Evening star., 1949-06-12
Reappointment
Urged for Z on
Planning Group
Mrs. Pitts Bocked
By Prince Georges
Democratic Unit

Democratic Unit
The Prince Georges County
Democratic State Central Com
mittee announced yesterday it
had recommended to Gov. Lane
the appointment Of two members
of the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
and Of Mrs. II. Edna Pitts, Repub-
lican member of the countys
Board of Education.
The committees recommenda-
tions usually are tantamount TO
appointment by the Democratic
Governor.
Recommended to succeed them
selves for six more years on the
Planning Commission were NJ.
Robert Watkins and Herbert w.
Wells, both of College Park.
Mrs. Pitts, who lives at 3716
Forty-first avenue. Cottage City.
also was proposed for another six
year term.
The terms of all three had ex-
pired May but since no success
sors were named. they remained
in office.
The State Central Committee. in
a meeting Friday night at the
home of Mrs. Mary w. Browning.
Riverdale, also recommended the
appointments Of William S. Wise
of +. Clinton and Clyde I. Fletcher.
3413 Rhode Island avenue, Mount
Rainier, as committing magis-
trates for the Surrattsville and
Chillum election districts. respect
lively.
Served Since 1889.
Mr.. Watkins, senior Prince
Georges County member on the
planning commission, has served
since 1899 when he was named
to succeed the late Frank B.
Smith of Mount Rainier. The
latter had been named at that
time as a member Of the Wash
ington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission. He was reappointed to
q six-year term in 1943.
A builder and real estate
broker with Offices in College
Park, Mr.. Watkins currently is
land purchasing officer for the
planning group. He originally was
in charge of the agency's street.
naming project. He lives at 4502
Beechwood road. College Park.
Mr.. Wells. who lives two doors
away at 4506 Beechwood road
was appointed to the Park and
Planning Commission in 1947
succeeding Dwight B. Gait, cur
rent chairman of the Sanitary
Commissions. A fuee oil dealer
Mr.. Wells also Is q councilman
at-large In, College Park.
All Three Are Defnserats.
Irwin I. Main of Seat Pleasant,
the county's third planning COM
mission member and also chair
man of the bicounty group. has
two more years to serve. All
three county members are Demo-
Gratis
Mrs. Pitts, for the last 10 years
an employe of the Army Judge
Advocate Generals Offlce, was
first appointed to the School Board
In 1887 by the late Gov. Nice, q
Republican. She resigned, how
ever. two years later when she
went to work for the Government
after the death of her husband,
Edwin B. Pitts. Mrs. Evelyn
Hatcher of Lanham was named in
her place.
In 1943, Mrs. Pitts was named
by Gov. O'Conor (now Senator
O'Conor) to succeed Mrs. Hatcher.
Formerly active in Parent-Teacher
Association circles, Mrs. Pitts Is
secretary Of the Board of Manage
ment of the County's Suburban
YMCA. She Is a past State presi-
dent Of the Rebekah Assembly Of
the Odd Fellows of Maryland. She
recently was reelected as vice
president Of the Board of Educa-
ton.
Other Board Members.
The other School Board. mem
bers, j. Frank Dent of Clinton.
president, and Ormond w. Phair
of Laurel, still have more time
to serve.
Thee State Central Committee,
a group headed by Charles s.
Early. of Brandywine. reported
that Mrs. Pitts nomination, even
though she is a Republican. also
had the approval of'other Demo-
cratic leaders in the county. Ap-
pointment of a minority member,
the committee asserted, Is not re-