Evening star., 1953-04-01
By ChorIes [. Hoffman

lie WILL get IN return 3 bfoao
smile. a pat on the back and an
"Off with you now"
But ask him about the county
schools and their progress and
he'll talk freely. In reality the
talk will be about himself. for
the schools are his life.
Born on a farm at Jamestown
in 1885, he attended the Andrew
Small Academy there. He joined
the school system in 1906.
For two years he taught at a
one-room school at Cabin John.
Then in 1908 he was named as
sistant superintendent Of schools.
Nine years later, during World
War I. he became superintend-
ent.
In those days there were about
40 one-room schools in the then
rural county. There were a few
small high schools-with from
two to five teachers each-at
Rockville, Poolesville, Damascus,
Gaithersburg and Sandy Spring
The entire county teaching staff
was less than some high schools
now have.
Friends Reveal Story.
Most, of DR.. Broome'S story
must be obtained from his friends
and associates, like Thomas w.
Pyle, former principal for %
years at Bethesda Chevy Chase
High School and now assistant
superintendent.
Somewhere along the line, and
it was early in his life, Mr.. Pyle
says, DR.. Broome caught q GER
tain dream"
Possibly it was this dream
which has endeared him to the
thousands Of children he has
known, for it was focused on
his tremendous faith in the pos
sihilities for the growth Of q
child.
Out Of this faith grew his
leadership in continually press
ing for better schools. better
teachers and better parents. All
tl1Sse, he believes, create q sit
uation in which the child can
reach his greatest stature.
As ~ result Of his dream
Montgomery County has been
in the forefront in establishment
Of kindergartens. junior high
schools, junior colleges, the
school lunch program, consol-
idated high schools and a single
salary schedule for elementary
and high school teachers.
Fought for Equalization Fund
DR.. Broome was a leader in
establishment Of the State school
equalization fund which aimed
at givinga children throughout
the State equal opportunity fol
learning and growth, regardless
of where the taxable wealth lay
One Of his chief accomplish
ments was the setting up Of the
State teachers retirement sys-
tenn.
An avid baseball fan-he used
to steal of occasionally to see q
game-Dr.. Broome conceded he
got the idea for the retirement
system one day in 1924 while
attending, a game with the late
DR.. Albert S. Cook, then State
superintendent. He suggested the
plan and DR.. Cook gave him the
go ahead. Four years later, the
system-still a model for other
States-was established by the
General Assembly.
Another of DR.. Broome's old
friends is Mrs. Lucy Barnsley,
who retired two years ago after
35 years as a county teacher.
Mrs. Barnsley says she learned
more from DR.. Broome about
children and teaching than she
did in any normal school.
She recalls the superintendent
in his younger days as q timid,
very reserved man with a keen
sense of humor and a storehouse
Of witty anecdotes"
Joined in Glass Activity.
Mrs. Barnsley for many years
taught in "a small school. DR..
Broome, she says. often visited
these schools and always joined
in the class activity. If the chill
dren were sitting on the floor,
he did the same.
One of DIR. Broome's early ac-
compliShmentS was standardiza-
ton Of the one-room school.
The process instituted individual
drinking cups in place Of the old
community dipper, put q pro-
tective screen around the pot
bellied stove to keep the children
from roasting on one side and
freezing on the other" and
added . small library to each
school.
"Atlot Of people called It nom
sense" Mr.. Pyle said, for they
feared too many residents would
then want to retain the one
room schools.
DR.. Broome, however, believed
in progressing step by step. In
the 1920S. the increased under
standing Of educational needs
helped the movement for con-
solidatiun Of schools.
Buries Himself in His Work.
Much Of this success can be
attributed to his submerging of
himself in his work. Mr.. Pyle
says.
The superintendent comedies
he can't recall when he last took
q vacation except for "the time
when I was sick" Several years