Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-05-26
May %, 1855

The Editor
Montgomery County Sentinel
Dear Sirl
Your editorial of May 10 on
the school question-budget, con
struction, etc.-provided some
very necessary antidote. There
has been so much heat and so
little light. Advocates of better
and more school facilities have
been so emotional that questions
or contrary views, even if of
minor nature, have often come
forward hesitatingly, if at all.
Your editorial provides a dispaS-
sionate basis for examination
and should encourage expression
of views. l should like to con-
tribute the following:
ID Agreement on the general
principle of good educational
system in Montgomery County
is, as you point out, general. OPP
position to this principle is in
deed a small minority. Jealous
school proponents, PTA-ers or
others would do well to remem-
Der this. Other people do have
the right to ask "Is this Tor that
necessary" They are not taking
positions; they are seeking infer-
nation.
90 The school situation is Of
ten described asa crisis or emer-
gency situation. If this be so,
then the solutions that are sought
should reflect this. No one feels
that a resort to Quonset huts is
necessary; the emergency is not
that grave. But if it be an emer-
gency, there should be general
acceptance that some things
must be dispensed with for the
present. In this connection,
some of the references to over
crowding should certainly be
moderated.
CD In building construction, an
old axiom is that the greatest
amount of square foot living
space for the least money is in
the square or rectangular build.
ing. 1t is true, too, l believe,
that a second story provides
square feet living space at costs
lower than that for the first floor
area. Plumbing costs are lower,
for example, if the second lava
tory is directly above the first
and not at the other end of a
rambler-type building. Other
savings in heating, land needs,
etc. are manifest. The. general
questions you pose on construc-
ton is one that should be care
fully examined by school author,
tiles in all its specific aspects.
(4) Tradition gives school chill
dren their vacation in the sum
mer. This practice stems in part
certainly from the preponderant-
ly rural nature of this country
in years past. The children were
needed on the farms during the
growing season. We still follow
this practice. And all during the
summer, class room space, which
is desperately short in the fall,
lies idle. Would some parents
be willing to have their children's
vacations in the spring or fall if
it meant that they would have
full time instead of part time
education? Is not a scheme for
use of schools in the summer
worth thinking about? Wouldn't
an extension of the principles
now used in summer schools be
feasible? And from the teaching
standpoint, wouldn't it provide
the ideal summer job" that so
many teachers need? And
wouldn't it help ease the teach
ing shortage? These are ques-
tons that appear to warrant
study, particularly since the
emergency appears to be one
that will be with us for some
time.
I'm sure that your editorial
will elicit many views. Most,
very likely, will be better inform
ed than mine. It's greatest good
will have been achieved if it
makes the many ardent and hon
est crusaders for good schools
more patient and less emotional.
Very truly yours,
Stanley +. Snnipe1