high schools as a whole do not meet the needs of our
children in that (a) those who desire to go on to college are not equipped to compete with students coming out of private schools, certain city schools in Virginia, and from public schools in neighboring states,
and (b) those who go immediately from our high schools into the great school of hard knocks are not
afforded that degree of vocational training to which they, their parents and the citizens of this County
are justly entitled. Recognizing the progress which is our heritage, we firmly believe that our children's
educational
should
keep
have
sufficedopportunities
in the society
in which
wepace
grewwith
up. the times and not be held back to the level which may
3. During the 1949-50 school year there will be 150 and perhaps 250 white students more than
the number now in the present overcrowded high school buildings. Loudoun County will face the worst
school crisis in its history unless there is additional school construction.
4. The cost of expanding and renovating four (4) high schools in Loudoun County to accommodate the anticipated increase in enrollment and to afford adequate training is uneconomic, unnecessary
and, in short, a waste of both human and financial materials, and if this were done these schools would
still not qualify for certification by the State in 1952.
1

5. Unless improvements in our educational system are made, Loudoun County schools may lose
their certification and with it the loss of the more than $200,000 per year which the State contributes.
This loss will never be countenanced by the taxpayers of this County.
6. Health and safety conditions at certain schools shock the conscience of all who investigate
them.
7. No child in this County should be or need be subjected to a long bus ride to and from school
and the attendant waste of time and energy involved. This is an agricultural community. Our children
have home duties before and after school. Wasting their time is wasting hard-earned money. Proper location of our schools and proper integration of the transportation system will eliminate much waste.
8. Our school administration needs renovation and improvement.
B. SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
1. Administration.
(a) The creation of the position of Assistant Superintendent of Schools to be filled by an individual qualified in the field of School Administration, who should have a master's degree but in any event
shall have at least a bachelor's degree and three years actual teaching experience. His duties and respo
bilities would include the provision of needed supervision of high school teachers, and his employment
would allow for the expansion of other administrative services for the school system as a whole.
(b) The employment of an architect as needed to prepare plans and specifications and supervise
major construction, remodeling or renovating of school buildings.
(c) Except in the case of standard goods on which catalog prices are available, all other supplies
should be purchased from the lowest responsible bidder under a system of sealed bids available to the
public for inspection after date of opening.
2. Buildings.
(a) The white grade school at Mountain Gap should be closed and consolidated with Leesburg.
(b) Immediate abandonment of the older of the two structures at Aldie, which is a fire trap and
unfit for human occupancy. The remaining structure should be renovated for use as a grade school.
(c) The present high school buildings at Leesburg, Lincoln and Lovettsville should be used exclusively as grade schools.
(d) This committee believes that the taxpayers of Loudoun County should have the opportunity
of resolving the question as to whether one or two high schools shall be constructed and operated. This
one of the principal questions confronting the people of Loudoun County. It must be resolved in the immediate future. Your Committee believes that it should be resolved at the time of the regular elections
in the fall of 1948 and to this end submits herewith the merits of each proposition:

One high school for Loudoun County
(1) (A) According to generally accepted estimates, it would cost $100,000 to $200,000 more to construct two high schools than to build one.
(B) It is generally agreed that it would cost $30,000 to $50,000 more each year to operate and
amortize two high schools than one.
(2) (A) With one high school it is economical to offer an expanded and more flexible curriculum,
for example, advanced math, all shop and vocational courses, advanced business courses, corrective c
(B) In one high school it would be much easier to adjust curriculum to changing needs than in
two high schools.
(3) In one high school it would be possible to employ specialists at a reasonable cost, e.g.1. Adequate physical education personnel.
2. Music and art instruction.
3. Guidance personnel.
4. Building maintenance.
(4) With one high school it would be possible to have a coordinated bus system with express
buses. State experts point out that under this system the time on buses and cost of operation would not
be materially increased.
(5) COUNTY UNITY. (A) Broad Run and Jefferson have no high schools. Lovettsville and
Mercer will surely lose theirs within a few years. It is not reasonable to expect these districts to support
the additional costs and curtailed facilities of a 2-high school program.
(B) One high school would promote county unity and decrease sectionalism as it now exists.

Two high schools for Loudoun County
Advantages of having the two high schools located at Purcellville and Leesburg:
(1) Two schools located at Purcellville and Leesburg would simplify the transportation problem
and make it more economical and easily handled. Loudoun County is fundamentally an agricultural
county and our farm boys and girls have very definite and worth-while responsibilities in these farm
homes and on these farms. Pupils would ride buses shorter distances and hours and thereby have more
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