Weather Outlook Continued warm weather foreseen through Monday, with temperatures averaging about 8 degrees above normal highs and lows of 65 and 44. Showers to day and Friday and again Mon day. 104th Y.or ■ Ho. H ROCKVILLI. MARYLAND - APRIL 14. lUO 2 SECTIONS - ftArdea 4.7700 Tw grots . f trr Curriculum Study Is Proposed Montgomery County’s Board of Education revealed plans Tuesday for a compre hensive survey of the public school curriculum by a group of “representative citi zens” not associated with the school system. While deferring action on a resolution authorizing the sur vey, the board issued a state ment outlining its purposes and objectives and scheduled a spe cial meeting for April 21 to discuss at length the goals of the study. The group also deferred ac tion on a companion resolution appointing Dr. Edgar L. Mor phet, professor of education at the University of California and a widely-experienced school con sultant, to serve as its general consultant during the study. Both resolutions, it was indi cated, will be considered at the April 21 meeting. Expressing the board’s belief that the development and con tinuous improvement of the curriculum and instructional program are “of vital impor tance to planning for the fu ture,” the statement said the board also believes a thorough study “of problems and possi bilities in this area” should be made in the immediate future. “Many social, economic and scientific changes that have im plications for the curriculum have occurred during the past few years,” the statement con tinued. “While a number of curriculum studies have already been carried out in Montgomery County and important improve ments have been made, a com prehensive study that will build on what has been accomplished and project needed Improve ments seems to be desirable at this time.” It proposed creation of a com mittee of not less than 15-rmr more than 30 lay citizens “who can proceed to plan and conduct a cooperative study without any basis for concern about domina tion or control by the board, the school staff or by any organiza tion in the county that “might be thought of as interested in arriving at predetermined con clusions.” It proposed further that com mittee members be selected from citizens having these char * acteristics: • A genuine interest in achool education. • Honesty and sincerity of purpose. • The ability to recognize significant problems, interpret information accurately and reach honest and fair conclu sions. • Freedom from strong bias that might interfere with the purpose of reaching sound and defensible conclusions. The group, to be designated as the Citizens Advisory Com mittee on Curriculum and In struction, should be recognized as representing the entire com munity but should not be com posed of persons selected be cause they represent organiza tions, the board said. It indicated its intention of appointing the committee, a co ordinator and the general con sultant within the next month to assure an early start on the survey. It said it would re quest the group to complete Its study by June 1, 1961 Schools Get New Number Effective Monday, the county Board of Education office in Rockville will have a new, easy to-remember telephone number and improved telephone service. The number will be POplar 2-5000, replacing POplar 2-3981 and two other numbers not generally known to persons other than school personnel. Persons calling the old numbers after 8 a.m. Monday will be in formed of the change by an automatic recording device. All of the 22 trunk lines to the office will be channeled through PO. 2-5000, thus assur ing more effective service than was provided when they were divided up among three num bers, according to school offi cials. While a busy signal re sulted whenever one of the three former numbers was be ing utilized to capacity, the switchboard now will remain in service as long as any of the 22 lines is open. Wankmm Citwti StiM Jesse F. Nicholson, Jr. Nicholson Appointed to $15,500 Job The Park and Planning Commission yesterday decided to appoint Jes se F. Nicholson to a new $15,500-a-year job as execu tive director of the bi-county planning agency. Nicholson, currently Planning Commission secretary - treas urer, will supervise the entire agency staff while retaining his present duties. His appointment was pro posed at a time when the com mission noted that it would be “unwise and unnecessary from the standpoint of sound busi ness practice,” to appoint a full - time commissioner who would perform essentially the same duties as the executive director. A full-time commissioner, the agency heads said, (could) “re sult in confusion of policy making functions,” inasmuch as he would be dealing both with policy and planning. The appointment resolution cited the combined populations of more than 700,000 persons in Montgomery and Prince Georges countiees and “un precedented expenditures” in excess of $6.5 million for re gional park la n d acquisition next fiscal year as only two of the administrative loads weigh ing heavily on Commission chairman Herebrt W. Wells and his staff of 260 employes. Ap pointment of Nicholson was proposed mainly to ease this growing administrative load. Nicholson has been employed by the Commission for 13 years and has been in a public em ploye for nearly 24 years. He lives at 2 Pooks Hill rd., Be thesda. Historically, the commission’s staff has been under the direc tion of five department heads who, in turn, are responsible to 10 part - time commissioners. Creation of an executive direc tor was sought to create a bet ter and full-time liaison be tween the professional staff and the policy-making commis sioners. Echo Lake Has $3780 The fourth annual spring benefit dinner of Camp Echo Lake, a summer camp for chil dren whose parents can’t pay for vacations, will be held April 28 at the Motel Washington. Tickets will be SSO a couple; S3B will go toward the organiza tion’s 1960 goal of $20,000 to run the camp. Camp location is in the foot hills of the Blue Ridge moun tains at Myersville, Md. Water sports as well as other forms of open air recreation are pro vided during two-week camp sessions. A spokesman for Camp Echo Lake said this week that $3780 has already been collected. Names of honor roll donors fol low: Silver Spring Kiwanis Club, $300; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin L. Aubinoe, $100; Drug Fair Stores (Milton L. Elsberg), SSO; L S. Turover, SSO; Peoples Drug Stores, SSO; Daniel Blain, jr, $5; Town and Country Cleaners, Inc., S2O. Also, Anonymous, $10; Ewing Lumber & Millwork Corp., sls; Woman’s Club of Rockville, $25; Mrs. John R. Reeves, SSO; Stanley H. Arthur, $10; boys and staff of Landon School, $100; The Hecht Co., $100; Hahn Shoe Stores, SSO; A&P Tea Co., sls; Washington Alum nae Chapter, Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, SSO; Bogley. Halting & Hight, Inc., $750; C. C. Kid well, PEPCO, $5. In Stat I I r • ms wards -*o week won two of a possible five first - me Maryland Better Newspaper Contest. Last year, the Sentinel won more prizes in the annual competition—a total of five—than any other newspaper in the State, either daily or weekly. In addition to the two first prizes in this year’s contest, the Sentinel won a third place award. ■ No other newspaper compet ing in the Sentinel's class (week lies, over 5000 circulation) won more than two prizes. Accord ingly, the Sentinel with three prizes this year walked off for the second straight year with more prizes than any other competing newspaper. This year’s newspaper rival ry was swept by the Baltimore News Post which walked off with five awards. The Balti more Evening Sun won two awards. Sponsors of the competition were the Maryland Press Asso ciation and the journalism de partment of the University of Maryland. Entries were judged by the West Virginia Press As sociation. The two first places won this year by the Sentinel were “best news photo” and “general excel lence.” Its third place award was in the “Community Serv ice” category. In awarding the Sentinel the first prize for general excellence for weekly newspapers of over 5000 circulation, the judges de clared: “The paper is particularly outstanding for its excellent edi torial page, local coverage In depth, fine sports page, good features and especially attrac tive picture page, commendable social and area news coverage and good engravings. Another prominent attribute of the pa per is the orderliness of make up and its neat appearance.” The general excellence first prize is the one coveted by newspapers. Judges select two arbitrary'dates and participat ing newspapers must submit is sues published on those dates. In all other categories, the news papers themselves select materi al submitted as entries. General excellence, under the contest rules, means Just what the words imply. Judges are In structed to base their selections on which newspaper appears to ■ t MmSaßr - mBBMmm. ■' . /■ A SRwMk w* — /"■ „ -MmP"JJ MB' f m Ja Hi ww' wm ßPiSJpte If A t . B : x fa .£■ JA /Xpfl s SSL. > mfa /.fa lll y *BbBbHBB Hppr iB WISM Hhfe jpjß^ MISS SILVER SPRING ASPIRANTS who will compete in preliminary contests April 22-23 at Northwood High School are (seated, left to right) Nancyjoy Colb, 19, of Silver Spring, Cherry Orme, 19, of Chevy Chase, and (standing, from left) Carol Darby, 18, of Silver Spring. Kathleen Austin, 18, of Ta* koma Park, and Kathleen Herbert, 18, of Sil- * them to have the highest quali ty in typographical layout and editorial and advertising content and appearance. Accordingly, the entire staff of the Sentinel and all those concerned with its production deserve credit for the win. Credit for the best news photo first prize goes, primari ly, to the Sentinel’s staff pho tographer, Hugh M. Gillespie, who won the same award in last year’s contest. , The Sentinel’s third place award in Community Service was for its role in speeding the long-delayed opening of Rock ville’s public housing project after two children died in a slum blaze. The entry was titled “Needless Tragedy.” Two other Montgomery Coun ty newspapers also won prizes in the contest category of week lies over 5000 circulation. The Suburban Record won first place in the community service category and third place in general excellence. The Maryland News walked off with (Continued on Page 3) Gaithersburg School Name Is Approved The new Gaithersburg Junior High School will be called just that. The Board of Education de cided Tuesday to retain the name assigned temporarily to the school after polling mem bers of the parent-teachers’ as sociation in the area. Of some 200 questioned, the name was favored by aU but three, who suggested it be.napped for the former owner of the land It now occupies, Thomas Foltz. Dr. C. Taylor Whittier, super intendent of schools, seemed somewhat relieved that the name will be unchanged. “It won’t be difficult to comply with your decision,” he re marked, “the name is already across the front of the build ing.” ver Spring. Thirty-five girls will take part in the contest, finals of which will be staged May 14 at Northwood. The winner will be entered In the Miss Maryland contest Au gust 13 in Salisbury, Md. Silver Spring Junior Chamber of Commerce sponsors the contest. —Staff Photo. A Century of Service Small Tax Rate Hike Due City Okays Changes In Its Charter The Rockville City Coun cil Tuesday, passed a modern revision of the 100 year-old city charter, providing for partial yearly taxation on construction and repealing the tax limit. This was the first compre hensive overhaul of the charter since it was written in 1860, although piecemeal changes have taken place over the years. Previously, new construction was not taxed for the remain ing portion of the year. The new section will enable the city to tax substantially completed construction at semi-annual and three-quarter intervals. Valuable taxes were lost to the city when new buildings were completed shortly after the May 1 assessment cut-off date and went untaxed for the rest of the year. Now they can be added to the city assessment roles for one or both of the additional period. Repeal of the one dollar per SIOO assessed value tax limit is designed to further facilitate sale of bonds and generally im prove the city credit rating. The present tax rate is 72 cents. A midnight June 30 deadline for new budgets was written into the charter. Although the council has adhered to this standard procedure it has not been officially included into the charter. A new provision in the charter requires proposed budgets be submitted at least a month be fore final passage. Last June the city was criticized for not getting out the budget early enough. The revised charter, a con glomoratiop of the old charter and recently passed city ordi nances. eliminates such offices as scavenger and bailiff and provides for the office of city manager, which was created by city ordinance. The revised charter will be effective May 31, unless 20 per cent of the qualified voters petition within 45 days for a referendum. ■ UNUSUAL PET being held by Julyanne Culbertson, of Turkey Foot rd., Darnestown, is a male flying squirrel, which was one of the many pets entered in the pet show held by the Darnestown Elementary School first-graders Tuesday.— Staff Photo. Student Exchange * 6 Sister City ’ Campaign For SIOOO Is Under Way A $1 contribution from a 10- year-old boy was among the first donations collected this weak toward SIOOO to send two Rockville students on a visit to Pinneberg, Germany Rock ville’s “Sister City.” Philip Lower, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Lower, 511 Woodston rd., Rockville, joined three others in bringing the total thus far received to slOl. The drive for funds was an nounced in last Thursday's Sen tinel. Other donors: Optimist Club of Rockville, $25; Progressive Citizens Association; $5; Anony mous, $10; Citizens Committee for Good Government, SSO; Sted man Prescott, $5, and Dave Ros off, $5. Two students will he selected to visit the West German city this summer. Pinneberg offi cials have announced plans to send two students to Richard Montgomery High School, for the school year starting this September. The proposed exchange of students was conceived as part of the “People to People” pro gram inaugurated three years ago by President Eisenhower. Sentinel editor Roger B. Far Census Taker Trails Cats , Dogs , Shotguns , It’s All in Day’s Work Official end of census taking in the Rockville district was to come today, but it will be a long time before the 35 women enumerators forget their experiences. Mrs. Hugh H. Hassell, wife of the city postmaster, for instance was pummeled into dishevelment by one family’s five over - affectionate children and two pet dogs. Before she was able to leave, her identifica tion badge was torn off, the children had crayoned her cen sus forms and her clothing was thoroughly mussed. Then there was Mrs. Virginia Carlisle who had only three more homes to canvass before ending her stint last week. She was fanged by an unfriendly fido. Mrs. William Donnelly, wife of an assistant county attorney, just hates cats. So it was al most fate that cats ripped four pair of her hose while she tried to interview their owners. Mrs. Donnelly also had a few hectic moments with a house wife who became “practically hysterical” when she was pres ented the detailed census ques tionnaire given every fourth homeowner. The lady followed Mrs. Don- 1 nelly out of her house and at ' one point, tried to explain her resentment to Mrs. Donnelly’s I 11 year old son Charles, who quhar and staff photographer Hugh M. Gillespie only recently returned from a Sentinel-spon sored trip to Pinneberg inWiir theranee of that program. Public support of the Amer ican students’ trip Is essential to success. Donors are urged to mall their contributions to “Sister City, care of Post master, Rockville, Md.” Ken Kasai, chairman of Rock ville’s “Sister City” committee, emphasized that a large num ber of small contributions was preferred to only a few larger donations. He explained that many srtnaller contributions would show that Rockville resi dents were behind the “Sister City” exchange program. The Sentinel will publish the names of all individuals or or ganizations who make contribu tions. Money collected will be used primarily for transporta tion costs of the Rockville stu dents. They will live in homes of “foster families” in Pinne berg. Both Rockville and Pinneberg officials have expressed hope that an exchange of students between the two communities will become an annual highlight of the people-to-people program. was along for "protection.” Charles promptly hopped into the family car at the curb and locked the doors, leaving his mother to cope with the irate woman. Mrs. Baitara Pratt came in for her share of goose pimples when she called at the home of a man rumored to have used his shotgun on unwanted guests once before. She said the man opened the door, listened to her explana tion of what she needed in the way of facts, and then said: “I ain’t got no time for no monkey business. The government wants to know too much any way,” and slammed the door. Recalling that her subject was reputedly a native of West Virginia-Kentucky hill country, where shotguns are as common as house brooms, Mrs. Pratt quietly took her leave. Other than such routine ex periences, the enumerators’ big (Continued on Page 3) Other than such routine ex periences, the enumerators’ big (Continued on Page 3) Wonders of Science For an insight into how far along scientific paths some county high school youngsters have trod, turn to Page B 4 for a full page of pictures on the subject. j Levy Probably ; Will Be Raised From lc to 5c By Steed Evans Staff Reporter \ A tax increase for next I fiscal year of from one to ■ five cents loomed today as j the County Council raced to | ward deadline for adopting ] the 1960-61 budget by midnight j tomorrow. At least one cent more than last year’s $2.48 rate per SIOO I assessed valuation is necessary | to finance the proposed $84.8 j million budget, tentatively j agreed upon. Amount of the tax levy was to be set tonight at a 7:30 meet ! ing of the council in Rockville, j In any event, the total budget I is the largest yet for Montgom ; ery County. Last year’s was j $67.5 million. I Far and away the lion’s share I of the budget will go to schools: $62.5 million. Non-school ex | penditures are expected to total ; about $22.3 million. And budget | officer Newton F. Butts saw I no decrease in the growing I proportion schools will demand 1 of the tax dollar. “It will rise,” he predicted. Standout feature of the pend ing budget was restoration of more than $8 million in school funds slashed from the budget by ex-county manager Melvin L. Reese, new city manager of Miami. Reese left March 18 after de livering a recommended $75.7 million budget which did not call for a tax Increase. But only Tuesday, Councilwoman Stella B. Werner commented, “The whole budget was very poorly prepared by the county man ager ... it wasn’t a very cor rect analysis of school board construction needs.” At the same time, the pend ing tax levy will depend largely on the give and take of Mrs. Werner and Councilman David L. Cahoon.. Mrs. Werner said Tuesday she would go along with a tax Increase of two cents to finance a “pay as you go” school construction pro gram. Cahoon, however, held out strongly for a four-cent increase on the basis that It Is sounder to make a larger down payment for borrowed school construc tion money than to Inhibit tha county’s future borrowing capar city with tax-money down pay ments of lesser amounts. A one-cent hike in the tax rate is almost a certainty, in asmuch as the council to data has approved increases of $165,- 000 to the school operating budget. The increase is based on a one-and-a-fraction cent In crease for every $125,000 extra money approved. Major school construction in crease was a $950,000 item ear marked for new site acquisition. The school board had asked for $300,000 but this was deleted by Reese. In vo'ting in the $950,000 the council set up a revolving fund that can be supplemented as school needs grow. The council also restored sub stantial funds for construction of one high school, two junior highs and two elementary schools. Reese’s budget recom mended only limited planning and site acquisition money for the schools. The schools are Fern wood $550,000) and Hiilandale Heights ($300,000) elementaries; Holly wood ($1.7 million) and West Bethesda ($2 million) Junior highs: and Wheaton-Kensing ton ($2.7 million) high school. At the same time, the couij, ell restored $44,000 in the budg et for planning a new junior college in the Rockville area and $16,000 to air-condition the Montgomery Junior College li brary. The council also voted unani mously to add $475 000 to a pro posed $1 million Item for school furniture and equipment re placement and repair. A controversial Item of $lB,- 000 to finance salaries of 0$ teachers during summer vaca tion months also was reinstated In the budget. It was hailed as the first step toward establish ing the school board’s so-called 12-month school year. On the non-school side of the ledger, the council voted to in clude $240,000 In the county's operating budget to take care ot increment salary raises for merit and other employes. ft