Evening star., 1954-12-16
Montgomery Board
Backs A-B-C System
OF Grading Pupils

Montgomery County's Board
Of Education yesterday, for the
first time, put its seal of approval
on a method of reporting pupils
grades.
Holding its last meeting of
1854. the board voted indoTse-
ment of the county's present
grading system, as summarized
by School Supt. Forbes H. Norris
on November 10. The method
includes use of A B c report
cards exclusively in the junior
and senior high grades.
One board member, Mrs. Helen
M. Scharf, abstained from the
voting. She is not convinced.
she said. that the report method
is entirely satisfactory" nor
that approval Of it is within the
boards policy-making function.
Board President Wylie w.
Barrow emphatically countered
the latter point, II think it's the
province Of the board to decide
what kind of reports are used.
We can't delegate everything in
the field of education to the pro-
fessional staff" he asserted.
How System Works.
The present report system in
cludes the following basic pro-
visions: s
l. For Junior and senior high
students (grades Z through 12),
six reports a year. all of the
A B c type.
2. For grades 3 through 6, at
least four written reports a year,
of which a minimum Of two shall
be A B c cards.
3. For grades / and 2, at least
four written reports a year, one
Of which must be the A B c
type.
4. For kindergarten. two
checklist type Of reports each
year.
The boards public meeting
was interrupted by two cere-.
monies, luncheon and an after
noon executive session.
The one ceremony, three new
ly-elected board members. Mrs.
Rose C. Kramer. Lathrop E.
Smith and Wayne Birdsell, were
sworn in by Circuit Court Clerk
Clayton K. Watkins. Their four
year terms begin January /. The
new boards first official meeting
will be on January 3 at 8 pm.
The second ceremony saw re-
firing member H. Stanley Stine.
an insurance company vice presi-
dent, presented with q gavel.
Mr.. Stine. who did not seek re-
election, has served the board
nearly 10 years.
Little Discord on Reports.
Votes in favor of the report
card resolution were cast by Mr..
Barrow, Mrs. Willard Edwards,
Harrison c. King and Willard G.
McGraw.
Discussion of the resolution in
cluded little disagreement among
board members as to actual grad
ing methods used now. How
ever, In the resolution originally
presented by Mr.. Barrow. only
two Of the six annual junior
senior reports were required to
be Of the A-B-C type. Mrs. Ed
wards declared her opposition to
that.
Other board members con-
CURED when Supt. Norris report
ed that the six junior senior re-
ports in the current school year
would be Of the A-B-C type.
whether the boards resolution
specified that method or not.
Besides Mr.. Stine, outgoing
members are Mrs. Edwards ard
William F. Bulls, who was ABB
sent yesterday.
Approve School Plans.
In other business. the board:
ID approved final plans for the
proposed Wheaton Junior Senior
High School, slated for use in
September. 1856, and t2) sus-
pended and left indefinite the
effective date Of q recently
adopted list of regulations re-
garding use Of school buildings
by civic groups.
The Wheaton school, Architect
John w. Mcleod told the board,
viii have the same basic plan
as the North Bethesda High
School due to be finished by next
September. The school. a So
classroom building to cost about
81. .125.00O will accommodate 900
students. It Is to be located at
Weller and Goodhill roads In
North Wheaton. Advertisement
for construction bids Is expected
early next year.