Evening star., 1952-10-22
Montgomery Group
Criticized for BACKING
School Board Slate

More fuel was added last night
to the controversy raging over in
dorsement of four candidates for
the Montgomery County School
Board by the Citizens Committee
for Public Schools.
The occasion was candidates
meeting in the Sherwood High
School, Sandy Spring. in which
the 10 School Board aspirants
went campaigning for votes from
the county's rural area.
Criticism of the associations in.
dorsement of a specific slate was
expressed by three unindorsed
candidates and the president of
the County Civic Federation.
In turn, the associations action
was defended by two other candi-
dates and a vice president Of the
citizens group.
It all started near the end of
the session, after each of the can
didates had presented their cam
paign views. A question from the
floor concerning the issue led
Candidate William F. Bulls of
Rockville to renew his attack.
Pressure Group"
The associations Endorsement,
he charged, puts the organization
into the category of a pressure
group" It also places the in
dorsed candidates of being in a
position, if elected, of owing their
nomination to the association, he
declared.
Candidate Bryan z. Kile of
Laytonsville, said he had no quar-
rel with the associations objec-
tives but blamed the group for not
distributing enough information.
He accused the association OF
taking it's stand at a nominating
convention last June in which
there were only about 100 county
residents in attendance. OF this
number, Mr.. Kile said, so were
new members taken in that night
and dues of half of these were
paid for by one man."
Candidate Walter H. McClenon
|of Takoma Park, told the audience
|of 125 persons that one-third Of
those at the convention were op-
/ posed to putting up only four
candidates.
Smelling States Stand.
Henry H. Smelling, the civic
federation president, who was part
of last nights audience, said he
withdrew from the nominating
body after it became apparent
that, instead Of getting qualified
candidates, we we're getting four
candidates with definite ideas. "
He said the association could just
as we'll have indorsed IL candi-
dates as 4.
Jerome j. Harris of Chevy Chase
a vice president of CAPS, Be-
thesda Chevy Chase area. defended
| the groups action. He denied that
it was pressure group and said
membership in the association was
lopen to any one interested in
county schools for 81 in dues.
Four Nominated.
At the convention. Mr.. Harris
explained, there were "18 or 49,
county residents who were willing
to serve. Four were nominated
he added. by majority vote"
One of the four, Mrs. Benjamin
B. Baylor of Bethesda. told the
gathering she was appointed tc
the School Board two years ago
as result of similar nominating
convention.
Another. Willard G. McGraw o1
Gaithersburg. said there might
have been no candidates from hi:
district of the county had he moi
been nominated that night.
The other two indorsed candi-
dates, Mr.. Harris said. are Leslie
NJ. Able of Rockville and DR.
Webster Sewell of Norbeck.
Negro physician. Mr.. Harris
added, however, he personally fell
all 10 candidates have qualiflca'
tions to serve.
Bulls Introduces Issue.
Earlier, during their campaign
talks, the issue was introduced By
both Mr.. Bulls and Mr.. McClenon
Mr.. Bulls accused the association
of bringing politics into th'
board" in a supposedly nonparti'
san election. In indorsing onl!
four candidates, he said, the as
sociation has "disqualified then
by trying to force their election.
i Other candidates who spok'
last night were Wylie w. Barrow
Chevy Chase; Mrs. Richard L
jenkins. Bethesda. and Harrison
King, Laytonsville.
Four School Board members viii
be elected November 4 in the frs
balloting of it's kind in Mont.
gOmery County.