Evening star., 1948-09-10
Parents League
To0rganize in
Every School
Meeting at Kensingto ton
Draws 200 to Discuss
Changes in System

The Parents League for Curricu-
luIn Improvement will organize
chapter in every school in Mont
gomery' County by November ] In
order to enlarge and continue its
fight for a change in the present
school system.
/ Announcement of the plan was
made last night at a three-hour
meeting of approximately 200 per-
sons in the Kensington Armory.
The meeting was called to discuss
the School Board action Wednes-
day night In indorsing the present
curriculum.
The group now has 300 members
and is circulating petition to the
Board of Education against the
present school system. 1t claims to
have 5000 signers and hopes to OBJ
tain at least $500 by November /.
Expected Board Decision.
No Encouragement was expressed
over the Board of Education's deci-
sion to ignore demands made by
the league at the recent curriculum
workshop for elementary schools.
I'VE expected that" said j. Henry
Hiser, president of the group.
The sincerity of the board In hold
ing the workshop was questioned by
Mrs. Robert Sherwin of Silver
Spring. She compared it to an
automobile bumper which takes the
shock of the parents complaints
but leaves the school system intact.
There is something undemocratic
about a school system that cannot
take criticism" she said. These
are our schools. We pay for them.
We should have voice in deter
mining how they shall be run. Our
duties are not ended when we pay
our taxes and send Johnny to school
with clean shirt. We should know
what he is being taught and how"
Says Aims Are Lost.
Mrs. Sherwin charged that teach
ers in county schools are so involved
with the techniques of teaching
that they lose sight of the desired
results.
They over-complicate the process
Of learning" she declared. They
feel they must inveigle child into
a situation where he can learn with
out effort when, in reality, the child
Is eager and willing to learn
The county curriculum is one
year behind that of other school
systems, Mrs. Sherwin said, because
it is keyed to the slowest student In
the class.
Robert B. Parke, the groups pub
licity chairman, in defining its aims,
said:
1T is the schools job to give the
child tools with which to evaluate
and not to give him predigested
philosophy of life"
Tells of Resentment.
Carl w. Binker, Rockville, de-
Tended the parents right to eval-
uate the curriculum, even though
they are not trained educators. He
spoke of the resentment in upper
Montgomery County because some
of the courses offered included dish
washing, sock washing and jelly
making
If the schools insist on giving
such courses, he said it would be
more practical to teach the children
how to operate electric washing ma
chimes, since most homes in the
county have them.
Ed Stock, jr., Bethesda, called on
the parent-teacher associations of
the county to assert themselves and
become active, vociferous and in
curing" where the curriculum Is
concerned. They are too prone to
become money-raising groups, he
said.
James L. Fieser said the system
needs a good administrator in the
field of public relations. Parents
need to know what is going on in
the schools and in the Office OF the
Board of Education, he said.
During a. question period, Leslie
Able of Rockville asked If the group
was in favor of an elected, non
partisan school board.
Mr.. Hiser said, I'VE have that
question under consideration
A forum dealing with county
school problems will be held at 8
o'clock tonight at Leland Junior
High School, Chevy Chase, Speak
ers will include DR.. Thomas G.
Pullen, State superintendent of
schools: Edgar NJ Douglass, assist
ant superintendent of county schols;
County Supervisor Irving G. Nc
Nayr. School Board President H.
Stanley Stine and Nathan R. Gill
bert. president of the County Coun-
ell of Do rant .Teache Association