Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-06-09

Education budget. Such has
been their declaration, and the
following story is a sympathe-
tic Interpretation of the mean.
ing of the cut-backS--Editor)
BY Dorothy Waleski
Staff Reporter
Abolish kindergartens! Elimi.
nate teacher pay raises! You
don't have to be a professional to
understand what the proposed
budget cuts will mean in these
areas to the county school system,
But what about the 46 teachers
for the Special Education Pro-
gram which includes the classes
for the children who are physi-
cally handicapped, mentally re-
tarded or "emotionally disturbed"
If your child is not one of these,
will the loss of this program have
any personal meaning for you?
To answer this, the Sentinel
went to the professionals on the
Board of Education Staff. From
hundreds of cases in their files,
they selected one to illustrate
what the special classes mean to
ALL children in the county and
the future of the whole county
school system.
Our example" is a nine-year
old, intellectually gifted child who
arrived at the beginning of the
fall term after two unsuccessful
experiences in other schools. He
was given to sudden, explosive
tantrums and RACES during which,
in sudden impulsiveness, chairs
were thrown, children hit, walls
charged against in desperate, un-
controlled panic. He could not
read, write, spell, sit still, eat his
lunch with others, nor learn to
keep a civil tongue in his head.
His misery was acute.
The family could not possibly
provide funds for outside assist.
ance and the lists of clinics where
he had been interviewed stretched
across the County.
In December, the deeply con-
cerned parents, counselor, princi-
pal, County supervisor, psycholo-
gist and remedial teacher con-
ferred together and concocted a
solution within the schools re-
sources. A classroom teacher,
with special talent in this direc-
ton, agreed to take a chance when
approached by wary and very
! tentative counselor and psycholo'
gist-and an equally wary little
boy.
Now, in June, the same child
presents an entirely different
problem. Where can be be placed
next year if the budget cuts 60
through? At present he is the
leader of his group, adored and
respected by his friends and
teacher, and is now too advanced
accidentally TO continue in this
group next year, but is not ready
socially and emotionally for reg
ular.siZed classrooms and popula
ton.
The basis for his personal prob
lens hasn't changed. However
surrounded by his groups respect
and affection, his teachers pride
in his academic progress thelpet
along with new teaching tech
niques borrowed rather hurriedll
from suggestions from a medica
Specialist our example has now
reached the point where he reads
at the third grade level, write.
and also does fractions.
Under the budget cuts. he be
comes luxury item in face o
the many others with greater ant
more immediate needs SO he viii
be returned 10 his home schoo
and placed in regular thirt
grade class. The Special Educa
ton Program which is responsi
BILE for his advancement will n,
longer have room for him.
The professionals need no crys
tai ball to predict what will haL
pen to him next year. He an
others like him will increase tn
percentage of children with eXceI
tional needs in most classroom:
His teachers morale will be low
er; her salary will be the loves
in the area, she will have less tim
TO teach a greater number beCaus
she will have more problem chi
dren", less space, less relief du
ing the classroom DAY and littl
or no help from the psychologist;
services. She will not be able I
give our example extra time b
cause il would be like stealth
from 80 to feed one.
In these circumstances, our &c
ample" can be expected to have
recurrence of his old difficultie
He is a hyper.active child, ther
fore physiologically incapable
remaining still under the impa
of his own and outside stimu
Along about the third week
school, probably at the end of
rainy day, he will jump out of h