Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-06-30

SWING dIler last week opening
The Fairgrounds offer super
vised participation in everything
from baseball to checkers, to
finger painting to singing tC
twilight movies. During the first
three days of the programs
operation, 9,498 children and
parents visited the Fairgrounds.
The program, which runs from
9 am. to $3.50 pm. daily, has beer
rather than our students. Any
how, vandalism has been on the
wane during the past few years
mainly because of firmer treat
ment. During the summer we
have little vandalism and even
our football rivalries have be-
come more Subdued. l think our
schools 80 active clubs and staff
counselors are responsible for
diminishing vandalism. l believe
that prevention is better than
punishment"
B-CC High School has been
broken into three times during
the past school year. School Off.
Gals report that stable amounts
of money are no longer kept in
the schools over night.
It's generally conceded that
most vandalism damage is done
at high schools and that elemen
tary schools suffer relatively
little. However, Mr.. Menke's
figures show S5O6.71 in damage
at Parkside School, S4O8.85 al
Westbrook, $376.53 at McKenney
Hills, $306.40 at Bradley, $3O2.S4
at Woodacre.
Opinions on the causes and
cures of vandalism differ widely
School Superintendent Forbes
Norris feels "the fault lies with
parents, teachers, and children.
However, think the problem is
improving and think our school
damage report for this year was
favorable"
WheatOn'S Assistant Princi-
pal Williams explains, "The
parents in young community
like ours lack security and this
reflects i'm the children. AS the
community spirit and pride de-
velOps, 1 think vandalism will
diminish. Our activities and
dances, especially the recent
Junior Prom at Wheaton, are
encouraging the youngsters to
look forward to next year.
BasicaIly this generation is no
different than any other"
Noting the comparative lack Of
vandalim in up-county schools
GaitherSburg Principal Robert A
Gibson and Counselor Oscar ]
Schneider share the view, "coun
try kids don't have time to ge
into trouble. They get up early
to do chores before they come t
school. Again after school they
do farm work. In the evening
they've got to study. Besides
that, most of our youngsters live
too far from the school to ge
back here at night to do an!
damage"
Another country school prin
cipal, Sherwood High Schools
Charles B. Remaley takes the
stand, "When you force kids tc
go to school, you're going to have
trouble. Beside that, l don't think
our school system gets the finan
cial support it should. We cant
afford to hire enough of the best
teachers"
Detective Harris is of thu
spare the rod and spoil thu
child" school. He says, "Childrel
are like puppy dogs. They have
to be whipped once in a while"
Broken h m S, working
parents, lack of interest in chill
drens activities, too much dis
cipline, and not enough discipline
were ALL listed as causes of van
dalism. One person called it g;
trend Of the times; another "a
revolt against society,"" A police
official ventured, there's a Ger
tain element that despises schoo
and they take it out physically
on the buildings"
County Recreation Director
Forest V. Gustafson led the many
demands that something be
done" He said. without hell
these kids are going to go from
bad to worse"
The extreme view on vandalism
eradication was taken by a police