Evening star., 1952-10-30
Final Plea Made
School Board
Candidates
Montgomery Group
Rates Superintendent
Choice Top Task

The 10 candidates for the four
elected seats on the Montgomery
County Board of Education were
agreed on at least one point to-
day. Selection of a new school
superintendent will be one of the
major tasks confronting the in
coming board.
They voiced such opinions last
night during their final campaign
appearance together before next
Tuesdays election.
The candidates each gave S.
minute talks before a meeting
sponsored by the county's League
of Women Voters and then sub
jected themselves to questioning
from the floor. About $50 persons
attended the rally in the Bethesda
Chevy Chase High School gym
naSium.
Much of the discussion centered
on a successor to DR.. Edwin w.
Broome. who will retire at the
close of this school year. Six Of
the 10 candidates said this would
be the boards most important
problem. The other four gave
lit high priority along with school
financing, meeting school con-
|Struction needs and improving
educational standards and cur
ricula.
Candidates who gave it top pri-
|ority were Leslie M. Able of Rock
vile, Wylie M. Barrow, Chevy
Chase: Mrs. Benjamin B. Baylor.
Bethesda; Walter H. McClenon.
Takoma Park; Willard c. Nc
Graw, Gaithersburg, and DR.. Web
ster Sewell, Norbeck. Those who
gave it co-billing were William F.
Bulls, Rockville; Mrs. Richard L.
Jenkins, Bethesda. and Bryan z.
Kile and Harrison King. both Of
Laytonsville.
Denies Backing Californian.
A report that DR.. Willard E.
'Goslin. ousted Pasadena (CalifD
school superintendent. was being
backed for the job brought a
prompt denial from Mr.. Able dur
ing the questioning. Mr.. Able.
asked if he had conferred with
DR.. Goslin recently in Baltimore.
said he did not even know the
controversial figure and added he
did not deem him suitable" for
Montgomery County. DR.. Goslin
was ousted from his California job
because of charges students were
being indoctrinated with Social
Iistic and Communistic philoso-
lphieS.
Two members Of the present
board. Mr.. Barrow and Mrs. Bay
lor. also stated during their talks
that no controversial figures"
mould be considered.
Another issue which stirred the
candidates was the reported in
dorsement of four of them by the
Americans for Democratic Action.
The four candidates. Mr.. Able.
Mrs. Baylor, Mrs. Jenkins and DR..
SeWell. all expressed surprise at
the Endorsement. Three of them
said they did not learn of it until
yesterday, while Mr.. Able denied
Having any knowledge OF it what
ISoever,
Mrs. Baylor told the audience
she was opposed to any political
action group taking part in a nom
partisan campaign. DR.. Sewell
said he "would be very glad for
their votes" but would refuse aft
ier the election to listen to pleas
that Il helped to vote you in. I
want you to do so and So."
Bulls Opposes Multiple Setup.
One candidate, Mr.. Bulls, urged
county voters to ignore the null
tiple system of balloting and to
select only the candidates they
feel they want. He explained that
persons voting for four choices
might find their favorites among
them defeated while their third
or fourth choices are elected.
The question of textbook CEN
sorship brought votes of conf
dence for the present School
board. Most of the candidates
agreed that selection of textbooks
begins with selection of teachers.
All said they would listen to citi-
zen criticism, however.
Creation of a high school cadet
corps in the county was advocated
by DR.. Sewell, who said such a
move would help develop patri-
otism and give students an oppor-
tunity to learn leadership" and
"folloWShip."