Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-23
Hearing Tomorrow
To Air Anne Arundel
Report Cards Issue
By q sioff Correspondent Of III. s.o,

By Stoff Correspondent Of The Sior
ANNAPOLIS. Feb. ga hear
ing will be held here before the
House Education Committee to-
morrow on probably the hottest
issue to come before this Mary
land Legislature.
Hundreds of irate parents are
expected to be attracted here at
3 pm. for an airing Of views on
an Anne Arundel County bill to
put all Maryland school report
cards back on the ABC sys-
tenn. More than half Of Mary
lands % counties have aban-
doned the old grading system
for more modern methods of re-
porting.
One of the bills sponsors. Del
egate Orlando Ridout, 4th, Demo-
crat, set the pace for the hearing
yesterday when he tossed batch
Of anti-progressive education lit
erature at the House committee.
The literature was prepared by
the Daughters of the American
Revolution.
Gives Out Samples.
This will give you an idea
what we're up against in Anne
Arundel County," Mr.. Ridout de-
clared as he passed out mimeo-
graphed sheets to committee
members.
One of the sheets contained a
list Of questions under the head
ing Of 1.-THE Wishing Well" The
OAR said the questions were
among several asked of children
IN some Of the schools, and the
children were to check those
which were among their per-
sonal problems.
Mr.. Ridout. a fairy farmer.
implied in his brief appearance
before the committee, that the
questions had been used quite
generally in Anne Arundel Coun-
ty and Maryland schools. When
questioned by reporters later.
however. he said he had heard
that they had been used in the
Arnold Elementary School in his
county and had been discussed
at TowSon State Teachers Col
lege.
Here are some OF the questions
in the list:
II wish liked Negro children
as well as white children.
II wish our family could af-
ford to give each other better
presents at Christmas and on
birthdays.
II wish I knew what causes
the trouble among Negroes and
white people and Jews and for
eignerS.
II wish I knew why people
say that every one is equal when
some people have more money
than others.
Il wish I liked to be around
my parents more.
II wish my parents liked me
as much as they did when I
was younger.
Il wish my parents did things
that would make me feel more
love toward them.
II wish that people would pay
my father higher wages so that
our family would not have to
do without so many things"
Links Quiz and Cards.
Mr.. Ridout told reporters the
man who drew up the wishing
well" questions is the same one
who originated our Anne
Arundel County report card
system"
He identified that man as DR..
Louis E. Rath of New York Uni
versity.
DR.. Rath served as adviser to a
committee of IS county teachers
who drafted a new report card
system for Anne Arundel last
summer. They decided on a sys-
tenn Of grading children with
either an IS" for satisfactory or.
an IN" for needs improvement.
Mr.. Ridout and some county
residents who have organized
under a group known as the
Parents Public Schools Commit
tee have been battling with
School Supt. David s. Jenkins
about the new system ever since.
DR.. William s. Shields, educa-
tional adviser to the Naval Acad-
envy Academic Board. is presi-
dent.
DR.. jenkins said yesterday he
believes something similar to
the wishing we'll" questions
were used experimentally in one
county school about four years
ago. They were given. he said.
by a group Of University of
Chicago educators attempting
to determine the worth Of such
tests.
Tomorrow's hearing will be
held in the House chamber Of
the State House.