Evening star., 1949-02-09

tomary convenience Of public transportation.
This practice is very rare on streetcar lines.
I am sure that many folks will agree with
this point Of view.
ROBERT EMMETT BURKE.
Prince Georges School Board
To the Editor Of The star
I feel constrained to answer a question
How would projecting the County School
politics?" posed in an editorial in the Prince
Georgian, weekly newspaper published in
Hyattsville, Prince Georges County, Md, is
sue Of January 81.
Ir all of the % counties of Maryland the
members Of the school boards have been ap-
pointed by the Governor. The General AS
Semfly which now is in session At Annapolis
is beng asked to enact legislation authoriz-
ing the citizens of MONTGOMERY and Prince
Georges Counties to select the members of
their School Boards by popular vote. Bills
have been drafted and presented to that
effect.
The Prince Georgian editorial contains,
among others. the statements that: Men
and women Of the type we need for our
school boards are just not going to subject
themselves to the villif1cation and the abuse
that seems an important part of our election
system and His (the Governor's) interest
is much greater than the interest of so
many voters who only 60 to the polls when
1t is convenient"
For the information of the editor of the
Prince Georgian. I desire to call attention
to a report compiled by the National Edu-
cation Association. 1901 Sixteenth street
NV, dated April. 1916. showing that the
school boards are elected by popular vote
in IS per cent Of the cities of the United
States. and that the boards are elected in
"a per cent Of all of the counties Of the
United States. See Research Bulletin of the
Status Of Boards oFEducation, VOL "a. No. z.
At meeting of the Prince Georges Cham
Der of Commerce January 26 County Supt.
of Schools G. Gardner Shugart said that
school authorities have found that the
appointive system is far superior"
The above is a sad commentary, If true,
on the intelligence of our citizens. In a
bulletin issued by the Federal Security
Agency. United States Once of Education
s3s-1s4O-Practices and Concepts Relating
to City Boards Of Education. col. l. chap.
VII, page S. it was declared that: Tn gen
eral authorities on school administration
are In favor of election .(of school boards
by popular vote" and ''the opinion Of those
favoring 1t is' that by the elective method
the people take more interest than under
the sppointive method" These statements
seem to discredit the contention advanced
! sby the eait0M ~ thu RrancExG Georgian and
also the statement aileRed to have been
made before the Chamber OF Commerce by
Supt. Shugart.
It is to be admitted that this is a con-
troversial subject but am desirous that the
citizens Of our county be Informed on both
sides of it. especially since I drafted the
proposed bill for Prince Georges County. as
directed by the Prince Georges County Civic
Federation, Inc. DANIEL M. GREENE.
Chairman, Committee on Laws and Legis-
lation Prince Georges County Civic Fed
Grafton, Avondale, Md.
Gov. Dewey Complimented
To the Editor of The Star:
It seems that Gov. Dewey is getting a great
deal of unjust criticism. I wonder how any
one can know the thoughts of 10000. 900
people. The Republicans need no face lift
ing. They need only to unite and work in
harmony.
Mr.. Dewey would have won had the stay
at-homes gone to the polls and voted. He
is q fine, outstanding young man whom the
Republicans need and there is no reason why
he should not 60 on in politics. If he so
desires. Herbert Hoover was pushed around
for years after his administration, but he
always has been grand citizen.
Mr.. Dewey still is tops in my opinion, and
when the Republicans lay aside jealousy and
pickering their day will come.
REPUBLICAN,.
To the Editor OF The Star:
Miss Fleeson indicated in her column Janu-
ary 81 that nowhere in the country was
there now an articulate Dewey follower. Well.
here Is one-and know of many others!
Anybody who relegates Thomas E. Dewey
to political obscurity probably never appre-
ciated his ability and dignity in the first
place-and could be guilty OF just wishful
thinking. I hope his record and his Aneri-
canism cause him to be reckoned with at
least every four years-for long time! After
all, anything can happen! 1t has!
LOUISE r. BERGMAN.
Features of the Melish Case
To the Editor Of The Star:
Public attention, I think. should be dl-
r>otad tn tu,n norticu1arl rlv Hisn,lietinr fRa.