Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-08-28
Harry C. Rhodes
Named TO Direct
County Housing
Construction Of Low-Rent-
al Homes For Farm Labor
Starts Soon. County Com
missioners And Farm
Bureau Approve Plan


Harry C. Rhodes, assistant prin-
cipal of the Poolesville high school
was named executive director of
the Montgomery County Housing
Authority by the Board of County
Commissioners, Tuesday.
Following recommendations by
the Housing Authority to provide
low-rental homes for farmland
in the agricultural sections of
Montgomery County, the commits
sioners agreed to pay Mr.. Rhodes
salary of 5000 per month. Ninety
dollars per month for a secretary
and SIS per month for Office space
were also allotted.
Splitting along partisan lines,
the commissioners voted 4 to / in
favor of financing the initial cost,
Republican Walter Johnson cast
the dissenting vote. Money has
been appropriated by the Federal
Housing Authority for immediate
construction of 200 low-rental
homes, the total cost not to exceed
$3.50, 900.
Members of the County Housing
Authority are: E. Brooke Lee,
chairman; 10 v. Morgan, DR.. J. w.
Bird, Douglas Diamond and @. w.
Anderson, county agricultural
agent. The last two named are
members of the Montgomery
County Farm Bureau which in 1889
bitterly opposed the; then proposed
plan of low-cost housing for poorly
paid aabo1ers. Acesfding b. farnl
leaders, it has since been necessary
tc provide better housing condi-
tons in order to retain farm labor
because competing areas, especial
ly in defense work, have provided
more suitable dwellings, making it
difficult to keep workers on the
farms.
Farm Bureau directors met Mon
day evening in the county agents
Office and endorsed the program
with but one dissenting vote, while
prominent county real estate deal
ers, who in 1889 and 1910 disap-
proved of the housing programs,
have voiced satisfaction at the
plans.
According to County Commits
sioner President Thomas Earle
Hampton, this will be the first
rural housing project in the coun-
ty, and because of the demand by
farmers for it, construction will
start soon.
1t is understood that Mr.. Rhodes
will be granted leave of absence
from his school duties.
Montgomery County Farm Bu-
reau directors are:
First district, Edwin D. Fry,
Laytonsville; second district, R. L.
Bickerson, Germantown; third dis
trict, Harvey ]. White. Dickerson;
fourth district, Lawson King,
Gaithersburg; fifth dist, G. Rust
Candy, Silver Spring; sixth dist,
Thomas C. Darby, Germantown;
seventh dist, Eugene Casey, Gath
ersburg; eighth dist, William
Hines, Brinklow; ninth dist, Doug
las B. Diamond, Gaithersburg;
tenth dist, Chester Clagett, Rock
vile; eleventh dist, w. w. Hodges,
vice president, Boyd; twelfth dist,
Eugene S. Walker, Monrovia; thir-
teenthdist., D. w. Simpson, Rock
vile.
DIRECTORS AT LARGE
J. w. Jones, Olney; William H.
Ward, Gaithersburg; James D.
King, president, Germantown; Will
lson c. Poole, Sellman; L. A. OAR
by, Jacksonville; Ulysses Griffith,
Nv, secretary treasurer, Gathers
burg; Mrs. Ward Fulton, chairman
women's association; o. w. Ander-
son,county agent, Rockville; Rufus
B. King, assistant county agent,
Rockville; Miss Edythe M. Turner,
home demonstration agent, Rock
vile; Mrs. Edwin D. Fry, honor
airy member, Gaithersburg; Will
lard Harvey, district manager of
Farm Bureau Insurance, Brooke
At