Evening star., 1947-02-26
Delegation Weighs
ParochiaI School Bus
Issue After HEARING
By ]. B. Zatmon
Stor Sioff Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Feb. 26.-The Prince
Georges County delegation to the
General Assembly today was re-
viewing opposing arguments on
three bills, one of which would
authorize the County Board of
Education to provide free bus trans
portation for students of denom-
national and parochial schools.
The other two measures would
permit residents of the Hyattsville
Fourth Ward to vote in the Hyatts-
vile election district, rather than
in the Chillum district, as at pres
ent, and would change the method
OF imposing assessments for street
improvements in Hyattsville.
The school bus bill hearing at
tracted the most interest last night,
with about so persons crowding
into the Senate chamber to hear
representatives of both sides pre-
sent their views.
Danger Seen in System.
Leading the opposition was Mrs.
Walter Perkins, Berwyn, who con-
tended public funds should not be
used to transport children to re
ligious" schools.
Declaring that such a practice
would endanger the American non
sectarian school system, Mrs. Per-
kins asserted:
"It is the duty of every taxpayer
to support public schools. If people
want to set up denominational in.
they should be willing to
bear the extra cost involved without
using public funds"
She also warned that, if the bill
is passed, it would lead to further
demands by religious groups and
open the way to further special
privileges.
Mrs. Perkins was supported by her
husband and by Mrs. Yvonne Reamy
and DR.. Herman S. Dubuy, also of
Berwyn.
H. Winship Wheatley, jr, Hyatts-
vile attorney, argued. however, that
"all the bill does is give denomina-
tional school students a chance to
hitch-hike on school buses going
their way"
Similar Laws Elsewhere.
Pointing out that all citizens pay
taxes to support public schools re-
gardless of whether their children
attend them, Mr.. Wheatley said:
"All we ask is that part of our
own tax money be used to give
lift to denominational school chill
dren."
He emphasized that passage of the
bill would have no effect on the
separation of church and state, add
ing that similar laws are in effect in
Montgomery. Frederick, st. Marys,
Anne Arundel. Howard and Balti-
more Counties.
Others favoring the bill included
Guy r. Moore and Thomas B.
Kicker, Greenbelt; Luis Granados.
Riverdale; Gregory O'Connor, Mount
Rainier; Charles B. McClosky, Uni
versity Park, and Morris Anglin,
Hyattsville.
The Supreme Court ruled re-
Gently in a New Jersey case that
public bus transportation could be
provided for parochial school chill
dren.
Opponents of the assessment bill
included Frederick M. Coxen, a
member of the Hyattsville Council
from the Fourth Ward, which in
cludes Clearwood, Castle Manor and
Queens Chapel Manor.
Property Owners Would Pay.
Under the measure, assessments
covering the complete cost of street
Improvements III Hyattsville would
be levied against abutting property
owners.
At present, according to w. Carroll
Beatty. attorney for the city, own
ers of corner and irregularly shaped
lots are permitted partial eXemp-
tions from such assessments at the
discretion TO the City Council.
Others opposing the bill were
Ralph H. Wagner and Henry j.
Hellman, both of Clearwood
Only one voice was raised in op-
position to the bill to enable Fourth
Ward residents to vote in the Hyatts-
vile election district.
Lawrence Whalen, Brentwood
said the change would create con-
it would result in additional cost
fusion among the voters. He added
to the county through establishment
of onOt hnr Y1OllinO rloPp