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WASHINGTON AND VICINITY - TUESDAY, JULY 13, 1948 . S __ *--- - - ____._ School Session v -yV Set on Curricula In Montgomery Workshop to Study Changes in Courses; Parents Invited The Montgomery County Board of Education announced today it will hold a workshop for teachers, parents and professional groups next month to study curriculum changes. The session will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays throughout the month of August at the Rockville Elementary School. At the same time, Dr. Edwin W. Broome, superintendent, yesterday said that plans for night meetings to accommodate those parents un able to attend during the day will be completed soon. Those attending the workshop, plans for which were drafted last May, also will discuss methods for ~ providing a minimum arflount of student interruption in classes. Session for Principals Set. Dr. Broome told the board at its meeting today in Rockville that it ' has been decided to substitute for the social studies subject the sep arate items comprising this field, such as history, geography, civics, science and Current events. He said a workshop for principals will be held September 1, 2 and 3 at the Richard Montgomery High ; School, Rockville. Members of the teaching staff will meet September 8. 9 and 10 at their respective schools. Dr. Broome emphasized that all parents are invited to next month’s workshop. He added they also are invited to meet with thd principal and faculty of each elementary school to discuss any changes they wish in the school curriculum. Dates for the meetings at each school will be announced prior to September 8. Reports on Parents’ Meeting. Board Member James W. Gill, In reporting on last night’s meeting in Bethesda of a group of parents who advocated a "return to fundamen tals” In county public schools, said he was impressed with the sincerity of the parents. He expressed the opinion*that any parent or teacher who wants to crit icize the present school program should be able to do so without fear. He said some of the parents last night said their children might be discriminated against in school be cause of their criticism. "I believe the meeting resulted from failure of the Board of Educa tion to take all parents into its con fidence,” Mr. Gill said. "We just haven’t kept parents informed of oiir objectives and the quicker we give out accurate information and acquaint the public with our plans, the quicker this board -will be better Off." • Vi, Teachers Held Untrained. ' j . Mrs Curtis Walker, another board | member, said much of the criticism! of the present curriculum has re sulted from the failure of new teachers to receive proper training in the “new;” method of teaching. , The board received several letters indorsing present teaching methods and denying charges that the coun ty's educational system is "radical." One of the letters, signed by Mrs. Ruth G. R. Nadel, president of the Eastern Suburban Area Parent Teacher Association Study Group, made the following recommenda tion*: j . "More adequate financial support of education; elimination of over • crowding in schools; better physical facilities and improvement of teacher personnel. Other organizations Indorsing present teaching methods included . ! the Leland Junior High School PTA; the County League of Women Voters and the County Child Study Group. l&O Parents at Meeting. Mr. Gill. Mrs Walker and H. Stanley Stine, school board chair man. were bombarded for three sweltering hours by the potests of 100 parents at Bethesda last night. The parents demanded more em ' phasis on "fundamentals like read in'. ’ritin’ and 'rithmetic. and a lot , less time on rope skipping, jelly1 making and bowling lessons. They also called for the ouster of Dr. Broome as superintendent of j schools and one suggested, to heavy applause, that Mr. Stine resign from the Board of Education. The board members made little effort to reply to the criticism, say ing that they had come to listen and not to debate. Mr. Gill objected, however, to a statement by E. G. Adams. Bethesda real estate oper ator. that the people "have lost confidence and faith in Dr. Broome. Mr. Adams demanded Dr. Broome's removal. The board member said Dr. Broome is highly regarded by leading educators. The patrons discussed at length their plans to obtain 5.000 signa tures to a petition calling on the board to concentrate on basic stud ies and discontinue some of the •'newfangled” instruction. Fleaer Favors Three Rs. But James L. Fieser of Bethesda. retired executive vice president of the American Red Cross, warned the board members present not to misjudge the public's feelings. Mrs. O. W. Anderson of Gaithers burg. deploring the tendency to neglect instructions in grammar. 1 quoted Dr. Broome as telling her that "you don't need grammar.”; She also objected strongly to the distribution of a letter signed by Mr. Stine, urging citizens support: of the Board of Education's pro posed budget for 1948-9. Mrs. Anderson and Percy Greaves of Bethesda said the letter should never have been distributed through the schools. For one thing, declared Mr. Greaves, it stated that unless the school proposals were approved by the county commissioners, some services would have to be dropped. After the commissioners slashed the request *611.000, the patron said, this statement was proved to be ‘‘untrue.” "One thing we must have in our schools is honesty. The school au thorities used the pupils to dis tribute this letter, which was proved untrue.” Then, .looking directly at Chair man Stine, who signed the letter, he asserted: suggest that the persons re Resigning Greenbelt Manager Requests 'Double' Leave Pay The resignation of James T. Gob bel as town manager of Greenbelt, which becomes effective Monday, has raised the question of how many days of accumulated leave he is due. The issue arose last night at a meeting of the Town Council when Mr. Gobbel declared he was en titled to 98 days of accumulated double” leave. He read an inter pretation of a resolution passed in 1946 by the Town Council in which Town Solicitor John S. White stated the manager “very definitely" was entitled to the double leave accrued in the three years he served m the dual capacity of town man ager and community manager of Greenbelt. The 1946 resolution he referred to provided that Mr. Gobbel was en titled to 'all leave benefits given regular employes of the town. Fights 1946 Resolution. Mrs. Elizabeth Harrington, a mem ber of the council, sought unsuccess fully to have the 1946 resolution rescinded. A similar move made bv Mrs. Harrington last month was tabled and efforts to re-open the tabled motion last night failed. Former Mayor George F. Bauer asserted the 1946 resolution “was not passed properly’’ and said Town Manager Gobbel “has not acted in good faith" in claiming 98 days’ leave. Mr. Gobbel's salary is more than $6,000 annually. No town official present at the meeting last night, however, was willing to estimate how much salary Mr. Gobbel would receive during the 98 days. Special Session Called. The council decided to hold a special session at 8 p.m. Friday to determine how many days Mr. Gob bel is due. Police Chief George Pannagoulis was named acting towm manager, effective next Monday when Mr. Gobbel vacates the post. He re signed in April. He has announced he would take a similar pcsition elsewhere. The council reported that 25 candidates have applied for the vacancy. In other actions, the council ap proved wage increases of $530 a year for town employes and ac cepted for first reading a proposal to place town employes under the State retirement system. Wheat Yield Reported Close to Average in Most of Maryland The 1948 wheat yield, reported as much as 60 per cent below expecta tions on some Frederick County farms, is near average in most parts of Maryland, statisticians of the Agriculture Department said today. A miller described the Montgomery' County crop as "subnormal” because of spotted damage resulting from wind and hail storms Just before the harvest. He estimated the county crop at 85 per cent of aver age yield. D. B. Wilson, statistician for the Bureau of Agricultural Economics,' said farmers generally have been as much concerned about quality as quantity of the Wheat. The crop looks better in the field than it is proved to be on threshing, he said. He explained that in most sections the grain did not fill out well before! ripening. Mr. Wilson said the per-acre yield in Maryland this year is less than that for 1947, but approximates the 10-vear average. He commented that 1947 was an unusually good wheat year. A. R. Selby, manager of the Liberty Milling Co., Germantown, said crop losses vary, principally because of a late June storm that knocked down the wheat, speeding up ripening be fore maturity. Heaviest damage was in the Potomac River section, he said, while farms around Damascus and Laytonsville fared much better. A combination oX circumstances I was blamed for the«crop failure in Frederick, where some farmers de- j cided to grind their short crop for! feed rather than market it. Growers said some crop yields would.be as low as 40 per cent of the original estimates. Latest figures show that Maryland has 385,000 acres in w'heai this year, compared with 370,000 in 1947 and an average of 369,000 for the 10-year period. High Court Puts Off School Funds Ruling By the Associated Press RICHMOND, Va„ July 13.—The Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals convened for a 1-minute session yesterday and rose without handing down the expected opinion in the school construction funds mandamus suit. Chief Justice Edward W. Hudgins announced that the court did not have its opinions ready and would adjourn to meet again September 6 at Staunton. Before the brief session, five of the seven justices were closeted in a conference' on the school issue. This issue was a mandamus pro ceeding brought by the attorney general to force the State treasurer and controller to release retirement funds to be used by the localities for school construction purposes. Already some $5,000,000 have been committed to localities by the State Board of Education. This was done under authority of a 1946 act of the legislature which permitted retire-, ment funds to be used to purchase local school bonds through the liter ary funds. State Controller Henry G. Gilmer and State Treasurer Jesse W. Dillon declined, however, to release any of the retirement funds money until the Supreme Court passed on the constitutionality of the issue. When the court adjourned its June term and set the special meeting for today, it was generally believed by interested parties that the im portant decision would be forth coming. The adjournment without the decision, which is now expected to be handed down at Staunton, came as something of a surprise. 11 Teachers Complete Maryland U. Course Eleven Maryland vocational teach ers and extension workers complet ed a three-week course at the Uni versity of Maryland yesterday. Those attending the course includ ed John R. Gee. La Plata: Philip R. Hogue. Southern High School, Anne Arundel County: Richard N. Jones, Clarksville: William W. Miles, Da mascus: George C. Remsberg. jr., of Walkersville and Frederick; Maurice C. Ward, Poolesville: Max A. Smith, Clarksville, and John R. Williams, Gwynn Park. sponsible should present their resig nations." Arthur C. Horton of Rockville, chief engineer of the National In stitute of Cleaning and Dyeing, told the meeting that he had considered taking his children from the Mont gomery County schools and sending them to their grandmother in Vir ginia, because they cannot get the “necfssary foundation" of educa tion. particularly reading. The parents furthered their or ganization by choosing John H. Hiser, Bethesda theater owner, as chairman, and electing the follow-: ing other officers: Robert B. Parke,; vice president; Emil Pessagno. treasurer; Mrs. Frances Acton, re cording secretary, and Mrs. Duncan. Brooks, corresponding secretary. Taxi Holdup 'Gun Girl' Among Nine Convicts Paroled in Maryland By the Associated Press ANNAPOLIS, Md„ July 13.—A woman convicted as the gun girl in a series of taxicab holdups in Wash ington in 1945 is free on parole aft er serving 26 months in jail. Mrs. Flora Roberto Thompson. 26, of Washington, v/as among r ine Maryland prisoners paroled Friday by Gov. Lane on recommendation of the State Board of Parole and Probation. Parole records on file with the secretary of State show that Mrs. Thompson, colored, held the gun while a male companion robbed cabbies in Washington and Prince Georges County. Their method was to have the cab driver take them out to iso lated suburban areas, where they foiced him out of the taxi, took his money and drove off in the cab. the record indicated. After trial and conviction In the District of Columbia, Mrs. Thomp son served 15 months of a 6-to-18 month sentence at Occoquan. On her discharge last August, she was tried in Prince Georges County on a charge of robbery with a deadly weapon for the Maryland offenses and sentenced to an indeterminate term of "not more than five years” in the State Reformatory for Women. Mrs. Thompson had no previous criminal record and was "courteous and co-operative” in jail, the prison report said. She will work in Wash ington. Rale Increase Called Vital lo'Blue Cross' ; i By the Associated Pres* RICHMOND, Va., July 13.—The! existence of Virginia's “blue cross" system of hospitalization is “very seriously threatened” unless a rate increase is allowed immediately, spokesmen for the plan told the State corporation commission yes terday. Rising costs of hospital care, coupled with an increase usage, of hospital treatment by contract hold ers, are rapidly depleting the plan's reserves, M. Haskins Coleman, jr., executive director of the Virginia Hospital Service Association, told the SCC. These rate changes are proposed by the association, Mr. Coleman said: Present,. Proposed. Individual $1.(M) $1.35 Husband and Wife_ 2.00 2.50 Family . _ 2.50 3.00 The executive director said slight ly higher rates also are requested for those contract holders who make their monthly payments direct to the association, rather than through an established group. The direct payments, he said, would be $1.40 per month for individuals, $2.75 for husband and wife, and $3.30 for families. Realty Value Boost Planned BERKELEY SPRINGS. W. Va., July 13.—A flat increase of 5 per cent in the valuation of Morgan County real estate is being planned by the Board of Equalization and Review, P. C. Yost, member, dis closed today. Takoma Park Apartment Plan Wins Approval County Heads Pass 14 Zoning Petitions, Deny 18 and Defer 2 Construction of a 140-unit Ta koma Park apartment project to cost about $1,500,000 has been ap proved by the Montgomery County commissioners in one of 34 zoning decisions. The commissioners, who acted yesterday in closed session at Rock ville, denied five petitions which contemplated construction of a total of 2,400 apartment units at a cost of more than $12,000,000. Of the 34 petitions, 18 were denied, 14 approved and action on 2 was deferred. Plans for the Takoma Park proj ect were disclosed by Roy R. Hunt at a recent hearing on his request to rezone from residential A to C property on Piney Branch road In the area bounded by Old Blandens burg road and Long Branch. Approval also was given two pe titions for apartment house zoning of about 3714 acres, plans for which have not been disclosed. One, filed by New Hampshire Estates, Inc., involved 2614 acres bounded on the north and west by Carroll avenue extended and Piney Branch road, on the east by the Montgomery Prince Georges County line and on the south by the James M. Gibson property. Eleven Acres Involved. The other request was filed by Mr. Gibson for approximately 11 acres on the east side of Carroll avenue extended, 500 feet south of Piney Branch road. The five petitioners whose re quests for large-scale apartment house zoning of land were rejected are: Drs. A. S. and M. S. Schwartz man, who planned to build 1,200 units at a cost of about $7,000,000 on 44 acres near Norbeck. Samuel Kushner, who contem plated construction of a five-story apartment hotel and two garden type apartment buildings at a cost of about $2,000,000 on four acres along Wisconsin avenue. The Rolling Park Land Co, which planned a 200-unit apartment proj ect to cost about $2j000,000 on Old Bladensburg road between Carroll avenue extended and Piney Branch road. Katherine E. Lord and Catherine T. Vance, who proposed a 100-unit apartment hotel to cost about $1, 000,000 at Forest Glen and Semi nary roads. Forest Glen. The Bannockburn Heights Im provement Co., who planned to erect 700 apartment units on 57 acres between Massachusetts avenue ex tended, Goldsboro road and Mac Arthur boulevard. Other Petitions Denied. Other petitions denied were: I Safeway Stores, Inc., residentiti A to commercial D of two lots at Sligo and Ritchie avenues. iBflver Spring. _ Fred S. Koigod* Harry Burka and M. David Dubb. residential A to commercial D of land along Fldwer avenue about 400 feet from Piney Branch road, Takoma Park. Sadie L. Fritz, residential A to com mercial D of land at Georgia and Areola avenues. Wheaton william E. Richardson, residential A to commercial D of land at 107*7 Colesvllle roed. near Silver Spring. Avon Shockey. residential A to com mercial D of about 10 acres on the Rock ville pike north of the White Flint Country Club Godfrey Godsall. residential A to com mercial D of land at Seminary road and Columbia boulevard. Montgomery Hills. Felix C. and Drusilla M. Montuori. resi dential A to commercial D of about •:1 -2 acres on the east side, of the Rockville pike near Montrose. Vernon M. Dorsey, residential A to C of three lots on the south side of Chevy Chase drive between Oflutt lane and Bradley boulevard. Chevy Chase Thomas E. Hampton, residential A to C or a lot adjacent to Mr. Dorsey's property Safeway Stores. Inc., residential A to commercial D of two lots at Sligo and Mississippi avenues. Silver Spring. Leo I. and Dorothy M. Donovan, rest-! dential A to commercial D of land at Old i Georgetown road and Del Ray avenue. I Bethesda. Pet'tions Approved. Those approved included: Abbott B. and Della C. Goodrich, resi dential A to C of land at 30 Elm avenue, Takoma Perk Gordon O’Connor residential A to com mercial D of two lots on Viers Mill road north of the Kensington-Wheaton road, Wheaton. Catherine Crawford, residential A to commercial D of property at 10764 Coles ville road. Harry G. Cole, residential A to C of 3 acres at Jefferson and St. Paul streets. Kensington. Abe and Irving Miller, residential A and commercia D to Industrias E of land on the east side of River road about 150 feet south of the Baltimore Ac Ohio Railroad tracks. Arlington Village residential A to C of land on the east side of the Rockville pike south of Garrett Park Twin-Brook. Inc., residential A to com mercial D of 2‘/z acres in the Twin-Brook development on the Vierti Mill road south of Rockville. Those on which action was deferred were: Louis Hurwitz. residential A to commer cial D of land at Mohican road and Mac Arthur boulevard, near Glen Echo Viers Mill Village Co . residential A to commercial D of 2 acres in the Viers Mill Village housing project between Wheaton and Rockville. - — . ":wwwRv.. GEORGIA AVENUE UNDERPASS NEARS COMPLETION—This aerial view of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad underpass (arrow) in Silver Spring shows the progress of construction which is expected to be completed next month, thus ending a source of irritation to merchants who com plain of traffic leaving Washington being diverted ofT Georgia avenue. This view is looking north. The railroad tracks, running diagonally across the center of the photo, are laid on a temporary fill which will be removed when the permanent roadbed is placed on the underpass. —Star Staff Photo. 'Child Society Extends Reorganization Time The National Society for Crip pled Children has extended for another 30 days its deadline for the dissension-ridden Washington Society to .'reorganize'’ or be ex pelled, it was announced today. * Originaly the deadline was set for Sunday by the parent organi zation. Mrs. Beulah Drake, District presi dent, said a report will be made as soon as possible. Demands for a reorganization of the District society, supported by the sale of Easter seals, erupted last April, when five employes re signed in protest against the so ciety's operating methods. Subse quently two directors resigned, and a third announced she will follow them if the society fails to reor ganize. Mrs. Drake recently appointed a five-member committee to make a survey of the local organization's operations. She did not reveal the names of the persons appointed to the committee but did say, at that time, the study would take until at least August 1 to complete. WCTU of Montgomery To Gonvene on Friday The Women’s Christian Temper ance Union of Montgomery County will hold its annual convention Friday in the Kensington Baptist Church. Mrs. John G. Thompson, county president, will preside. Speakers will include Mrs. Charles Wagner, State president; Dr. Frederick W. Smith, superintendent of the Temp erance League of Maryland; the Rev. Ernest Averette, pastor of the Kensington Baptist Church, and the Rev. E. M. Porter, pastor of St. Paul Methodist Church. ASK FOR THE THREE R’S—Among those who protested so-called "modern” methods of educa- j tion in the Montgomery County school system at a meeting last night was Mrs. Norman Miller • of Bethesda (standing). More than 100 persons attended the meeting in the Boulevard Bowling ; Alleys, Bethesda. * -St" stafl *hoto I * District Man Gets 60 Days In Bethesda Garage Break William H. Walton. 35. of the 1300 block of South Carolina ave nue S.E.. was sentenced In Bethesda Police Court yesterday to serve 60 days in the Rockville jail for tam pering with an automobile. Police said Walton, colored, was arrested July 4 after he broke into the garage of Mrs. Lee Ogilvie, 8404 Elmhurst drive, Bethesda. Trial Magistrate William B. Wheeler imposed a $50 fine on Charles Tucker, 1200 block of Wis consin avenue N.W., on a charge of assault and battery. He was accused of striking Robert A. Haines, Cabin I John, with his fist last Saturday in i a Cabin John tavern. John P. Stewart, 51, of the 800 block Eighth street N.E., forfeited $100 collateral on a gambling charge. Police said that when Stewart was arrested last week near Bethesda, they found a large quan tity of number slips on him. D. C. Police Join Search For Ft. Meade Fugitives District police today were aiding Federal and Army authoriites in a search for Pvt. Leonard Beasley, 23, a Washington resident who escaped yesterday from the Fort Meade pris on stockade. Pvt. Beasley, colored, was awaiting trial on a desertion charge. Army officials said he deserted the Army in April, 1947. He was arrested here July 6 by agents of the Federal Bu reau of Investigation. Army authorities said Pvt. Beasley has a wife, whose last Known address was in the 800 block of Thirteenth street N.E. R. D. Scott to Command Falls Church Legion Roscoe D. Scott has been elected commander of Falls Church Post, No. 130, American Legion. Other officers include Ichabud Dawson and James Hollins, vice j commanders; Bob Hanesworth. ad- i Jutant; Tyler Maflet, finance officer; B. Frank Good, athletic officer; Paul I E. Coffinberger, sergeant at arms; Louis Rothgeb, chaplain; Fred Hop per, historian; John E. Taylor, judge advocate; Acors Thompson, service officer, and Harold Cosby and Rex ton F. Jones, Executive Committee members at large. Fairfax Club Chartered By Rifle Association The Fairfax Rod and Gun Club. Inc., of Falls Church, has been granted a National Rifle Association charter. Officers are A. F. Shockey, presi- , dent; Walter J. Cronin, vice presi- i dent; Fielding L. Huesman, execu tive officer; Jerome M. Gibson, chief . instructor; William R. Nunn, secre- | tary, and Arnold N. Pciikoff, treas urer. I Body of Man Missing From Boat in Bay Found { The body of Lawrenee L. East - 64, of 733 Sixth street N.W., who j disappeared from a rowboat at ] Breezy Point Beach, Md., last Thurs- , day. was recovered yesterday from ; Chesapeake Bay. j, Mr. East rented a rowboat at . Breezy Point on Thursday. The empty boat was found later by;a fishermen. The body was discovered i near Cedarhurst by the crew of a Naval Academy crash boat. - | Firemen Plan Carnival The Capitol Heights (Md.» Volun- 1 teer Fire Department will hold its , annual carnival from Friday to July 24. 4 Falls Church Orders Survey After Hearing Annexation Proposal Immediate annexation of more territory by Falls Church was urged at a meeting of the Town Council last night. j I A report of Dr. and Mrs. -Thbmas H. Reed, municipal affairs special ists, pointed out the advantages of prompt expansion of the bounda ries and warned that further delay would put the town in danger of losing the benefits of annexation. The report also suggested that “the meager industrial area in Falls Church be augmented by annexing territory suitable for light indus trial development." Council Plans Survey. ' Annexation, according to the re port, should not be confined to de veloped subdivisions adjacent to present boundaries, but also should include a substantial ring of unde veloped areas. The' council accepted the report and voted to hire an engineer to make a survey of the territory in volved. Town Attorney La Rue Van Meter was asked by the council to request Circuit Court Judge Paul Brown to certify Falls Church as a second class city. A recent special census disclosed the population of the town warranted such recognition. The council approved a request of Capt. T. H. Howe, police chief, for a police commission to pass on mat ters affecting the behavior and status of town policemen. Members named were Town Manager Roy F. Dunn, Town Clerk Sherman Wells and Capt. Howe. Fiesta Permit Granted. A permit was granted to C. F. j Blanding on behalf of the Falls Church Community Park, Inc., for a three-day fiesta to be held on September 24, 25 and 26. His re-1 quest for $600 to $1,000 for expenses and for use of the Gibson property, I now under lease by the town, was referred to the Recreation Comm 1s- I sion. A delegation from the Hillwood Citizens’ Association protested drainage conditions at Buxton road and Broad street. They presented a petition asking that a storm drain be installed. ' The matter was re ferred to Town Manager Dunn. The council voted to accept an pffer of Basset and Jones to donate ; pne acre on West Broad street in | Falls Hills subdivision for the town’s i proposed 1,000,000-gallon water tank. Blood Donors Sought In Prince Georges The Prince Georges County Red Cross chapter today appealed for blood donors and said a bloodmobile will be at the Hyattsville Elementary 1i School from 10 a m. to 4 p.m. Thurs- j. day. The chapter is seeking 100 pints of j blood for civilian and military needs.' | Star Movies | i Community movies, sponsored by! The Star in co-operation with the Recreation Department and “The Film Center, are scheduled for 9 pm. today. Programs of comedy, sports, cartoon and travel shorts will be shown at the following play grounds a*hd recreation centers: HiUcrest. Thirty-second and Denver Itreets S.E. Lanxdon Park. Eighteenth and Frank lin streets N.E ! Rosedaic. Seventeenth and Gales itreets N E. Stoddert. Thirty-ninth and Calvert itreets N.W. Thomson. Twt'fth and L streets N W. Twin Oaks. Fourteenth and Taylor streets N.W. Barry Farms. 1230 Sumner road 8.E. Monroe. Georgia avenue and Colum bia road N.W. fame. Fifteenth and C streets II. Snows Court. Twenty-fifth and 1. itreets N.W. 1 State Trooper Tells off Raid on RocwayTowers 30 to 40 Men Were At Gambling Table, He Testifies at Trial By CHarlei J. Yarbrough Star Staff Carraspondant ELLICOTT CITY. Md.. July 13.— A State trooper who was the first man to enter Rocway Towers when it was raided June 5, testified today that “30 to 40 men were standing around the craps table.” The witness, Trooper First Class Preston Rowland, had begun his testimony yesterday in the Howard County gaming trial of 21 men ar rested in the raid. The turreted casino, Rocway Towers, is on United States Highway No. 1, about a mile north of Laurel. ' Trooper Rowland was cross-ex amined by William H. Forsythe of Ellicott City, one of the four defense attorneys. “That is a lot of people around a 12-foot table, is it not?" Mr. For sythe asked, referring to the "30 or 40” Trooper Rowland had men tioned. Saw No Play at Table. “They were pretty thick,” Trooper Rowland replied. He said he saw no play and no money on the table. One of the defendants in the trial which began yesterday is Patrick J. Clarke, identified as owner of the Towers and charged with permitting gambling there. Two others, charged with operat ing the establishment, are Theo dore A. Meyers of the 4200 block of Branch avenue, Silver Hill, Md., and Walter Novak of the 1200 block Jackson avenue, Takoma Park, Md. Eighteen persons, many of them from Washington area, are identi fied as employes and charged with keeping, dealing at, managing and having an interest in a gambling table, keeping and managing a gambling place and unlawfully bet ting. \ Protesting Sheriff on Hand. Witnesses—most of them Mary land State policemen—and the 21 defendants more than half-filled the courtroom. Also in the court room was Sheriff Frederick Kramer of Howard County, whose depart ment was left out of the Rocway Towers raid and who protested later that "as high sheriff, I should have been notified.” Introduction of gaming equip ment and the small arsenal seized in the raid took up most of the afternoon’s session and produced some humorous sideplay on the identification of some of the ar ticles At one point State’s Attorney Daniel Murray, jr., produced the working topi used by a croupier— "a stick" in some localities; a ’’rake’' in others. judge Decides on "Kike.7 “ifrhat is itr the judge toked. “I'don’t knew,” Mr. My (ray re plied. “Then to me ft will be a rake,” the judge decided. Two wooden boxes in which, po lice said, dice are kept, were pro duced and went into the record without an official name. A mi crometer used in measuring dice also elicited the judge’s curiosity. Testimony given yesterday dealt largely with the police'identification of the gambling equipment and the guns, but Prosecutor Murray also called a telephone man to the stand in an effort to show "heavy” tele phone traffic out of Rocway Tower* before the raid. Telephone Official Testifies. The witness was Sydney S. Stab ler, area manager at Laurel for the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., who testified that three tele phones were installed in the place under Patrick J. Clarke s name. Trooper Rowland took the stand to tell of being met at the begin ning of the raid by Theodore A. Meyers, one of the \defendants. Meyers, he said, was carrying a rifle. Later, the policeman said, Meyers told him they kept the guns there in fear of hijacking or rob bery. The raiders seized some $45,000 in cash. Another witness, State Police Sergt. G. Earl Newcomer, said several of the defendants had given him statements in which they said I they were hired and paid by Novak, some of them receiving $200 a week. Salaried Recreation Head Proposed for Falls Church Provision for a full-time salaried director will be included in a budget now being drafted by the Falls Church Recreation Commission for action by the Town Council next month, Larue Van Meter, commis sion chairman, said today. The commission is the outgrowth of former efforts of the parent teacher associations to co-ordinate recreation programs with those of Fairfax County. The commission has been granted $350 to continue this program where the PTA move ment left off. Other members of the commission were Mrs. Mark Regan, secretary; Col. Frederick Riley, John W, Koons, John C. White, M. T. Rust, Samuel McCrary. Mrs. Robert Meith and Thomas Todd, coach at the Falls Church High School. Arlington League to Indorse Nonpartisan for Board Malcolm D. Miller, chairman, said yesterday that the Arlington Better Government League will in dorse a nonpartisan candidate for County Board at a meeting August 27. Mr. Miller said questionnaires will be distributed to nonpartisan candi date* for the vacancy to be filled in November. To date, only one person, Lee Potter, has filed as an indepen dent candidate. T. Oscar Smith, runner-up in the County Board election last year, said he will enter the race as a non partisan if the Republicans enter a candidate by convention. The Democrats will be represented by the winner of their three-way August 3 primary contest. Mr. Smith said he will support Mr. Potter if no other independent files for the office. - — 1