davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1953-12-16

It's getting so an old fire en-
glne needs priority to find shell
ter in Alexandria.
The city's old Champion steam
pumper has been moved from the
Friendship Firehouse to make
room for even older fire equip
ment that the city soon expects
back in it's fold.
Friendship is. being prepared
to receive the original fire engine
that George Washington gave
Alexandria in ITS. Alexandria
Mayor Marshal j. Beverley plans
to bring the George Washington
engine back from Baltimore on
February %.
There also will be room at
Friendship to display another
piece of fancy antique fire appa-
ratus which the city hopes to get
back from Hudson, N. Y. 1t is
currently being exhibited at the
f1remen's home there. Yankee
troops captured it in Alexandria
during the Civil War and Mayor
Beverley has asked for its re-
turn.
With so much old equipment
in the offing, the Champion
Evening star., 1953-12-16
S5OO,OOO Armory Lot
Payment Held Up

The Montgomery County Coun-
Gil is holding up payment of
$500,000 to the Maryland Ma
tional Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission for the Armory
lot now being used as a county
parking lot.
The council held up the check
yesterday on advice of County
Attorney David Macdonald.
The lot, taken over by the
council several weeks ago. has
been graded, stoned and opened
for parking.
Mr.. Macdonald asked that the
check be held up until a deed
from the Hecht Co. for a nearly
2-acre tract on Colesville road
is cleared up. Mr.. Macdonald
does not like the wording that
calls for the lots use for public
or municipal or civic purposes.
The council agreed it did not
want it's hands tied on future
use of the property. The tract
was given the county as part
of a package deal in the Armory
lot purchase.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Arlington Federal Housing
Nearly Empty, Kimel Says

Families in the five Federal
housing projects of Arlington are
rapidly moving out to meet the
January 81 deadline for vacancy
Alvin Kimel, a member of the
Arlington County Board, said
yesterday.
Mr.. Kimel. speaking to the
Arlington Ministerial Association
in Rock Spring Congregational
Church, pointed out that only
three families are left in the
Shirley, Early and Stuart pro-
jects which have 1,700 units.
THE Pickett homes have 81
per cent vacancies in 492 units,
and the Carver homes q per
cent vacancies in SO units" Mr..
Kimel added.
Robert johnson, secretary Of
the Arlington Chamber of Com
merce, told the ministers the
latest census gives Arlington
County nearly 10000 popula-
ton.
He also reported that the
average income per person in
the country is $2,015 year. and
the family annual income 5000.
Evening star., 1953-12-16

Alexandria's Chamber of Com
merce wants to build an Office
building on land owned. by the
city at Washington and Wolfe
streets, the school board was in
formed last night.
The property is adjacent to
the Washington School. now
used for school board Offices,
and the old Alexandria Academy,
which George Washington gave
funds to help establish.
The school board voted to ask
the Chamber to make its re-
quest for use of the tract to the
City Council. The board took
no formal action indicating
whether it approves the plan.
Supt T. C. Williams, in a re-
port to the board, said standard
test results show that eighth
grade Alexandria Negro students
are about two years behind white
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Arlington Sales Tax
Opposed by Mann

Harrison Mann, Arlington del.
egate-elect to the Virginia Gen.
eral Assembly. today rejected a
suggestion that the county seek
authority from the Assembly for
a county sales tax.
eve may have to come to it
Ca sales taxi" Mr., Mann de-
clared. to meet our need for
school and other capital re-
quirements, but right now I am
not persuaded of it's necessity
and it should only be a means Of
the very last resort"
Yesterday Arlington's State
Senator Charles r. Fenwick an
nounced the county's delegation
had been asked to study such a
measure by the Arlington County
Board and the boards legislative
advisory committee.
senator FenWlck, Delegate j.
Maynard Magruder and Dele
gate-elect Mrs. Kathryn Stone
have not announced their stand.
The boards suggestion was
that authority for the county to
have a public referendum on
local sales tax of not more than
2 per cent be sought in the Legis-
lature.
Mr.. Mann said the county is
apparently only "a few years"
away from the point when real
estate taxes can stifle the growth
of the community. But he said
careful study should be given
any proposal for new taxation.
Evening star., 1953-12-16

Tonight's National Symphony
Orchestra program is going down
to posterity.
Conductor Howard Mitchell
and his 86 musicians are to rec
ord the contents of the concert
in sessions starting next Sunday
the orchestra's first recording
venture in some years.
Programmed tonight are the
Brahms violin concerto. Aaron
Copland's Appalachian Spring
and the first symphony by the
Russian composer, Dmitri Shos-
takovich.
Slated for recording also are
five works not being played to-
night - the second and third
symphonies by the American
composer Paul Creston. Cop
lands Dances from Billy the
Kid" and eel Salon Mexico" and
Shostakovich's age Of Gold"
ballet music.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Arlington Board
Approves Purchase
OF Six School Buses

The way was clear today for
purchase of six new buses by the
Arlington School Board under a
resolution approved by the
county board last night.
The County Board declined,
however, to approve the method
of financing proposed by the
school board to meet the esti-
mated cost of about $4,000 to
buy and operate the buses for
the rest of this school year.
The school board had re-
quested that $4,000 be taken
from excess funds IN the instruc-
ton budget and that the re-
mainder of the needed funds be
transferred from unbudgeted sur
plus-money received in access
of expected collections.
The county board agreed to
the $4,000 transfer from the
instruction category, but said. in
effect, that the school board
could take the remaining $4,000
from it's contingency fund.
In another resolution, at it's
meeting last night, the county
board approved appropriation of
$20,923.69 from the unbudgeted
surplus to the school cafeteria
fund.
The school board said the
auditor, Roy H. Halquist, had
recommended the transfer to
cover a deficit resulting from the
rising cost of food, increased
operating costs and a reduction
in the number of children buy
ing lunch because of an increase
in the price of lunch.
The $21, 900 deficit covered the
school year which ended last
June 30.
Evening star., 1953-12-16

The little understood work of
a counselor, she explained, is not
merely to help students select a
career, but also to guide in edu-
cational and personal matters.
"Childrens' emotional crises at
any school age present grave
problems. Deaths, serious ILL
nesses and other complexities in
homes often are sharply reflected
in skidding report cards"
Occasionally, children will
show signs of physical handicaps,
such as heart trouble. The
counselor rearranges the child's
entire school life. Class periods
are readjusted, walking distances
are shortened and other means
are used to give such children
an even chance.
When problems of these and
other kinds are too difficult for
local solution, counselors ask for
aid from county school officials
who have special services avail
able, including visiting teachers.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
National Symphony's Program
7 Toniqht to Live on Records

The orchestra recently played
the world premiere of the third
Creston symphony in Baltimore.
Preliminary plans. for the
record-making were disclosed
last week end. The orchestra
will use the Jessie Moon Holton
Gymnasium at Holton Arms
School for the sessions, which
are, scheduled over four days.
Westminster Recording Co.. of
New York, is doing the recording.
Julian 'Olevsky, 26-year-o
violin soloist on tonight's con-
cert. will record the concerto.
Appalachian Spring" is being
played tonight in memory of
Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge.
The piece was commissioned by
the Coolidge Foundation In the
Library Of Congress.
The concert, at Constitution
Hall. will start at $3.50 pm. 4
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Alexandra c. of c. Seeks City
Land as Office Building Site

students in achievement and
mental maturity. He said this
relative standing is about the
same as in previous years.
The test results we're presented
by the superintendent in advis-
ing the board of possible prob
lens which could result from a
Supreme Court decision ending
segregation.
Mr.. Williams said he expected
that the State Department of
Education would have time to
make study and give directions
to local school boards, in the
event that segregation is ended
In another part of his report,
the superintendent said the city
has applied for Federal aid in
the amount Of $150.000 under
Public Law 8T4. This law pro-
vides funds to areas where there
has been heavy influx Of Fed
eral employees since 1850. 4
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Ancient Fire Engines Compete
For Shelter in Alexandria

built in 1863-just didn't stand a
chance.
Mayor Beverley declared, how
ever, that the Champion would
be carefully cared for in storage
until Friendship can be expanded
to make room for it.
The Champion currently is be-
ing kept at the A. B. & w. bus
yards. 1t was to be covered today
with large tarpaulin to protect
it from the weather.
The Champion was bought by
Alexandria in 1871 and was the
first engine of the old Columbia
Company which still exists as
No. 4 Company.
1t won the title champion"
with repeated victories over
other steam engines in fire fight
ing contests of it's day.
An old Firemen's Journal says
that the Champion had the best
record of any steamer in the
world around the 1900's.
For many years, the Champion
rusted in a shed in Alexandria.
Some ten years ago it was re-
paired by Fort Belvoir soldiers.
Since then it has been displayed
at Friendship.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Suspended Chief Gets Chance
For Prince Georges Hearing

, F. Allen Richards, the Sus-
pended police chief of Prince
Georges County, has been told,
in effect, that he can have a
hearing if he wants to, but a
three-member majority of the
Board of County Commissioners
is already convinced that he
should be dismissed.
That was the gist of a state
ment sent to him yesterday by
Edward J. Waters and w. Ever
ett Marion, the two County Com
missioners seeking Richards dis
missal.
The statement purported to be
the letter of specific charges
against Chief Richards which
Mr.. Marion and Mr.. Waters
promised to send him last Fri
day after they succeeded in get
ting the chief indefinitely sus-
pended by a 80 vote of the
commissioners. Mrs. H. Wilson
Spicknall was the other COM
missioner voting with the ma
jority.
Actually, the statement pre-
sented only one incident in
which Chief Richards conduct
was questioned. The statement
listed the date and place of the
incident. but did not specify in
what way Richards was guilty
of any misconduct.
Majority Agrees.
Richards said he is hiring a
lawyer, but lit looks like los
ing fight"
He said that as he read the
statement sent to him yester-
day by commissioners Marion
and Waters, "it would seem that
the majority of the board al
ready has made up their minds
that I should be dismissed"
The statement says that "a
majority opinion" of the board
of county commissioners "is al
ready convinced that the charges
are justified" and that motion
for dismissal is now in order.
The charges referred to are
the allegations of personal mis-
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Maryland U. Board
Meets Today Pick
Successor 10 Byrd

The University of Maryland
Board of Regents was meeting
in College Park today to pick a
new president so that DR.. H. C.
Byrd will be free to run for
Governor.
Whether the regents will be
able to name permanent or
merely temporary successor
was still a moot question as
they prepared to sit down to-
gether at 2 o'clock this after
noon.
At last months meeting, a
, special committee of regents as
signed the task of screening pos
Sible successors suggested that a
temporary or acting president
might have to be named. Com
mittee members said they had
encountered difficulty in finding
a man who could take over the
post by January /, when DR.
Byrd is scheduled to retire after
II years as president.
Speculation as to who might
be named acting president. if
such an appointment becomes
necessary, has centered around
Judge William P. Cole, chair
man of the regents; Dean of
Men Geary F. Eppley, and Dr.
Harold F. Cotterman, dean of
the faculty.
However, Charles P. Nc
Cormick, a member of the
regents committee, said it still
might be possible before today's
meeting to find a permanent
successor.
After the meeting, the regents
will join a host of VIPs who will
gather at the university tonight
to honor DR.. Byrd for his long
service to the school as football
coach, instructor. assistant pres
ident, and finally. as president.
Gov. McKeldin, who conceiv-
ably might find himself cam
paigning against Dr. Byrd next
| fall, is to be the principal speaker
at the testimonial banquet to be
held in University dining hall at
1880 tonight.
Also scheduled to speak to-
night are two former Maryland
governors, w. Preston Lane and
Herbert r. O'Conor.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Head of Maryland Teachers
lis SuitI0nd School Counselor
Miss Soruh Letter
Always Ready
To Help Students
By ]. /. Michoel

Giving good advice to boys and
girls at critical moments is the
life work of Miss Sarah L. Letter,
new head of the Maryland
Teachers Association.
Both central and southern
sections of the State claim as
their own the attractive associa-
ton president, who is now coun-
selor at the big Suitland Junior
Senior High School in Prince
Georges County.
A native of Hagerstown and
a product of it's public schools,
Miss Letter was graduated from
Hood College at Frederick with
an ALB. degree. She taught for
time in the Middletown. Md,
High School and then enrolled
in the Teachers College of Co
lumbia University in New York.
There she won a masters de-
gree in vocational guidance. She
came to Prince Georges County
in 1946 as counselor at Lyndon
Hill Junior High School, Cap
itol Heights, and transferred to
Suitland when that school was
opened in 1851.
Miss Letter headed Frederick
and Prince Georges County
Teachers Associations and was
member of the State associa-
tion's executive committee for
two years before she became it's
president.
Under her direction, the State
organization this year will center
it's programs around efforts to
better acquaint instructors with
Maryland's public affairs. This
does not mean, Miss Letter
stressed, that teachers will try
to learn politics as the profess
sionals know it.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Maryland Program
Cited as Answer 10
SociaIized Medicine

Maryland's pioneer program Of
medical care for the INDECENT is
her answer to the threat of So
cialized medicine. Gov. McKeldir
told the Montgomery County
! Medical Association last night.
The Governor spoke at din
ner celebrating the associations
50th anniversary at the Wood
mont Country Club. Nearly 40C
persons attended.
mo government" the Cover
nor said, "can assume or hon.
estly pretend to assume respon-
sibility for the health of its citi-
zens in general. That response
bility must remain the job of
the individual practitioner of
medicine and surgery"
Continued Cooperation Urged.
He urged the doctors to con-
tinue cooperation with the
State in the medical field and
outlined the strides that have
been made in Maryland's pro-
gram of medical care for the
INDECENT and medically INDECENT
He said State mental care en-
abled the release of 2,449 pa
tients from mental hospitals ir
Maryland this year. compared
with 1873 in the previous year
and 1923 the year before.
He said that in 1943 with
360,857 patient days provided ir
State tuberculosis hospitals
there were 361 hospital deaths
and 1918 resident deaths. This
was cut to 324,210 patient days
in 1850 with only 1875 hospital
deaths and 855 resident deaths
and last year with 341, 1868 pa
tient days there were only IL;
hospital deaths and 637 resident
deaths.
Cites a Main Object.
In reviewing the associations
50-year history DR.. j. w. BIRD
said one of its main objectives
has been to fight the threat OF
socialized medicine by bringing
spiritual and emotional aid as
we'll as physical comfort to the
sick.
The association started with
81 member doctors and now has
255. There is no shortage OF
competent doctors in Montgom-
cry County today. DR.. Bird de-
clared.
No original member of the
association is living today, but
DR.. Bird paid special tribute to
what he termed the county's last
two 'horse and buggy doctors
the late DR.. Upton NourSe and
DR.. c. Max Boyer, ST., now re-
tired.
Dr. William S. Murphy is pres
ident of the association.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Swiffer Action Sought
In Non Support Cases
BY the Assoeieied Press

BALTIMORE, Dec. 16.-Ham-
ilton p. Fox. jr., States attorney
for Wicomico County, has asked
the General Assembly to enlarge
the powers magistrate has in
criminal prosecutions brought
against husbands for failure to
support their wives and children.
Mr.. Fox said in a letter to the
Legislative Council that defend
ants in such cases are now using
the preliminary procedures in
magistrate courts to stall nom
support actions against them.
The result. he said, is that
wives and children have to 60 on
relief until their cases come up
in Circuit Court. a
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Falls Church Bond Issue
Sold at 81 Pei. Interest

The city of Falls Church has
sold its 100000 street and storm
sewer bond issue at an effective
interest rate of 3.17769 per cent.
The City Council last night
accepted a combined bid from
five firms.
Joining in the successful bid
were B. j. Van Ingen & Co. New
York: F. w. Craigie & Co.. Rich
mond; Goodwin & Olds, of Wash
ington; C. F. CaSsell 81 Co.
Charlottesville, and Peoples Ma
tional Bank, Charlottesville.
There was one other bidder.
Scott, Horner & Mason, of
Lynchburg.
The city already has started
work on the capital improve
ment program by using funds
from temporary loan.
Evening star., 1953-12-16

conduct and misuse of county
property made against Chief
Richards by Mr.. Marion and Mr..
Waters in getting the chief sus-
pended last Friday.
Stating that lit is our desire
to be quite fair in these matters, ,"
Mr.. Marion and Mr.. Waters then
declared in their letter to Rich
ards:
"We, representing this ma
jority, are trying to convince
the minority that this man
(Richards) has not done a salts
factory job for the citizens of
Prince Georges County and con-
sequently an unsatisfactory job
for the commissioners who are
accountable for the performance
of his department; and there
fore subsequent motion for his
dismissal is justified.
Incident Related.
The statement says that "in
an effort to assure every possible
consideration toward this gentle
man" and minimize the un-
pleasant publicity which has al
ready attended this matter" Mr.
Waters and Mr. Marion do not
intend at this time to present
all of their charges against chief
Richards.
The statement then presents
the incident in which miscon-
duct by Richards was supposed
ly involved.
Mr.. Marion told reporters that
if this one incident isn't enough
to bring the dismissal he and his
colleague are seeking, then We'll
bring out the other charges"
Evening star., 1953-12-16
Christmas Tree Sole

The Silver Spring (Md) XII
wants Club is conducting a
Christmas tree sale on the lot at
Colesville road and Spring street.
Proceeds will be used for the
groups welfare and charity work.
The organization also is operat-
ing the parking lot which has
been opened to cars for the
holiday season.
Evening star., 1953-12-16
POIiCeCOunseI
Challenges Pay
Power Of Board
Council Can Order
Ruise, Sheorin Says
Of Veto Ruling

A Leading montgomery County
attorney has challenged the
untouchable authority which
County Attorney David Macdon-
aid says the Personnel Board
has in salary matters.
Plummer M. Shearin, attorney
and head of the County Charter
Committee, challenged the al
legged authority in an opinion he
rendered for the county police
association.
The association is seeking a
pay increase which the Person.
mel Board and the county man
ager have refused to recommend.
Some councilmen favor the SAL
ary increase out of the emer-
gency fund.
Mr.. Macdonald had told the
council it could appropriate the
money for the increase but it
would lie idle if the Personnel
Board refused to recommend a
change in the police salary
schedule.
Does any one seriously con-
tend the county Personnel Board
by mere failure to act, could
thwart the councils proposal in
this regard?" Mr.. Shearin asked,
Of Legislative Nature.
Mr. Shearin said the estab-
lishment of salaries is an act
that is legislative in nature
He added the sole authority to
enact local laws, ordinances,
rules and regulations is reposed
in the council.
The charter leader said it
seemed clearly intended by the
Montgomery Charter that the
County Personnel Board shall be
subordinate to the council in
the enactment of salary regula-
tionS.
| Mr. Macdonald had said that
once the council approved salary
regulations, they could not be
changed except on recommended
ton OF the Personnel Board. Tie
present regulations were ap-
proved by the council in 1850.
The Personnel Board rules and
regulations are meaningless
without council approval, Mr..
Shearin said. He added:
Can it be successfully con-
tended that the power to approve
or disapprove a particular rule or
regulation, once exercised, is
forever exhausted?
Such a construction if
adhered to, would deprive the
council of its Indispensable au-
thority and duty to control the
expenditure of public funds"
Can Compel Payment.
The council, Mr.. Shearin said.
II it finds that some personnel
are underpaid, has the authority
to appropriate and compel the
payment of funds necessary to
correct disparities.
The attorney retained by the
police association, which has
been waging a Six-month battle
for a pay boost to bring salaries
IN. line with increases in the
District, cited numerous court
decisions involving civil service
commission operations.
Such commissions, he said.
may enforce but cannot declare
public policy.
Mr.. Macdonald had told one
councilman that the charter
drafters had given the board sole
authority over salaries and per-
sonnel Ito take politics out of
personnel matters"
The Personnel Board is an ap-
pointive body.
Low Morale Cited.
Yesterdays opinion handed
Council President Harold F.
Hammond was accompanied by
statement from the police as
Sociation.
Morale in the (police) divi-
sion at this time is lower than
1t ever has been," the association
said. The group urged a pay in
crease in preference to a five-day
week which some councilmen
have been considering.