Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1951-11-29

Had anyone asked US before last
week who was the most popular
man in Rockville-we probably
should have answered Don't
know" Since we inadvertently
failed last week to mention John
G. Mcdonald as one of those who
has helped keep the city govern
ment going in the absence of May
or Kelly, we know the most popu-
lar must be John. We have all but
been scalped for the omission-not
,Aby the gentle John, who has not
FVmentioned tiff he noticed-but
by his friends.
For the benefit of those of our
readers who are newcomers to The
county we shall dig into our files
and tell you about Mr.. Macdonald
For about three years he has been
officially City Manager of Rock
vile = but long before he attain
ed the title he served in the ca
pacity of manager and was town
engineer and head of the finance
apd the purchasing departments
as well. He first served the town
as consulting engineer in 1880.
While Rockville's population
doubled and then added more thou
sands until the latest estimate is
about 10000 - most of the plan
ming and supervision of water,
sewer and street projects came un-
der his supervision. Since the per
sonnet of the Office of Mayor and
Council has been expanded he now
gives more of his time to admins
trative duties. "Ask John" is still
the most used phrase around the
office-he usually knows the an
f~ers.
- Mr.. Mcdonald attended the fam
Gus Rockville Academy, Columbian
Preparatory School and George
Washington University. In 1925
he married Dorothy Higgins, a
home town girl. They have one
son, John Gordon Mcdonald, Jr.,
a student at Haverford College.
Their home on Van Buren, Street
is one of the most attractive in
Rockville.
A member of the Presbyterian
Church, Mr.. Mcdonald is also a
member of the Rockville Rotary
Club, the Prince Georges-Mont-
gOmery County Engineers Club
and of the International City Man
ayers Association.
When Washington W. White
called the roll of the pupils who
attended the Laytonsville Elemen-
tary School in 1895 on the occasion
of the dedication of the new school
which stands almost on the old
site - there were few present to
answer to their names. MANY
changes have come in the almost
so years.
Mr.. White has kindly allowed
us to use the notes he made for
the splendid talk he gave on the
3 history of the school at the dedi-
cation on November 10, 1851.
The first school of which there
is record stood on what is now the
William Fulks farm on the laf:
side of the Laytonsville Unity
Road and was recently torn down.
The second school was just across
the road on the farm fthe late
Henry Griffith and is used as a
tenant house. ....
The four-room school on the
present grounds was built in 1901.
Two rooms were finished and oc-
cupied for the first time in Janu-
airy, 1905. Miss Mabel Condor
was principal and Miss Lena Bar
wick was assistant. The trustees
were Frank Dwyer, Thomas AL
mutt and W. D. Bell. (all deceasedD
In 1909 Miss Mary Oliphant Che
late Mrs. Vernon Fulks) succeeded
Miss Condor and served until 1881.
Mrs. Fulks was credited with being
fine instructor who sent sone
brilliant students on to seek higher
Aoducation. ..... .....
In 1913 the one-room school at
FClaysville was closed and two
horse wagon brought the children
to Laytonsville. It was one of the