Evening star., 1955-05-30
Montgomery Budget

Our Democratic Montgom-
cry County Council, composed
as it is of outstanding citizens
of this county, will not toll
crate any backward step inso-
far as our school system is
concerned.
We are all interested in
good and efficient government
at a minimum cost, and our
present council must be con-
graduated for working un-
ceasingly toward that goal.
However, the Democratic Party
in this county has pledged it
self unequivocally that Mont
gomery County shall have the
best possible school system.
This council realizes, as every
citizen does, that the losers
in an unwarranted cutback
in the school budget would be
our children. We must depend
upon the wisdom of those hav-
ing intimate knowledge of our
school system as to whether
or not these proposed cuts
represent a backward step. If
they do, the County Council
will rectify them. Money con-
siderations alone must never
take precedence over the well
fare of our children.
Margaret Schweinhaut,
Montgomery County Dele
gate, Maryland House of
Delegates.
II Il \ X
I think Arthur P. Brigham
in his letter on the subject of
the Montgomery County belt
Tightening budget advocated
by our county manager, Mr..
Reece, takes quite little upon
himself to speak as the self
appointed spokesman for the
nj majority of Montgomery
County voters and taxpayers.
Perhaps Mr.. Brigham is more
in sympathy with his own tax
paying problems than with
better government. Be that
as it may, in Mr.. Brigham's
little note of cheer he refers
to the few frills and extras
being deleted." Our family
consists of two sons, one a
normal and intelligent child,
the other a youngster of nine
who sustained a brain injury
at birth. We were assured
that our young son would be
enrolled at the Silver Spring
intermediate School in a spe-
cial class for children of his
type to enable them to face
life with as much education as
they can absorb. This class is
one of the "frills and extras"
Mr.. Brigham does not want
included in his taxpaying pro-
gram, since the budget does
not include provision for this
class.
OF course, the educational
program must be increased
the county has more than
doubled in population in the
last few years and schools
are overcrowded and under
stated. If this is not clear
to Mr.. Brigham now, it will
be when his own child reaches
school age. Perhaps then he,
too, will join the PTA and
scream along with the rest OF
the parents when his child is
given minimum educational
requirements instead of prepa-
ration for highly competitive
life.
would not wish our present
situation on any person alive,
but I believe that the present
status can be improved by
better education facilities for
our child, and the children OF
others so situated.
Mrs. w. III. Norris.
\ \ \ r
Now the deed is done and
we can grid ourselves for the
coming battle in November.
Our illustrious County Board
has done itself a disservice.
BY playing fast and loose with
facts and figures in the kin
dergarten issue. it has shown
itself to be irresponsible. BY
trying to appeal to the purse
strings of the few, it has alien
ated the many who care about
their children's education.
In spite Of the assumption
that "kindergartens are for
the few," reasoning citizens
will understand that kinder
gartens are for every child
those years old now and
those who will be 5 in the
future. Kindergartens are no
more for the few than first
grade is. or second or third
or senior year of high school
Kindergartens have an in
tegral place in education. If
the present County Board is
so stubborn that it cannot see
it, then we must punch door,
bells and elect a board which
can.
Jeanne Andriot.