Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-31
Montgomery School Budqet

of excessive and Wasteful spending on
education, as q result of alleged pres
sure by "fanatical PTA groups" This
is q wholly unwarranted attack on the
county, its public officials, and the
.PTAs.
Last May the Advisory Committee on
School Construction, appointed Jointly
by the County Council and the Board
of Education, reported the results Of q
one-year study Of school construction
in the county. The committee included
builders. bankers, farmers. housewives
and professional men, and did thor
oughiy competent and conscientious job.
During the years 1951-1953 the cost per.
classroom of building schools in Mont
gomery County averaged $31,042 tnot
$40 900. as stated by Mr.. Whittaker).
The cost per classroom in the other
large counties Of Maryland ranged from
$36.849 in Prince Georges to $49,65O
in Baltimore County tthe median fig
ure) and $50, lat in Washington County.
The committee concluded that the
Montgomery County taxpayer has been
getting his full dollars worth out of
school construction
The acting county managers rec
commended cuts in this years school
construction budget would have in
volved delay in building schools and
not any saving in the cost of construc-
ton. The County Council decided
wisely against such cuts. depriving pu-
pills Of the classroom space they will
need.
There. are three principal causes
for recent increases in Montgomery
County taxes for public education. The
first and major cause is the tremendous
increase in numbers OF school children
in the county. Enrolment this fall will
be about $4,000. triple the enrolment
of eight years ago. This growth will
continue for many years, for each ele-
mentary school age group moving into
high school is much larger than the
group graduated. and each preschool-
age group moving into elementary
school is much larger than the group
moving on into high school.
Another factor has been the neces-
sity for paying higher salaries to
teachers. to- attract the trained and
competent people we need and to ap-
proach reasonable pay scale in rela-
ton to the rising cost Of living,
The third major factor is the drastic
decline in State aid for public educa-
ton, which can be cured only by the
General Assembly and Governor of
Maryland. Over the past six years,
State aid per pupil in Montgomery
County has been cut in half, resulting
in shift of over SIS million per
annum of public school costs from the
State revenues to the county real estate
tax.
The employment of two psychiatrists
in 48,000-pupil school system is a
necessary part Of the job of identifying
and educating the children who need
special assistance, and does not really
indicate any wild spending" An official
study of public school systems in II
comparable suburban areas shows that
Montgomery County ranks fourth in
median family income, but 18th in an
nual current expenditures per pupil
1926 per pupil here, compared to 1922
in Arlington, median figure of $3.50,
and $456 in Evanston, Ill.
The PTAS in Montgomery County are
sincerely interested in true economy in
the construction and operation of our
public schools. We indorse and support
every effort to see that the county gets
full value for the money spent on public
education. We are opposed, however, to
the false economy of depriving our
children of competent teachers and
adequate classroom space.
Education, as the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States puts it, is
an investment in people" and a neces-
sary investment so that our children
may become more efficient producers,
more appreciative consumers, and more
able to use and value political and
economic freedom" There are no pub
lie officials in Montgomery County who
are, in Mr. Whittakers words, lin the
PTAs pocket" We do hope that we
shall continue to have public officials
who understand the Importance of in
vesting adequately and soundly in the
education of our children.
Myron S. Isaacs,
President Montgomery County PTA
Council.
I would suggest that Mr.. Whitaker
and others who feel the same way
employ an old Communist trick and
infiltrate the enemy. Join the PTA,
pack the meetings, use every oppor-
tunity to vocally oppose any suggestion
that PTA back any further spending
of the taxpayers money. Have COM
mittees set up to determine the most
economical methods of operation Of
schools and to report same to the PTA.
Instruct your president and delegates
to the county council of PTAs to pre-
sent appropriate resolutions at meet
ings. Control your PTA and when the
county council holds its school budget
hearings you can get up and state
that your PTA believes that the county
manager has recommended too much
money for the school budget and tell
them why. 1t would be singularly re-
freshing.
Snsam Iane HandaPShnff