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An Independent Newspaper
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Challenge For The Future
The tumultuous events which began last Friday with
the sharp crack of a rifle bullet fired by a madman in
Dallas have left the nation reeling. Rarely in our 187-year
old history have our people been so stunned, so shocked, so
bewildered.
We can say little here that will add much of value to
the outpouring of feeling that has been expressed over this
past weekend which saw the nation plunged into such deep
gloom.
The great grief was not, of course, because John Fitz
gerald Kennedy was irreplaceable as a leader or that the
welfare of our society or our safety depended on one man.
It was not because the nation—to a man—revered him,
supported all of his policies, depended on him solely for
guidance or comfort in these troubled times.
It was because we do revere the office of the Presi
dency and believe deeply that its dignity must never be
sullied. It was because a nation of fathers and mothers and
children looked with horror on the spectacle of a vibrant
young wife and two children being suddenly and senselessly
deprived of their husband and father. It was because a
skillful, dedicated man and great leader to whom we had
given our highest office of trust, and one who enjoyed the
respect and admiration of the free world, was suddenly
deprived of life when he was in the prime of it. It was be
cause each of us felt we must share some of the blame
and so we did and we then felt unclean and ashamed of this
vile agt.
There were many believers in the beliefs of John Fitz
gerald Kennedy. His sincere, productive efforts on behalf
of peace and his dedication to long overdue implementation
of the philosophy on which our nation is predicated—that
all men are created equal—must not now lag. He has
hurled the torch to us, the living, and we must not fail.
This, as we now return to our normal pursuits after a
period of national mourning, is our challenge for the future.
Those who believed what President Kennedy believed must
now carry on even more aggressively. Otherwise he will
have died in vain.
Community Concert Season
Is Off to ‘Superb’ Start
By Ruth Lamm
A superb concert by the
Schola Cantorum of New York
last Wednesday provided a most
auspicious opening to the cur
rent season of musical events
presented by the Montgomery
County Community Concert As
sociation at the Rockville Civic
Auditorium. Under the direction
of Hugh Ross, this renowned
vocal company performed a re
markably varied and interest
ing program, marked through
out by consummate musical
technique and interpretation.
The program began with
"Solomon’s Invocation to
Music," from the Handel ora
torio, "Solomon.” In this episode
of five choruses, Solomon calls
upon his musicians to entertain
the Queen of Sheba with the
whole gamut of musical expres
sion. Thus, immediately, the
Schola had opportunity to give
evidence of its powers of versa
tility, adapting its tone colors
and moods with infinite care to
suit the textual and musical
demands.
The impeccable, unflagging
rythmic stability of Conductor
Hugh Ross’ beat, first observed
In the Handel group, carried
through to the conclusion of the
concert, thereby imparting to
the entire program a tone of
highly polished precision.
Following the Handel came a
varied group of four sixteenth
century madrigals, each of a
different nationality. Once
again, contrasting moods were
well etched. “Chant des Ois
eaux” by the French composer
Jannequin was a highly amus
ing “sound-effects” work involv
ing bird-call imitation. "Solo e
Pensoso” by the Italian Maren
zio projected somber desolation.
Next came a vigorous German
drinking song by Orlandus Las
sus; and lastly, the English Mor
ley's light and gay "The
Nymphs in Green Arraying.”
Concluding the first half of
the program were three diverse
works from the operatic stage;
a nostalgic ballad from Puc
cini’s “The Girl of the Golden
West,” the tender “Children's
Prayer” from Humperdinck's
Center For Retarded
Moving To Rockville
The Pine Hill Center, an or
ganization which rehabilitates
mentally retarded children,
moves this week to new facili
ties just north of Rockville, in
Derwood.
A public reception will be held
the Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m.,
and Interested parents, commu
nity officials and local profes
sional people are invited to visit
the school and meet the Pine
Hill staff.
Dr. F. Joseph McGrane, direc
tor, has noted that the new fa
cilities will permit an increase
in tile school enrollment as well
as expansion of the analysis and
research department
Wednesday, November 27, 1963
“Hansel and Gretel,” and, as a
crowd-pleasing finale to the
group, the rousing Opening
Chorus to Act IV of Bizet’s “Car
men.”
Works of the twentieth cen
tury predominated In the latter
portion of the concert. For this
reviewer, the high point of the
entire evening was the perform
ance of a delightful scenic can
tata entitled “Alcottiana.” Free
ly based on the transcendents
list philosopher Bronson Alcott’s
“Conversations with Children
on the Gospels,” the text of this
work center around what po
tentially could be a most deadly
dull subject: namely, the Im
morality of fishing. In the hands
of composer Andre Singer, the
effect Is completely charming.
The addition of costumes and
some stage action enhanced the
total effect.
Other works on the program
Included two Yugoslav songs,
Carl Orff’s “Laudes Creatura
rum,” and selections from the
recent Leonard Bernstein opera
musical, “Candide.”
Responding to the enthusiastic
capacity audience. Conductor
Ross led the Schola Cantorum
In four encores: a Scarlatti “Al
leluia,” Offenbach’s “Neigh
bors’ Chorus,” and two gypsy
songs of Brahms.
The next Community Concert
will be January 16 and will fea
ture Doris Yarlck, soprano.
County Concert Calendar
Thursday, December 5, 8:30
p.m. National Symphony opens
Montgomery County series.
Howard Mitchell, conductor,
Byron Janis, solo pianist. Rich
ard Montgomery High School,
Rockville.
Sunday, December 8, 5 p.m.
First concert of new Kensing
ton-Wheaton Symphony. John
Stephens, conductor. Albert Ein
stein High School, Kensington.
Tuesday, December 10, 8:30
p.m., and Saturday, December
14, 8:30 p.m. The Oratorio So
ciety of Montgomery County.
Hugh R. Hayward, conductor.
Cedar Lane Unitarian Church,
Bethesda. “The Nativity accord
ing to St. Luke” by Randall
Thompson.
In conjunction with the Cen
ter’s child care program, the
school expects to initiate one or
more training programs for
semi-professional personnel.
The new facilities. Dr. Me-
Grane added, will therefore pro
vide a dual service to the com
munity. It will provide an ad
ditional school for handicapped
children and will also provide
a training center for semi-pro
fessionals or assistants in the
mental retardation field.
The staff consists of special
ists in clinical psychology,
speech therapy, teachei-s, phys
ical therapists, occupational
therapists and medical assist
ants.
• - SWWWR -•• ■ •♦.<-: waß
• County Joins U.S. In Mourning Loss
(Continued from Page One)
address systems, to inform a
rapidly-thinning supply of cus
tomers who headed for home
and radio and television as soon
as they could get through check
out counters.
For almost two hours after
the shooting during the nor
mally busy Friday afternoon,
grocery stores were virtually
empty.
Although business picked up
Friday night and Saturday, the
manager of the Gaithersburg
Safeway store characterized it
as the “rush in and rush out”
type.
“People came in only for what
they absolutely had to buy,”
another manager said. “Then
they would hurry home to their
TV sets.”
Two hundred and ninety pat
rons were at Thompson's Sea
food Restaurant, Eethesda, for
their noon meal when the news
broke. Someone turned up the
radio and a crowd gathered
around it.
“They let their food get cold
and many left without eating,”
the proprietor, Bish Thompson
reported.
He also said he cancelled
three reservations for large par
ties that night. Food had
already been prepared for 315
persons.
Head Captain Stefan at Nor
mandy Farms Restaurant, Poto
mac, told a reporter: "The place
became like a morgue and peo
ple started weeping.”
Chairman Ann Brown of the
county’s Democratic State Cen
tral Committee sent the follow
ing telegram to Mrs. Kennedy
and to President Johnson:
“Words cannot express our
sorrow at the assassination of
our beloved President. We pray
for comfort of his family. We
hope that the nation will emerge
from this shock with a deter
mination to fulfill the programs
to which he dedicated his life
so that all men might share
equally the fundamental bene
fits of being an American.
“We pledge renewed efforts
in this behalf. We must make
certain that the martyrdom of
Attend Institute
Phyllis Cooper, a physical
education instructor at Gaith
ersburg Junior High School,
and Emma R. Wright, a teacher
at Broome Junior High School
have recently returned from a
National Institute on Girls
Sports in Norman, Okla.
iNfenen
fwiJsSfittal
Established 18SS
by Matthew Fields
Published by
MORKAP PUBLISHING CO.
ROGER B FARQUHAR
Editor
LEONARD KAPUOFF
Publisher
BERNARD KAPILOFF
President
MICHAEL R. McDADE
Circulation Manager
CARLTON DESROSIER
Advertising Manager
Member Audit Bureau of Circulation,
Maryland Press Association, Afflliat*
Member National Editorial AsaoclaUon.
Published every Thursday at JgS E.
Montgomery Ave . Rockville. Md.
Entered as second class matter at
Post Office. Rockville. Maryland, under
Act of Congress. March 3. 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION RA TES
One Year 84.50 Two Years $7.50
Telephone: (.Aider 4 7700
Mailed in Maryland and the
District of Columbia
owe tear M s* eat *4 Mass
this great man will not have
been in vain.”
Flags were immediately flown
at half staff.
At least one countlan, a Whea
ton resident, who had never
been moved to buy a flag and
display it on patriotic occasions
hurried out and bought one and
hung it in front of his home.
Many county residents who
had met the then Sen. John F.
Kennedy when he was cam
paigning here in the 1960 pri
mary for Maryland’s Democratic
convention votes recalled their
experiences.
Kennedy toured local offices
and conducted a whirlwind
handshaking tour of Rockville
in May of 1960. And in Decem
ber of 1959 before he
announced his candidacy he
dined with 650 Democrats at
Indian Spring Country Club.
He said at that meeting that
the major issue facing the
nation in 1960 was the “relative
decline” of this nation’s leader
ship in the world.”
A 15-year-old Rockville boy,
Charles A. Childers, a ninth
grade student at West Rock
ville Junior High, brought a
• President's Casket Brought Here
(Continued from Page One)
Then the throng surged toward the ambulance,
some running, some stumbling, but all stopping a res
pectful distance away. Hats were doffed, sobs were
heard. The air was heavy. Small children were held
shoulder high by some parents so they could see.
Then the ambulance, apparently after receiving
instructions, moved to the rear of the hospital where
reporters, photographers and the public were barred.
Only personnel busily at work in the hospital
kitchen were able to see the lifting of the casket from
the ambulance and the escorting of it to the hospital
morgue by the honor guard that had arrived by heli
copter.
The crowd then departed quietly.
I Letters to Editor |
Teacher Speaks
As a teacher, I am dismayed
at the attack on the schools
by the newly-elected majority
fnembers evidenced at the No
vember 18th school hoard
meeting.
The ungraded school, along
with other research programs,
professional growth of teach
ers, curriculums developed by
teachers and administrators
working together, and freedom
to use a variety of methods
and textbooks, are not ideas
that have been foisted on us
by a dictatorial administra
tion. They have been a direct
outgrowth of the search teach
ers continually make for im
provement of education in this
country. Elementary teachers,
in particular, have been watch
ing the ungraded school with
great interest and wishing it
well. It holds the promise of a
better system which to teach
individuals. As teachers, we
know that regardless of how
children are taught, they learn
as individuals. Master teach
ers are those who work to
meet individual needs in the
development of skills and in
the building of understand
ings.
Monday night I watched a
spectacle brought about by a
school board member who had
worked undercover to under
mine one of his schools. This
dubious kind of action may be
the prerogative of a school
board member, as a fellow ma
jority member asserted, but
it is demoralizing to the school
staff and destructive to the
( poem into the Sentinel office.
"I just had to do something,”
! he explained.
The poem told how the Presi
-I,'
’ If
gp.
V% MM
H JB
Charles A. Childers
He Wrote A Poem . . .
dent “fought for peace and
freedom all his life until that
terrible day in Dallas when
someone took his life.”
interests of the community.
Although I am not a member
of the Rosemary Hills faculty,
I stand with them, as does
every elementary teacher
with whom I have talked.
Many of them have openly
voiced their sentiments. Empty
words of praise for teachers
do not change the fact that
programs for which we have
worked and in which we be
lieve are under attack.
I am thankful that there are
members of the board who feel
that they have some responsi
bility to the professionally
trained teachers and adminis
trators who have chosen the
life of serving children.
Parent
Teacher
Taxpayer
Voter
Pressure Groups
I recently subscribed to your
newspaper and read last week
the editorial in which you ex
press the view that county
groups should feel under no
obligation to submit member
ship lists to the County Coun
cil before expressing their
views to the Council.
It is true, indeed, that citi
zens have a right to express
their wishes to their govern
ment without submitting to a
cross examination or produc
ing identification papers or
submitting membership lists,
but please remember that a
“group” is not a citizen and
cannot preempt the rights of
a citizen.
It is true, indeed, that any
one has the right to organize
Welsh Rare Bit
Pass Along, Stranger
by Barney Welsh
Stranger, pass from this place. It is
where assassins dwell and roam at large. You
are not safe here.
Stranger, avert your eyes or else shed
tears. It is here that treachery shot down our
hope. It was just past high noon in this south
western city when our land was struck a mor
tal blow. You must not look. Or else you will
see the bright red blood from New England
spill upon Texas soil.
Do not look stranger, lest you see his fine
head fall into the lap of his once happy wife;
and then watch her cover his body with hers
as the car breaks ranks and speeds to a futile
sanctuary.
Watch no longer stranger, lest you see the
eagle fall from the cloudless November sky,
a prey to carrion bird:, who we have nourished
on seeds of hate.
Oh, stranger, turn your back upon that
Infamous day for if you do not, you will see
the widow take from her finger a wedding
band and place it in the hand of her dead
husband.
One would think that this was all; that
murder could kill no more and that reason
would rule again. But, stranger, you reckon
From This Angle
The Price of Extremism
by Les Kimble
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected
President of the United States by the people
of the United States in accordance with pres
cribed procedures. He was not the President
of the Democrats or the President of the Re
publicans. He was the President of all
Americans.
One man, or one man representing the
feeling of a group, didn’t like the President
of the United States, my President and yours,
so he cut him down with a high-powered rifle.
This assassin was not satisfied with the single
ballot that our political system gave to him so
he overthrew our President with a bullet.
At this writing the prime suspect is
reported to be a former defector to the Com
munists and a member of some organization
purporting to be a friend of Cuba. The type
of extremism that was embraced by this mur
derer is only one of many that might be
embraced. The Important point for Americans
to remember is that this despicable act is
the ultimate result of extremism.
Extremists don’t ask questions and seek
answers. They have answers handed down
to them in accord with some party line. Most
of them sound like parrots when they speak
on almost any issue. They work on the emo
tions, not the minds of their listeners. They
impugn the integrity, the loyality, and the
motives of their opponents. They spit venom
and bile.
IVa* there something that I could have
done or that other Americans could have done
to prevent this terrible tragedy. I don’t know.
I do believe that unless Americans find some
County Line
Meeting With Kennedy
by Roger B. Farquhar
Some things, of course, you never forget.
They are etched deep in your memory. All of
us in my generation remember well the tre
mendous Impact of Lindbergh’s flight, the
abdication of Edward VIII for “the woman he
loved,” Roosevelt’s “We-have-nothing-to-fear
but-fear-itself inaugural speech, Neville Cham
berlain’s assertion that he had negotiated
“peace In our time.” the bombing of Pearl
Harbor, Churchill’s “finest hour” speech, the
explosion at Hiroshima, FDR’s death and the
end of World War 11.
To this list we all now add President
Kennedy’s assassination. But the latest addi
tion is a special one for me.
On March 14 of this year I was invited
—along with 21 other Maryland and Delaware
editors and publishers—to a luncheon with
President Kennedy In the White House.
We were all punctual, of course, and were
chatting with Pierre Salinger in an Informal
reception room a few minutes after 1 p.m.
when the President strode in, smiling broadly.
He immediately shook hands firmly with all
of us, making sure that no one was overlooked
in the irregular grouping.
None of us, of course, said anything when
that ritual was over so he broke the ice by
saying perhaps we would be interested in
learning about the portraits of former national
figures that were on the walls. All, of course,
were originals for which the subjects had sat
- several Presidents and Alexander Hamilton
and Benjamin Franklin among others. Presi
dent Kennedy said he believed the one of
Woodrow Wilson, painted by Sir William
Orphen, was the finest ever painted of the
World War I President.
He then took us Into the Blue Room where
he continued for about five minutes his ex
planation of historical paintings and pieces of
furniture. One could sense clearly his keen
a group, or as many groups
as he can manage to organize,
and then proceed to present
his wishes to the Council as
many times as he can do so.
However, in these days of pro
liferating pressure groups, It
is not practicable for any
councilman to inform himself
on the makeup of each and
everyone. It is not unreason
able to expect these groups to
identify themselves. In fact,
it is the only way to determine
how many times one indivi
without consideration of the City Constab
ulary who were charged with protecting the
visitor within their walls; and the visitor’s
murderer.
Oh, look no more, stranger. Lest you see
the murderer brought down a corridor swarm
ing with people, all anxious to get their faces
in the national pictures. Do not ask stranger,
how it came to pass that an armed pimp and
panderer, known as such to the constabulary,
gained access into this corridor and how he
murdered the murderer? Just pass it off,
stranger.
And now, watch and feel the mourning na
tion. Do not raise your eyes and ask where
God was, and why He did not stay the as
sassin's bullet. It was not God’s crime.
No, stranger, the crime is ours. All of us
are responsible for the world in which we live.
One man’s hatred can be another man’s death.
No man lives alone in this world. We are dim
ly realizing that a pebble dropped in the Tiber
River causes waves in the Indian Ocean.
So pass along, stranger, and let us grieve
and look into our souls and try to cultivate
our nature’s better part.
way to curb this extremism, from what over
direction it conies, such events will happen
again.
I saw pictures on television of the assault
on Ambassador Stevenson in Dallas when he
was spat upon and attacked with a placard.
There were grins on one or two faces In the
crowd. There were no grins when our Presi
dent was gunned down. The difference in the
two assaults was one degree. The hate in the
hearts of the attackers was probably quite
similar.
All of us as American citizens can help
create an atmosphere that is not conducive to
extremism. We can ask questions. We can try
to understand issues and problems discussion.
We can turn to the Constitution, to the
Supreme Court decisions, and to the words of
responsible American leaders for help in un
derstanding the issues and problems. We can
insist that those who speak on this issue or
that do it in a reasonable way, not by mouth
ing slogans, by base accusations which can
not be proved, or by vicious personal attacks
on some responsible citizens or public official.
Those who would do honor to our slain
President might start by following his
example. The speech President Kennedy was
about to give is a good example of how to
fight extremists. This speech dealt in facts
and figures, not in slogans and sly innuendoes.
If we concern ourselves with facts and figures,
we will come to a better understanding of the
issues and the problems our nation faces. We
will also eliminate much hate for hate does
not feed on facts and figures.
interest in history. Then, like any host, he
asked if we would care to have lunch and
he led the way into the nearby State Dining
Room.
An ornate table setting had been arranged,
and elaborately engraved place cards had been
placed. The President sat midway in the large
oval table. Behind him in the place of honor
on the west wall over a fireplace was a large
oil portrait of Lincoln. t
For almost 90 minutes I observed th*
President from only a few feet away. He
talked principally, as we all ate. with the
publisher of the Baltimore News’ Post who
was seated on his left. He ate i lightly and
quickly and smoked a cigar with* obvious en
joyment. T
I noticed that he used the saucer of his
demitasse as an ash tray and he declined to
use the little tongs for sugar cubes, preferring
to pick up a sugar cube with his fingers in
stead. I liked him better for both of these
acts.
He outlined to us for about 20 minutes
his views on national and international affairs,
arguing strongly for a tax cut to boost the
economy, pointing with pride to his adminis
tration's achievements in Cuba, West Berlin
and Laos. To my question on how greater
emphasis could be placed on efforts for peace,
he cited some of the complexities of negotiat
ing with the communists but said he agreed
fervently that there is such a need. i
He stated at the outset he wanted our
views and we became convinced as the lunch
eon progressed that he was sincere. He lis
tened intently and patiently as each editor
made statements and propounded questions.
We all left with the feeling that here was
a man of deep conviction and great sincerity.
Little did we know then what additional im
pact the luncheon would have much later on
our minds and our hearts.
dual is represented. A true
regard for the “democratic
process”, would require that
one person be entitled to one
voice only, just as he is en
titled to one vote only.
I have been annoyed for
years by the presentations of
the County Council of PTA’s,
knowing that its policies are
created by representatives
from the local PTA's who are
appointed, not elected, in most,
if not all, instances. In mv ex
perience, local PTA's do not
” wf
keep membership rosters.
They do not need to, merely
circularizing the whole school.
Local membership, I believe,
has fallen off in recent years,
due to political involvement
of the PTA leadership. Time
was when many local schools
boasted more than 100% mem
bership lists. If it can, then its
voice should far outweigh that
of a group of five—say—per
sons who have an axe to grind.
Mrs. A. Melville Cox
Kensington