Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-13
School Session
- ~
Set on Curricu|a
In Montgomery
Workshop to Study
Changes in Courses;
Parents Invited


of Education announced today il
will hold a workshop for teachers
parents and professional groups
next month to study curriculum
changes.
The session will be held from 8
am. to 4 pm Mondays through
Fridays throughout the month OF
August at the Rockville Elementary
School.
At the same time. DR.. Edwin w
Broome, superintendent, yesterday
said that plans for night meetings
to accommodate those parents un-
able to attend during the day will
be completed soon.
Those attending the workshop
plans for which were drafted last
May, also will discuss methods for
providing a minimum amount of
student interruption in classes.
Session for Principals Set.
DR.. Broome told the board at its
meeting today in Rockville that it
has been decided to substitute for
the social studies subject the sep
arate items comprising this field,
such as history, geography, civics,
science and current events.
He said a workshop for principals
will be held September /, 2 and 3
at the Richard Montgomery High
School, Rockville Members of the
teaching staff will meet September
8. 8 and 10 at their respective
schools.
DR.. Broome emphasized that all
parents are invited to next months
workshop. He added they also are
invited to meet with the principal
and faculty Of each elementary
school to discuss any changes they
wish in the school curriculum.
Dates for the meetings at each
school viii be announced prior to
September 8.
Reports on Parents Meeting.
Board Member James W. Gill, in
reporting on last nights meeting in
Bethesda Of a group of parents who
advocated a return to fupdamen-
tails" In county public schools, said
, he was impressed with the sincerity
Of the parents.
He expressed the opiniorI that any
parent or teacher who wants to crit
icize the present school program
should be able to do so without fear
He said some of the parents last
night said their children might be
Disseminated against in school be-
cause Of their criticism.
Il believe the meeting resulted
from failure of the Board of Educa-
ton to take all parents into its con-
fidence," Mr.. Gill said. 1--WE just
haven't kept parents informed of
our detectives and the quicker we
give out accurate information and
acquaint the public with our plans,
the quicker this board wnl be better
off,"
Teachers Held Unframed.
Mrs. Curtis Walker, another board
member, said much of the criticism
of the present curriculum has re-
suited from the failure of new
teachers to receive proper training
in the new" method Of teaching.
The board received several letters
indorsing present teaching methods
and denying charges that the coun-
tvs educational system is radical"
One of the letters, signed by Mrs.
Ruth G.. r. Nadel, president of the
Eastern Suburban Area Parent
Teacher Association Study Group,
made the following recommended
tons:
More adequate financial support
OF education; elimination of over
crowdlng in schools; better physical
facilities and improvement of
teacher personnel.
Other organizations indorsing
present teaching methods included
the Leland Junior High School PTA;
the County League of Women Voters
and the County Child Study Group.
100 Parents at Meeting.
Mr.. Gill, Mrs Walker and H.
Stanley Slime, school board chair
man, were bombarded for three
sweltering hours by the potests OF
100 parents at Bethesda last night.
The parents demanded more en-
phasis on fundamentals like read
in. 'ritin' and 'rithmetic, and a lot
less time on rope skipping, jelly
making and bowling lessons
They also called for the custer
of DR.. Broome as superintendent OF
schools and one suggested, to heavy
applause, that Mr.. Slime resign
from the Board of Education.
The board members made little
effort to reply to the criticism, say
ing that they had come to listen and
not to debate. Mr.. Gill objected,
however, to a statement by E. G..
Adams. Bethesda real estate oper-
ator, that the people have lost
confidence and faith in DR.. Broome. ="
Mr.. Adams demanded DR.. Broomes
removal. The board member said
DR.. Broome is highly regarded by
leading educators.
The patrons discussed at length
their plans to obtain 5000 sigma
lures to a petition calling on the
board to concentrate on paSlc SUD-
les and discontinue some of the
''newfangled" instruction.
Fieser Favors Three Rs.
But James L. Fieser Of Bethesda,
retired executive vice president of
the American Red Cross, warned
the board members present not to
misiudse the public's feelings.
Mrs. o. w. Anderson of Gathers
burg, deploring the tendency to
neglect instructions in grammar,
quoted DR.. Broome as telling her
that YOU don't need grammar"
She also objected strongly to the
distribution of a letter signed by
Mr.. Slime, urging citizens support
of the Board of Education's pro-
posed budget for 1948-9.
Mrs. Anderson and Percy Greaves
OF Bethesda said the letter should
never have been distributed through
the schools. For one thing, declared
Mr.. Greaves, it stated that unless
the school proposals were approved
by the county commissioners, some
services would have to be dropped
After the commissioners slashed the
mn 49, ,,ofror, cold