Evening star., 1953-03-31
Public Kindergarten,
For Prince Georges
Approved in House
By . staff Correspondent Of The Star

BY o Stoff Correspondent Of The Stur
ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 3I.--A bill
to authorize public tuition kim
dergartens in Prince Georges
County was on its way to the
Maryland Senate today, after
the House beat down opposition
from Delegates who fear the
spread of public kindergartens
throughout the State.
The final vote in the House
yesterday was SO to SO.
The opposition came mostly
from Baltimore, Worcester, Fred
erick and Hartford Counties, and
to a lesser degree from Balti-
more City.
The measure-the pride and
joy Of young Delegate Harry E.
Taylor, ir.. Republican, of Prince
Georges s-Would authorize the
School Board to establish kim
dergartenS for children 4 and
years old whose parents are will
ing to pay part of the costs. Mr..
Taylor said he does not believe
the cost to the parent would
exceed 500 per child per year,
Envisions Free Kindergartens.
He comedies the purpose Of his
move is to bring about eventual
establishment of a free, county
wide kindergarten system, now
existing in Maryland only in
Montgomery County and Balti-
more City.
Delegate Mary l.. Mock, DEM
ocrat, of Wicomio County, ex-
pressed the views of most Of the
opponents, when she said she
believed the bill has Statewide
implications.
"Next year other counties will
be asking for something SIMILAR 81
she said.
Mr.. Taylor explained that, be-
fore introducing the bill, he had
examined kindergarten laws in
80 other States and that DR..
Thomas G. Pullen, State school
superintendent, has approved its
form.
He pointed out there are II
cooperative kindergartenS in his
county now, but that there is
need for coordination. Children
who progress from private kim
dergartens to public schools
often "have learned too much
in comparison to the other pupils
and are bored" he contended,
Recommittal Fails.
Mr.. Taylor's measure would
authorize the school board to
appoint county director OF
kindergartens, who would estab-
liSh the classes upon petition OF
the parents Of at least 80 would
be pupils. The classes would be
held in a school, church, fire.
house or whatever facilities are
available in each community.
Trained kindergarten teachers
would be employed.
County School Supt. William
s. Schmidt said he approved of
the bill but added that, If it is
to be effective this fall the
county commissioners will have
to vote the school board a supple
mental appropriation. There is
no money in the school budget,
already approved for next fiscal
year, to pay for a kindergarten
director or any affiliated costs,
he explained.
Inventory Tax Cut Voted.
The House yesterday also ap-
proved a bill for a Is per cent
cut in the 2 per cent inventory
tax Prince Georges businessmen
pay annually on stock they have
on hand. The bill now goes to
the Senate.
The Prince Georges delegation
introduced a measure to put a
$40 year annual tax on pinball
machines in the county. It would
bring the county about 900
i'm revenne. said Delegate Albert
r. Hassel, chairman of the Dele
cation.
Meanwhile, Senator ]. r.
Fletcher and Delegate J. Frank
Lillard, jr., both Prince Georges
Republicans, were working fran
tically on a bill to establish q
Peoples Court Of at least two
full-time judges to replace the
present part-time trial magis-
trate system in their county.
They met with a committee from
the County Bar Association on
Sunday and agreed on salient
points to be embodied in the
v~aao e,,~A r. -