Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-06-25
Some EducationaI Suggestions.
Published by request.

Some Educational Suggestions.
Published by request.
In connection with the recent annual
meeting of the Montgomery County Fedora
ton of Home and School Associations, the
president. Mr.. Stevens. of Chevy Chase, sub
mitted the following in the course of his
address:
Even if the Montgomery County Fedora
ton of Home and School Associations
should come to an end here and now, we
could feel that it had not lived in vain
The Federation had. believe, an influence
for good when the closing of the schools
for lack Of funds was threatened early in
1914. We were successful. too, believe.
in clearing up some misapprehension and
misunderstanding relative to the indebted
ness of the County School Board. showing
that the difficulty arose not from any mis-
use Of funds but from the effort of the
school board to provide for actual. increas-
ing educational needs of the people Of the
county in spite Of the lack of adequate
public funds.
1t is, perhaps, worthy Of recording here
that one of the contemplated functions of
the Federation, when we organized. was
found to have been anticipated by the
official provision for the annual "educa-
tional rally day." which It is hoped is to
become permanent fixture in our State
educational scheme. Some way may be
found for place in the program of this
great day, in future years. for public dis
cussion Of some Of our special educational
problems not to listen to eIittering gener-
alities having no special application to our
particular case. but for an exchange of
views and a submission of ideas having a
direct bearing upon difficulties we have to
solve do not believe the rally day" will
reach its greatest potential use until it
affords the opportunity for the presenta-
ton and discussion Of educational subjects
of concern to every one interested in the
well-beine and progress of our county.
OF the various matters which have en-
gagged our attention probably none is more
vital to the schools OF the county than the
subject of teachers salaries. White teach
ers receive as little as $302 per annum In
Montgomery county. and colored teachers
even less In all cases there must be an
amount of devotion and sacrifice. il the
teacher is especially competent. that en-
ables us to command services Of such vital
importance.
Next in value as a progressive measure,
as il seems to me. is the question Of con-
solidation or merger of numbers Of our
one teacher schools now attempting to
provide for seven grades; leaving only
such one-teacher schools as can maintain
the necessary minimum Aggregate enroll
ment in the three or four lowest grades
Public transportation Of course should be
provided for children living at distance
from the consolidated school. In advocat-
ing this consolidation step in educational
progress but voice the consensus Of opin-
ion of educators and investigators whose
findings may be read in the official publi-
cations Of the u. s. Bureau Of Education
and elsewhere. The County School Survey
Of 1912 showed that while the majority Of
those who expressed their opinions disfavor-
ed the abolition Of the one-teacher schools
as an abstract proposition. the things they
complained Of and the faults that they found
were inevitable so long as the one teacher
seven grade school is insisted upon.
Another subject Of concern is that Of high
schools and high school instruction. Unfor-
tunately this subject has been most con-
spicuOus Of late in the form Of an objection
to the increase Of the number Of high schools
in connection with the establishment of
second group" high school in Bethesda
district, district paying upwards $25, 700
annually in school taxes, county and State,
and representing "a per cent Of the tax
able wealth Of the county We need, be-
lieve, not fewer high schools, but more
high schools. doing more good TO their
students than our present high schools
under the present system are doing. In
the 1912 survey Of the county schools, be-
fore referred TO. 1t was noted that one Of
seven items Of complaint which summarize
the findings Of a questionable responded to
by 700 county school patrons is that "in
many sections pupils desiring work beyond
the seven or eight grades offered in our
one-roOm schools must travel away from
home to obtain it"-that "the children OF
poorer families are not able TO 90 away
from home to school, consequently their
education is brought TO premature close.
There are six districts in the county that
afford no high school instruction. Until
the establishment Of high school instruc-
ton in Bethesda district there were seven.
Wheaton district, ranking next to Bethesda
district as revenue producer, has none.
0lney district has two. Nowhere. 80 far
as am informed. is public transportation
provided for pupils at distance desiring
to attend high school in our county.
The six and six" plan, as IL Is called
meaning six years elementary and six yeass
high school instruction. a system endorsed
by the National Education Association