Evening star., 1952-11-03
Ten Seeking
-Four Seats on
School Board

Nnor9eS OF TolltICS
Mark Ruce in
Montgomery County
More heat than light has been
created in the 10-way race for
four seats on the Montgomery
County School board which heads
for an election day windup to-
morrow.
Charges of politics" and re-
peated attacks on a four-man
slate nominated and supported by
the Citizens Association for Pub
lie Schools have overshadowed is-
sues involved in the election.
Numerous residents have ex-
pressed inability to decide who
they should vote for simply be-
cause the candidates themselves.
limited in most public appear
ances to short address, have gen.
eralized on various questions.
The existence among the candi-
dates of four man economy
minded" group comprising Will
liam F. Bulls, Harrison c. King.
Bryan z. Kile and Walter H. Nc
Clennon became noticeable, how
ever, as the campaign came to a
climax.
Mr.. King and Mr.. Kile, both of
Laytonsville, have the support of
the County Farm Bureau, which
sent out post cards last week urg-
ing their election. Mr.. Kile, a
Government employe, lives on q
200-acre farm. Mr.. King, how
ever, is the only candidate whose
sole livelihood comes from farm
ing.
The original charge of politics
was cast by Mr.. Bulls, himself, an
operator Of a private school in
Silver Spring.
Calls Slate Hand Picked"
Mr.. Bulls charged the CAPS
slate was "hand-picked" by O
small group not really representa-
tive OF the county. He termed
CAPS a pressure group" and said
any attempt by such a group to
control the school board brought
politics into what was supposed to
be- non-partisan election.
The CAPS slate includes L.
Morgan Able, of Rockville; DR..
Webster Sewell of Norbeck, and
Willard G. McGraw, of Gathers
burg, one each from the three Up
county council districts, and Mrs.
Ben B. Baylor. of Bethesda, at
large, a member Of the present
appointed school board.
CAPS has denied it is a pressure
group or that it is playing politics.
In past years. a convention has
been held in the county to select
names Of persons to submit to
the Governor for appointment to
the county school board.
This year. CAPS organized and.
according to Nathan r.. Gilbert,
president, aimed at insuring quail
fed candidates from the upper
county districts would be running
for the school board. &
The other so-called "independ-
ent" candidates have joined MIR.
Bulls either publicly or privately
in criticizing CAPS tactics of in
dorsing only four candidates and
working solely for their election.
CAPS points out that four of
the other candidates - Mr.. Nc.
Clenon, Mrs. Richard L. Jenkins,
a Bethesda housewife and text
book author, Mr.. Kile and Mr..
King, were considered by the
CAPS convention last June.
Question Naming Just Four.
Some Of the candidates, how
ever. say CAPS should have in
dorsed all the candidates they felt
were qualified for the board posi-
lions instead Of just four.
AS the election day approaches.
the rural-suburban line is more
definite than most observers first
realized.
It has been strongly intimated
that II some upcounty residents
are not victorious Tuesday, the
Farm Bureau may challenge the
Of the election.
The law which provides for this
1rst school board election in the
State calls for seven board mem-
,ers, one each from the five coun-
ii districts and two to be elected
lt-large.
All seven members will be elect
ID in 1854, but for the interim
'lection this year. the law failed
% state how the members were
o be chosen. The Board of Elec-
ion Supervisors ruled that all four
would be elected at-large.
Upper county residents feel they
lave been left out of the picture
90 long. The. present appointed
ix-nan board has no representa-
i've on 1t from the rural areas.
,APS Endorsement has been q
eport that four Of the candi-
lates, Mr.. Baylor, Mr.. Able, Mrs.
enkins and DR.. Sewell. have been
ndorsed by the Americans for
Democratic Action.
Deny knowledge Of Action.
When questioned about the re.
orted Endorsement, all the candi.
ates either denied knowledge Of
or said they had learned Of it
My q day or so prior to the
Meeting when the report was
lade public.
Mrs. Baylor at that time de-
ried participation Of political
ction group in the non-partisan
lection.
Mrs. Baylor and Wylie M. Bar
DIV of Chevy Chase have been
ldorsed by q number of county
'eekly newspapers. Both are