Evening star., 1947-01-28
Plan 10 Improve.
PrinceGeorqes
Schools Offered
PTA Report Stresses
Employment Of More
Qualified Personnel

A long-range program for i'm
proving Prince Georges County pub
lie schools was announced today by
the County Council Of PARENT
Teacher Associations.
The study, undertaken by COM
mittee headed by Mrs. L. p. Dit
man, Berwyn, grew out Of. the prac.
tice Of many parents in the county
sending their children to- District
schools.
Recommendations made "can be
put into effect only through con-
tinued efforts over a period of time
by both the school staff and the
people as a whole" the report de-
clared.
School Supt. G. Gardner Shugart,
who was one of the eight members
OF the study group. commended the
council and the special committee
for IAN important contribution to-
ward the advancement of educa.
ton IN our country"
Results Called Construction.
I'VE recognize" said Mr.. Shugart,
that this study has merit in that
1t was prepared by a group other
than professional school people. The
results OF the study seem to us to
represent fair and unbiased anal
ysis of the situation and we welcome
1t as truly constructive criticism"
Recommendations were based on
replies to questionnaires sent to par
ents of 1922 children attending Dis
trict schools. It was estimated about
1,500 Prince Georges children are in
structed in Washington. There were
337 replies by parents of 391 children,
"As the committee studied the
tabulations, it became apparent that
many of the comments were based
on misinformation about the
schools" the report states.
Recommendations Listed.
Recommendations include the fol-
lowing:
Obtain only qualified personnel.
1t was recognized that in recent
years it was impossible to obtain
fully qualified recruits for the teach
ing stats.
Adopt a comprehensive salary
schedule for professional and nom
professional staff members. 1T is
imperative that the county and
State exert greater financial effort
than they have in the past in sup
porting public education" the re-
port stated.
Adopt two remaining features Of q
reorganization program recommend
ed by the College of Education Of
the University of Maryland in 1941,
namely, expansion of instructionai
and guidance services and inaugura-
ton of a school building and reor-
ganization program.
County Should Finance Work.
Except for funds available from
other sources, the county should
finance the construction, and the
maintenance and operation, Of 6
Ischool plant adequate for q modern
educational program" the report
declares. -
Curricula at each high school
should be studied and indicated
changes should be made.
There is an urgent need for
equipment and adequate books and
supplies should be provided.
| Under health, welfare and recrea-
tion, the committee feels an extern
sion of hot lunch program Is needed
and an anua1 health examination
for each pupil should be provided.
Supervised recreation should be in
stituted and kindergartens should
be established throughout the
county as soon as possible.
Seek Greater Accreditation.
The county's schools now are ac-
credited by the Maryland State De-
partment of Education but officials
should determine the advisability to
obtain accreditation by the Middle
States Association Of Colleges anu
Secondary Schools.
"The most urgent need for i'm
proving the Prince Georges schools
is an increase in funds" the COM
mittee reported. "The quality Of
public support is the only basic linn
itation on the Prince Georges
County Board of Education and the
county superintendent of schools"
Other members of the study group
beside Mrs. Ditman and Mr.. Shu-
CART, were Mrs. Louis Hemp, Miss
Adelaide c. Clough, Mrs. Marjorie
Harms, Mrs. Wells Harrington, Mrs.
Catherine T. Reed and Harper L.
Schimpff. DR.. Clarence A. Newell.
associate professor of educational
administration, University Of Mary
land, served as consultant during
HI,o et,ydios