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