Evening star., 1956-03-30
Fight Is Developing
On Textbooks Cost
Montgomery's
Outlay Called
Highest in Area
BY CHARLES L. HOFFMAN

By CHARLES L. HOFFMAN
A fight appears to be brewing
in the Montgomery County
School Board over the high cost
of textbooks.
Board Member Wylie w. Bar.
row arrived at the boards budg-
ct session last night armed with
statistics indics. Ing that Mont
gomery spent more money per
child on textbooks than other
counties and the District OF
Columbia.
For example, Mr.. Barrow said.
Prince Georges County spends
SO to provide textbooks for new
elementary students, while the
cost in Montgomery is $l8.
On the secondary school level,
the Prince Georges cost for new
students is SO, compared with
$24 in Montgomery.
Arlington Figures
MIR. Barrow cited figures Of
81 .88 per elementary student and
$4.74 for secondary students for
Arlington County, compared with
the Montgomery County figures.
It was noted, however, by Eric
Rhodes, executive secretary OF
the Montgomery County Educa-
ton Association, that Arlington
County charges an annual rental
Ifee for textbooks for higher
grades. Montgomery has no
such fee.
Mr.. Barrow said he was put
ting the board on notice he had
la number of questions about the
1891 ,814 recommended for text
books and the additional $412,330
for materials Of instruction.
He added that the cost of text
books for new students in elemen-
Itaries had gone up from $40 to
$18 in two years. and in Sec
ondaries from SIG to $24.
Mrs. Rose Kramer said that in
Montgomery 1--WE do not use a
textbook a grade in a subject"
She noted that in a fourth grade
she recently had visited there
were nine sets of textbooks.
New schools, too. she added.
have to build up backlogs Of
textbooks.
Budget Meetings Scheduled
The board is still far away
from completing its budget con-
sideration, and has meetings
scheduled for Saturday and
Monday in an effort to get the
budget to the county manager
by Tuesday.
The budget appears certain to
be in excess of $17.2 million.
more than So million above the
present years appropriation.
The County Council has the
final word on the total funds to
be allocated to schools.
The board last night blocked
"a $36,950 expenditure recon-
mended by Supt. Forbes H.
Norris aimed at providing extra
compensation for physical edu-
cation instructors for the time
they spend coaching after regu-
lar school hours. The program
was aimed at providing for or
ganized sports at Junior and sem
ior high schools in the early
evening hours.
The board approved $4,000 for
spreading the influence of the
good teacher through a pilot
project that would let a teacher
handle As pupils in one class
room with the assistance of q
non-teaching aide.
Must Try New Systems
DR.. Norris contended that the
board was under no obligation
to experiment with new systems
of handling pupils because he
did not feel the public schools
will be able in the next few
years to get "one-half of all
college graduates" which will
be needed to handle increased
enrollments on the basis Of
present classroom sizes.
Also approved last night were:
l. A $1,000 fund to provide
nonteaching assistants at schools
for the lunch hours to relieve
teachers and $2,700 for science
fairs and special science book
supplies.
2. A $9,100 fund for estab-
lishment of a reading clinic,
where psychological testing can
be carried out.
3. A preschool census fund Of
$3.50 to be paid at the rate Of
Is cents per pupil.
4. An additional $18,420 for
salary increases for school bus
drivers with pay rates ranging
from $1.53 to $3.50 an hour and
$4,000 for the hiring of four
new bus driver supervisors.
The TRANSFORMATION budget now