Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-15
RoHinqwood Issue

RolIingwood Issue
Why lower the educational
sta ndards of Montgomery
County?
I am a taxpayer in Mont
gomery County and was a high
school teacher in the District
for nearly 80 years. AS a re-
suit of this teaching expert
ence, I am deeply interested in
the educational advancement
and standards of Montgomery
County schools.
It seems that several per-
tinent points have been over
looked in all the heated dis
cussions about the rights Of
a community, in these great
United States, to express its
views and wishes pertaining to
the spending Of the taxpayers
money. to obtain the greatest
efficiency in educational objec-
tives.
In the first place. our tax
dollars are not being spent to
the best advantage, when
pupils who live over 2 miles
away. but are within walking
distance Of at least two other
schools, are to be transported
by bus to tn e Rollingwood
School. Transportation by bus
costs money, taken from our
tax dollars. The question Of the
best educational advantages Of
all pupils involved has been
completely overlooked. After
all, the educational advantages
and progress Of all our children
in Montgomery County are OF
paramount importance. and
are the only things that should
be considered.
In the second place, our tax
dollars are not being wisely
spent when pupils are being
left in the overcrowded Rock
Creek Forest School on Grubb
road. About a hundred Of these
pupils live as close to the Rol-
lingwood School as they do to
the Rock Greek Forest School
and should be in the Rolling
wood district. There would be
no expense of transportation
or lowering of educational
standards if these children were
permanently transferred to the
Rollingwood School where seats
are available.
But are these pupils being
transferred to the Rollingwood
School? They are not! Let the
Rock Greek Forest School on
Grubb road 60 on a double
shift, with its educational dis
advantages, just to please the
capricious decisions Of the
Montgomery County School
Board that m axes decisions
and is then not big enough to
see the error of its ways and
change its plans. Rather let
the children of Montgomery
County schools suffer from
double shifts and incongruous
changes than to have the
school board change a plan!
Bertha S. Metzler.
As a member of the Linden
PTA. it did my heart good to
read the words of Mr.. Thomp-
son, the resigned president OF
Rollingwood PTA, in The
Star.
In another article concern
ing the same situation, 1t was
stated by members OF the
newly formed civic associa-
ton that they intended to do
everything they could to pro-
tect their children, etc. Pro-
tect them from what? That
sounds as though they expect
men from Mars or some
strange species instead of
American children to attend a
public school supported by all
tax-paying citizens. 1t should
be noted that Negro children.
by no means. have a monopoly
on contagious diseases.
II the children were ex-
change students. they would
have been received with open
arms. Why not welcome fell
low American citizens?
Vice President Nixon stated
in his recent article in This
Week: Il firmly believe that
the hatreds and prejudices
between peoples can be broken
down if only there can be ade-
quate contact between people,
as we'll between the diplomats
who represent them. Thus.
as people have the means to
meet and know each other
throughout the world. I have
growing faith that the time
will surely come when we shall
realize mankind's greatest OBJ
jective, Peace on earth, good
will to men,"
This should be equally true
in Rollingwood Terrace, Lin
den or Timbuctoo.
Anne Z. StineR.