Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1948-01-22
4 etterbox
Dear Mrs. Haines:


Wood questioned with real and
shared concern the methods and
results of our county school system.
A succinct point, however, was
overlooked by Mr.. Wood: In this
changing world, is it not possible
that new methods in education are
required in order to accomplish
ever-changing goals? May it not
be reasonable to assume that the
cid process of "pouring-in" funda-
mentals which Mr.. Wood no doubt
received and / unquestionably re-
ceived may not be the answer to
Juniors problems? If these ques-
tons are reasonable, then it seems
that one, before he condemns or
extols system of education,
should ask himself the question:
"What do / want the school to do
for our children?"
Mr.. Wood negatively implies
what he wants the school to do. He
believes a. cur county system
does not prepare college-minded
youngsters for entrance to north
ern and eastern universities; (2y
I it does not equip our children to
take on job responsibilities; (3) it
does not train our youth to meet
the issues of a changing world with
resourcefulness and courage.
agree with Mr.. Wood that these
are meritorious goals to seek.
have reason to believe that the
Montgomery County School System
is stressing the attainment of such
goals. But something else is, also.
goal in this system: Our schools
are trying to teach our children the
way to live happily and well with
themselves and with others.
For twelve years, as a teacher
and social worker and now as a
parent of a public school pupil, l
have been in close contact with our
county school system. For three
years, l worked with school sys-
TENS in three other states. This ax-
perience plus observation and care
full thought lead me to conclude
that "The proof of the pudding is
in the eating" To be specific, in a
class of thirty-odd high school pu-
pills which l taught in a county
high school not so long ago, over
half the number entered and Jared
well in institutions of higher learn
,, ing-not all. to be sure, northern
or eastern schools, but it has yet to
be shown that these schools pro-
duce more capable or better adjust
ed men and women than do schools
in other sections of our country.
Several from that little group GER
tainly proved that they were capa-
BILE of meeting the issues of their
day. Casually l followed some of
their careers officers, privates
with degrees, nurses, Red Cross
workers-all served with merit and
distinction in war which no
amount of fundamentals absorp-
ton was able to prevent. Among
my own acquaintance, | know of
many graduates of the county
school system who have taken~on
and succeeded in job responsible
ity-office workers, intelligent and
progressive farmers, excellent
wives and mothers. Of course, l am
aware that / have been specific
concerning small group. There
fore, Mr.. Woods proposal that a
survey of Cur county educational
system be made seems both timely
and wise. In the meantime, how
ever, he might arrive at amazingly
satisfactory conclusions simply by
discarding prejudice and the smoke
of condemnation and making the
effort to visit our schools, observe
cur children and their achieve
ments, and then by weighing and
considering his findings.
1t may be that Mr.. Wood and
many who share his sentiments
would accept the common knowl-
edge that every taxpayer in Mont
gomery County shares in the main
tenance of both public and private
schools. These critics, too, might
admit that there is tremendous
waste in a WORKOUT educational
system which has always made it
necessary for child to absorb
fundamentals for years against
that shining day when life begins.
The beauty of this "smatterish"
system of education, as l sec it, lies
in its feeling that the child should
live each day fully and well at the
same time that he is being equip
ped for his choice of college or job,
for his mo choice" responsibility
in troubled world.
Something was said about "Where
there's smoke there's fire." would
4 u q