Evening star., 1947-10-09
Nursery School
FacesC|osing
In Montgomery
Mrs. Hite Charged
With Operating
Without Permit

Mrs. Maude c. Hite, who faces a
charge of operating her nursery
school near Rockville without a
license from the Maryland depart
ment of public welfare, today was
confronted with the threat of hav-
ing the establishment closed be-
cause she doesn't have a Montgom-
cry County permit.
Mrs. Hite claimed yesterday she
recently filed applications for per-
mits with both the State agency and
the county commissioners. Repre-
sentatives of both groups, however,
said they had no knowledge of such
applications.
Disclosure that the school is being
operated without a county permit
was. contained in a report by De-
tective Capt. Theodore F. Vollten
who, with two other detectives and
Rockville physician, inspected the
institution October /.
Probe Is Ordered.
When told of the groups find
ings, Brooke Johns, president of
the Board Of County Commis-
sioners, said the board would
launch an immediate Investigation
to determine whether I'VE should
close up the place"
States Attorney Walter w. Daw-
son said he planned to con-
suit with the State Depart
ment of Public Welfare to ascer-
tain whether the agency intends
to seek an injunction against Mrs.
Hite who was refused State IL
cense in May, 1916 Failing such
action by the State agency, Mr..
Dawson explained, he will ask for
an indictment from the Novem-
ber grand jury.
Mr.. Dawson ordered that the
school be investigated last week
after Mr.. and Mrs. Ronald Lang
lotz, 1921 Connecticut avenue NV,
complained they found their two
children tied to their cribs in an
overheated and freshly painted
room at the nursery September 20.
They withdrew their children from
the school Immediately afterward.
Falsification Changed.
In the report. made public yes
terday by Mr.. Dawson, Capt. Voll-
ten accused Mrs. Hite of "delib-
erately falsifying" a statement to
the detectives in which she de-
scribed the circumstances under
which the Langlotz children we're
found.
He quoted Mrs. Hite as saying she
had tied one "incorrigible" child
to his bed with a special harness"
which she claimed permitted free
dom of movement. The child was
not identified.
He then cited the statement made
September 20 by Sergt Marion Day.
hoh Of the county police who had
accompanied the Langlotz couple
to the school and who said he
found one of the children tied to
his crib with piece of cloth at
tached to the child's pajamas.
Capt. Vollten also said in his
report that the investigating group
found entirely inadequate" sup
plies of bed linen, blankets and
fruit juices One half-filled can of
grapefruit in the schools refrigera-
tor was tainted, the report said.
Physician Quoted.
He quoted the physician, DR.. Will
liam Linthicum, as saying he had
examined two children, identified as
Paul and Lance Earnest, sons of
Mr.. and Mrs. G. E. Earnest, Temple
Trailers, Alexandria, and found them
suffering from severe head colds. |
There was no evidence, according to
the report, that medicine had been
given the children to relieve their
coughs.
The report also stated rooms at
the school were clean and appeared
kept in an orderly manner and
that there was an adequate supply
of medicines.
In a statement issued yesterday, |
Mrs. Hite said she was fully aware
of the fact it is necessary for school
to be licensed. I have fulfilled con-
scientiously and at considerable ex-
pense the requirements for such a
license. My application for a license
is on file with the proper authorities
and the matter is due to be acted
on in the near future"
She also invited any one to visit
the school, adding that accusations
of bad conditions made by some per-
sons are without foundation