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READERS . . . Look for the Sentinel every Tues day and Thursday. lOitfc Y##r -' ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND —'THURSDAY. MARCH 2. 1941 14 PAOIS Ard# 4-7700 Th CtMt • Copy Roc>. * refers City Hall Decision Councilman Frank Ecker’s Absence Prompts City Fathers to Postpone Action A Rockville City Council vote on approval of new plans for construction of a city hall was deferred Monday night due to the absence of a councilman who has figured in controversy over the design of the structure. The council agreed to delay | final action because of the ill ness of Councilman Frank Ecker, among those who ex pressed dissatisfaction with a City Hall plan since rejected by the council. The deferral was approved on the motion of Councilman Achilles Tuchtan after a brief discussion of the project. In contrast to the overflow audience that appeared at a pub lic hearing on the original plans, only a handful of spectators was on hand for Monday night’s discussion of the revised modern design. The spokesmen were about equally divided on the plan, although City Man ager Walter A. Schieber report ed comments received at the City Hall have been heavily in favor of the new proposal. Mayor Alexander J. Greene said the city is seeking to erect a municipal building that would provide “something unique to at tract people to a focal point in Rockville.” In response • to questions about modern buildings in the midst o f Rockville’s older structures, Greene said "stand ardization of design in the com munity has not been the prac tice in Rockville.” He conceded, however, that all members of the council did not share his views with respect to modern design. During the discussion it was brought out that recent ac quisition of land by the city will permit construction of the building at the comer of Vinson and Perry sts., considerably re moved from N. Washington st. Cost of the entire project, in cluding the additional land, will be within the $350,000 allocated by the Council. Wheaton Park Land Purchase Hearing is Set The Montgomery County Council has scheduled a public hearing for 2 p.m. on March 28 on a proposal calling for the county’s purchase of the final tract required for development of the Wheaton Regional Park. The property includes four j parcels of land owned by Mrs. Mary A. Skinner at Areola in j Wheaton, totaling slightly more than two acres. If its acquisi tion is approved, it will bring the total area encompassed by the regional park to 496 acres. Negotiations for the purchase already have been completed, but a public hearing is required by existing law according to county officials. Proposed pur chase price for the land is $19,250. Judge Renews Plea For Juvenile Facility Judge Alfred D. Noyes, of Montgomeiy County’s Ju venile Court, last week renewed his plea for establishment of a separate detention facility for juvenile offenders. Judge Noyes asked the county’s Juvenile Court Com mittee to support his request that a modern facilitv be provided “as soon as possible” as a means of eliminating the practice of jailing children pend ing disposition of their cases. An average of about 230 boys and girts between the ages of 12 and 17 are held in jail each year for brief periods because of the lack of a detention home, Judge Noyes said. These are ‘‘behavior problem children” who cannot be released until some provision can be made for their supervision, he said. In addition to the juvenile de tention quarters, Judge Noyes said, the court needs an ade quate facility for dependent and neglected children. Although the county now uses foster homes to some extent for this BMnarn €mk Srotinrl Area Students Appear On TV Panel Sunday Four students from Rich ard Montgomery High School In Rockville have been select ed to appear on the weekly television panel program, “Youth Wants to Know,” on WTOP-TV, Channel 9, on Sun day at 12:30 p.m. The group includes Mary and Margaret Nelsen, twin sis ters, and Victor Smith and Brian Lane. All are seniors. Council Opposes Race Bias The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday reaf firmed its established policy against discrimination, on grounds of race, religion or national origin, in the employ ment 6r promotion of govern mental employes. The action was taken at the | request of the council’s Com mission on Human Relations, which asked for a restatement of policy "to dispel any belief now existing that the county government discriminates in its employment practices.” At the same time, the board rejected a suggestion that it change its personnel regulations “to reflect the above policy” on the ground that the rules con tain nothing that would indi cate discrimination is a govern mental practice. Alfred H. Carter, county at torney. told the council that the personnel regulations, as writ ten, "do not reflect any differ ent policy than that expressed In the commission’s resolution.” The regulations, he added, mere ly states that qualified persons shall be employed or promoted, with no reference to racial, Re ligious or national origin. The suggestion that the per sonnel rules be changed was in ; corporated in a resolution from I the human relations commission requesting that the council re affirm its policy. f The commission said it has conferred with the county man ager, the county health officer, the personnel assistant and a representative of the police di -1 vision, and had been informed | that discrimination does not ! exist with respect to employ -1 ment or promotion. Neverthe i less, it expressed a “desire” that ' the council reaffirm its “known policy.” The resolution called on coun ty officials to recommend for service or promotion “persons who are considered qualified without regard to race, religion or belief,” and urged that de partment heads disqualify no one seeking employment or pro motion on the same grounds. o*, uuu a iiiuunii laumiy uc purpose, he explained, private homes are not always suitable. The jurist said he frequently is forced to commit adolescents , to correctional institutions be cause of the unavailability of foster home facilities in the county. He suggested establishment of a “half-way house” with a ca pacity of about 10 beds for the care of teenage children who need to be housed "in a home like environment.” The chil dren, he said, could attend school or work while living in 1 the home under the court’s su |; pervision. Judge Noyes also recommerd ■ ed additional psychiatric help i for disturbed children. ■r- ' .. . t. '■ i inanfin f joiwm ( t■ SK*. I 1 L. ;. JIK 4 Ifl I I <rag IHk ) Jglg Wm\ iUMI '"A J ixil j JK - . . WMK a M Jjjm 9 - m mH V wSUntl Hk * l | ■■rv/ m. " l \ 5V v k?\ I w'm 1 I V \ |h TH 11 1 it j Jr M m SYMPHONY SUBSCRIBER Dr. Howard Mitchell, director of the National Symphony, left, pins carnation in lapel of Rockville Mayor Alexander J. Greene in appreciation of his renewal of his subscription for the new Montgomery County series of the sym Leading Architectural Concern To Design County’s Arts Center The prominent architectural firm of Keyes, Lethbridge and Condon has been engaged to prepare plans for the proposed permanent home of the Mont gomery County Arts Center, to be built, at a cost of more than one million dollars. Pietro Belluschi, dean of the school of architecture of the Massachusetts Institute of Tech nology, will serve as consultant to the project. The announcement was made by Frederick Gutheim, president of the Montgomery County Arts Center board of trustees. He is president of the Washington Center for Metropolitan Stud Democrats to Seek Clarification Of County’s Anti-Bias Authority Democratic precinct chair men of Montgomery County agreed Tuesday night to seek clarification of the County Council's authority to enact laws affecting racial segrega tion in privately owned business places. The decision emerged from a meeting in the County Audito rium which had been expected to bring a heated showdown on a controversial bill to ban dis crimination in places of public accommodation. However, It was learned during the session that the measure had been voted down earlier by the House Judiciary Committee in Annapolis. Before the news of the com mittee's action was received, the group did vote 45 to 25 In favor of a “State law designed to insure non-discrimination in places of public accommoda * IHPW I ” ■ ' ■. '*■ K ' ••:> i rfl rL I %w' I*’ 1 *’ Oh _ _ y*<R||k & A.-. yJLJi A w' 4t,., m READY FOR ACTION Montgomery Coun ty Democratic officials are pictured as they prepared the agenda for Tuesday night’s meeting of precinct chairmen in the County Auditorium at Rockville. From left are phony. Mrs. Hugo Esklldson, chairman for the current cdunty series, looks on. Carna tions were given to all pafrons who re newed their symphony subscriptions prior to the performance of the orchestra at Richard Montgomery High School. ies. a writer, and planning con-' sultant. Carl M. Freeman, vice presi dent of the Arts Center and chairman of its architect selec tion committee, said the build ing will cost a million plus. How much plus depends on the de*d sires df the people of the coun ty.” Freeman is president of Carl M. Freeman Associates of Sil ver Spring, Md. Design and plans for the building will be in response to the needs of the County’s per forming and exhibiting arts groups and their audiences. Ar-! thur Keyes, partner in the arch itectural firm, said. tion.” The vote was tallied on a show of hands and a subse quent request for a roll call vote was rejected by a mar gin of 36 to 20. Delegates to the session then voted 60 to 8 to ask authority to enact local anti-bias legisla tion. The meeting brought a re versal of the position of Assist • ant State's Attorney James S. McAuliffe, jr„ heretofore an ar dent opponent of the public ac t commodations bill, who voted in | favor of the measure when it : came before the precinct lead- McAuliife said he had con ducted a poll of residents of his precinct at his own expense, re sulting in a vote of 180 to 165 in favor of the anti-bias proposal. During discussion of the bill Frank Ketchum, of Potomac, called for support of the meas ure and urged party officials to Ray Murphy, Mrs. Margaret Carpenter, War ren Browning (chairman for the meeting ), Democratic State Committee Chairman Ward W. Caddington, William B. Wheeler and Mrs. Alice Hostetler. ' A < A Century of Service Keyes praised “the people centered approach of the organ izer.. and supporters of this movement who have spent more than two years finding out what the performers, artists, hobbyists, and audiences in the coimty need.” “This is an exciting project for us.” he said. The research process has only started. Mrs. George Barshay, executive vice president of the Arts Center, said. “In the next year or more we are going to sit down with thou sands of potential users. Their ideas will plan this center, with the guidance of the architect i and our consultant," she said. "treat human beings like hu man beings.” The State bill to lower racial barriers in places of public ac commodation was sponsored by four of Montgomery County's six delegates to the General As sembly, Mrs. Edna Cooke, Mrs. Margaret Schweinhaut, Blair Lee, 111, and J. Grahame Walk er. Delegates Alger Y. Barbee and Charles W. Woodward op posed the measure and Barbee, in speaking against It at Annap olis, requested that Montgom ery County be excluded from its provisions in the event of ap proval by the Assembly. On Tuesday Barbee withdrew his request for local exemption, but a short time later he voted against the bill as a member of the Judiciary Committee. Woodward, also a member of the committee, joined Barbee and other members in the vote to kill the proposal. School Program To Require 38 Cent Tax Boost Kensington Plans New Town Election The Kensington Town Council is investigating legal means of instituting a special election to determine who is the “real” mayor of the municipality. The body agreed to look into the possibility of a new election Monday night after former Mayor Richard F. Mehrlng re-assumed the office on the strength of a Montgom ery County Circuit Court ruling that ousted -his elected succes sor, A. Victor Gentilini, on a technicality. Gentilini. who defeated Mayor Mehring in the town election last June, was disqualified be ; cause lie failed to appear before i the clerk of the Circuit Court to be sworn in within 30 days af ter the election. At Monday night’s meeting. Mehring pre ! sided over the council for the first time since the court order. The interim mayor—Gentilini : —appeared at the meeting and demanded Mehring’s resigna -1 tion “if he really is interested in realizing the wishes of the peo ple.” His suggestion was greet -ed by applause from the aud ience, but Mehring made no re ply. However, the council did pro pose tliat a special election be held on April 10 to settle the j mayoralty Issue, but declined to Recreation Board Wants Public Swimming Pool The Montgomery County Recreation Board has re quested the County Council to include in its 1961-62 budget funds for a public* swimming pool. At the present time, the county does not have a public pool. And since Glen Echo’s large pool was declared off limits to the Recreation Depart ment last summer because man agement excludes negroes, there Is none available. The Recreation Board is ask ing the County to construct a large pool that would be avail able to all and operated by the Recreation Department. This matter was referred to County Manager. Mason A. Butcher for study and recom mendation. The Council also asked Butch er to get details on President Kennedy’s proposal for a 50-per cent cut in school funds for “Federally impacted” areas. Weights and Measures Get Close Check National Weights and Meas ures Week, being observed March 1-7, pays tribute to local officials responsible for enforc ing weights and measures regu lations, in the case of Montgom ery County, a section in the De partment of Inspection and Li censes. * Weights and Measures inspec tons check all scales, fuel oil trucks, bulk meters, gasoline pumps, pre-package meats and foods and other items. They also check collection of cigarette; taxes. Taxi meters are tested; and sealed by the same inspec-; tors. This office conducted 30,760 inspections In 1960, 6,793 more than in 1959. The national observance marks the enactment of the first weights and measures law by Congress March 2, 1799. President John Adams signed the bill. Inspection and Licenses Di rector E. W. Bucklin pointed out that “few measures have had the Impact on the dally lives of Americans as the weight* and measure* laws. > • ..I..i■— • set a fixed date pending deter ; mination of the legal steps nec . essary to set up the election machinery. During the three-hour session at the Kensington Elementary School, Mayor Mehring said he 1 intended to have council mem | bers take their oaths of office again to “just to make sure ev ' erything is proper." Two of the ’ councilmen, Charles M. Hersh and Courtland Townsend, who ' were elected on a ticket with Gentilini, were sworn in by Gen tilini at a time when, according I to the court ruling, he was not qualified for the office. The court ruled, nevertheless, that Hersh and Townsend were legally installed because Genti lini was acting as a mayor "de j facto." J. Henry Murdock, counsel to the town, told the council that all action taken by Gentilini ■, during his term of office waa (I legal, even though he was later i disqualified by the court. Baughman Appoints Two Key Chairmen Two key appointments to the 1961 Montgomery County Can cer Crusade Committee were an nounced today by Wilbur N. Baughman, crusade chairman. Mrs. Rhoda Berne of 9412 Corsica dr., Bethesda, was named chairman of the Resi dential Unit for the annual fund drive and Donald Lamborne. of Olney, was appointed Special Events Committee chairman. The once a year drive to pro vide funds for Cancer research and local assistance to cancer patients is held during the month of April. George Warner Chosen GOP State Treasurer D. Eldred Rinehart, Chair man of the Republican State Central Committee of Mary land, has appointed George C. Warner, Jr„ as chairman of the State Finance Committee. War ner has served as co-chairman of the State Finance Committee from 1954-1958 with Charles Masson and as Vice-chairman of the 6th congressional district finance committee under Rob ert O. Bonnell. He replaces Mr. Bonnell who has recently re signed as chairman. Warner stated that he plans close liaison with the county Central Committees and will ap point to the state finance com mittee the finance chairmen of each county. "An expanded fi nancial program is vital for the election of state-wide candidates in 1962. The exchange of ideas between the county chairmen will also encourage a growth in the local county finance pro grams.” Ha continued, “I plan WANT TO SELL? . . ♦ Use a Sentinel Classified Ad. Call GA. A-7700. I Estimate Based j On Budget Hike Of $5 Million ■ '"J Montgomery County’s iiro posed new school operating budget, as finally approved by the Board of Education, would require an increase in the county tax rate of about 38 cents on the SIOO evaluation. This estimate came from Newton D. Butts, county budget officer, who based his figures on a Board of Education report that tlie school budget would necessitate an increase next year of five million dollars in funds provided through local taxation. The operating budget ap pi'oved hy the board amounts to $15,619,718, according to figures released by school officials Mon day night. However, only s2B,* 525,034 of the sum would come from county tax sources, as compared to a local contribution of $23,600,000 for the current I year. i Budget Now $39 Million The total budget for the cur rent year, including State and federal contributions, self-sup porting funds and other revenue not derived from local sources, is $39,042,162. . |§ I In arriving at the new figure of $45.6 million, the school /n board effected a reduction, *L Ml $837,694 from th# $48.4 mtlUon JM request of Dr. C. Taylor Whit tier, superintendent of schools. Actually, the board reduced Dr. Whittier’s requested total by $1,218,378, but it provided for additions of its own amounting Sk to some $374,000. Harold F. Breimyer, school J|] board president, told reporters f , fl Monday night the board ef- aJB fected major reductions by cut ting back proposed increases In ftJ administrative salaries, reduc- J*|g irig the number of personnel en- J h \ gaged in the summer workshop I j j program, cutting down on the I proposed increase of library as- I sistants and eliminating funds j for supplies and custodial n- | ployes at the new West I Bethesda High School, which / j will not be ready for occupancy / in the coming budget year. j Some Expenses Added J However, the board went bej 1 yond Dr. Whittier’s recommeiv J dations in authorizing addition- | ai library books for secondary i: schools and the Junior college, approving a more liberal school bus transportation policy and employment of additional key personnel. I in addition to the operating j budget, the board has approved j a capital construction budget Of s2l. i million, representing an f (Continued on Page 2) j ■ ■ uutti a_/a i J - to encourage a broader base 4 ; program In the congressional j districts Including the tested j ' and successful neighbor-to ’ neighbor program sponsored by >' the American Heritage Founda -1 tlon” > Warner is presently treasurer i r* of the Montgomery County Cette ’I t tral Committee in which capac - Ity he has served since 1946. . He has been an active fund - raiser for the Republican party since 1938 and In 1959 received a citation for his work on the ’ finance committee. Serving with Warner will be Mrs, Alvin Aubinoe who was ap ■ pointed vice-chairman of the State Finance Committee last ■ summer. She was chairman of : the successful Salute to Elsen i hower dinner In Baltimore in October and is presently serv ing as a member of the Mont gomery County Central Com -1 mittee.