Evening star., 1935-02-14
ADVERSE REPORTS
AREEXPECTEDFOR
SCHOOLMEASURES
Senate Committee Hears
Arguments Against
Four Bills.
RESIDENCE AND PAY
PROPOSALS OPPOSED
0rem and Broome Join With
Cook to Denounce Changes
in Laws.
BY a Stan Correspondent of The Star.

BY Stan Correspondent Of The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, February 14-Argu-
ments against four bills to change the
present school laws were voiced before
the Senate Education Committee yes
terday by Supt. Albert S. Cook, State
superintendent Of schools.
Although they deferred action,
members of the committee intimated
all of the bills will be unfavorably re-
ported.
The measures would:
Require teachers to be residents OF
the State for at least two years be-
fore appointment; give colored teach
ers the same pay as white; make the
colored school term the same as that
Of white schools and allow appoint
ment of a colored supervisor Of COL
ored schools.
Others Oppose Bill.
Supts. Nicholas Orem of Prince
Georges County and Edwin Broome
of Montgomery County accompanied
DR.. Cook before the committee and
alos opposed the bills.
DR.. Cook said the present policy is
to employ Maryland residents as
teachers whenever possible, but feared
the proposed bill making it mandatory
would result in retaliatory measures
being passed In other States. Senator
Harry T. Phoebus of Somerset County,
who sponsored the bill, was not pres
ent at the hearing to advocate it.
DR.. Broome pointed out that to
limit the selection of teachers To
Maryland residents would result in
"a localized viewpoint" at a time
when it is important for students to
acquire a worldwide viewpoint" In
fact, some educational authorities are
advocating exchange Of teachers be-
tween counties and States to broader
their outlook, he said.
Sees Standards Raised.
The Montgomery superintendent
further added that the present law
under which teachers know they mus
be able to meet competition from out
side, tends to raise their standards oi
competence.
Supt. Orem analyized the cases o.
four teachers from outside Of Mary
land who were employed in Prince
Georges last year.
Passage of the bill to eliminate tn,
30 per cent differential between tht
pay of white and colored teacher.
would require a s296, $50 increase in
the State equalization fund, Supt
Cook told the committee. In addi-
tion, the non-equaliZation fund
counties would have to increase their
budgets by a total of s107,754 to COM
ply with the new law, he said.
In Prince Georges alone $43 ,00(
would have to be added to the ia,
gate, while in Montgomery County
the increase would amount to $l8,500
the committee was told.
Time 'Tnopportune."
Senator Melvin L. Fine, Republican
of Baltimore City, author of the bill
said he introduced it at the request
of Gov. Nice and would like an op.
portunity to present statistics in it!
behalf at later hearing.
Although stating the measure was
right in principle, Supt. Cook sale
he considered this an inopportunt
time to enact it. The people of tht
State will rise "in unit to oppose
the bill II q serious effort Is made tc
put it through the Legislature. he
predicted.
Instead Of increasing the pay oi
colored teachers to the scale of white
Or. Cook said he would advocate
a restoration of part of the salarie.
of all teachers who were reduced ir
1888. If half of the pay cuts wert
restored the State budget would have
to be increased by $155,000, he said
The superintendent added, however
that bills were being prepared by th'
Governor to continue the present
salaries, in accordance with the ex-
ecutive's budget recommendations.
To require colored schools to have
a term as long as that of white
schools would also involve consider.
able expense. adding s39,950 to the
equalization fund and S10,025 to the
budgets of non-equaliZation func
counties, DR.. Cook said.
Montgomery County would have X
carry the largest increase among th'
latter group, $4,03l, while in Prince
Georges the increase would be 81 ,066
II the present white State super.
visor of colored schools were replaced
by a colored supervisor Maryland
would lose the $4,000 year it nov
receives from the General Education
Board to pay his salary, DR.. Cook ex-
planned. The General Education
Board, he added, is financed by the
Rockefeller Foundation.