davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
High Land
Price Kills
Arena Plan
Don Fusitt photo

Silver Spring public relations
man Charles Kopeland said this
week that a West Coast group"
has abandoned plans to build a
sports arena in Montgomery or
Prince Georges Counties because
of inflated land values.
Mr.. Kopeland says the invest.
ment group mainly composed Of
entertainment interests" has ten
tatively selected site for the
sports center in Howard County,
halfway between Washington
and Baltimore.
According to the public rela-
tons man the sports center will
contain an armory with a fully
equipped stage, provisions for
basketball games, ice shows and
exhibits, facilities for movie and
television filming, and parking
spaces for 5000 cars.
Mr.. Kopeland says the invest
ment group looked over sites in
the suburban Washington area
once in the spring of 1855 and
again about month ago. He
says the group felt they were
being held up" by high land
prices.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Ecker Lauds
City Charter
In Speeches

Rockville's only new candidate
in the April 30 election of city Of
ficials, 34-year.old Frank Ecker
of Twinbrook, appeared twice
last week before citizens groups
to analyze the proposed new char
ter for the city and outline what
he called the advantages to Rock
vile in having its own charter.
Mr. Ecker, research specialist
at the State Department, is chair
man of the charter advisory COM
mittee which presented on March
6 the draft of the new charter, the
result of a six-month study Of the
existing charter, and described by
Mr.. Ecker as new in organiza-
ton, up-to-date in its contents,
but drawing heavily on the exist
ing charter for its ultimate power
and authority"
Speaking before the Twinbrook
Citizens Association on March II
and before the Junior Women's
Club on March IA, the new CGG
candidate for councilman summed
up his aruments in favor of Rock
vile retaining its charter with
the statement that I'VE have
Continued on Page g.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Pair Connected
OF Roads Fraud
Appeal Verdict

Constas Gus Basiliko and Max
Gutenberg have appealed their
convictions last week on charges
defrauding the Maryland State
Roads Commission by lacking
land prices in the path Of new
Route 240 through Montgomery
County.
The two men say they did not
have a fair trial. They claim they
would not have chosen TO be tried
together had they known ex.
roads commission employee Ben
DuPre was going to appear as a
state witness.
Mr. DuPre, indicted with Mr..
Basiliko and Mr.. Gutenberg, made
a surprise return from his Mexi.
can hideaWay under the promise
Of immunity to testify against
the pair. Mr.. DuPre told how he
supplied information on the new
roads path to Mr.. Basiliko and
Mr. Gutenberg.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22

School. Monday night a resolu-
ton to approve this recommen-
dation lost by one vote but there
was so much confusion as to
what this vote meant that school
board members themselves were
not certain whether this item
was out of the budget.
A substitute proposal to use
revolving site funds to pay plan
ming costs for this addition with
the aim of starting II in July 81
was to be considered at last
nights special meeting which the
board was forced to hold to com
plete the adoption of the capital
budget.
Also slated for a vote last
night was the final decision on
the postponement of the proposed
48 room Springbrook High and
the substitution of a new junior
high at Gaithersburg instead of
new elementary depending on
the estimate of the cost to re-
model the existing % room ele-
mentary.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
l64 ClassrOOms STAY
In Completed Budget

(eight APP, Larchmont IA APP,
and Georgia Avenue Triangle 90
APP; additions to Bradley (eight
APP; Highland Q0); Weller Road
(eight); Viers Mill (10); Mont
gomery Knobs CAP, storage,
office; New Hampshire Estates
flour APP, an increase of two
classrooms over the original re-
quesD; Mcdonald Knobs (six
APP, increase of library and stor-
age over original; Germantown
(four); and Sherwood five APP.
1t also includes a new junior
high in the Newport area with
48 rooms and additions to Kens-
lngton (17) and Joseph Belt (12)
junior highs.
The one deletion voted is the
addition or two classrooms, all
purpose room to North Chevy
Chase with savings of $4,000.
Still under consideration Is the
addition to complete facilities at
Bethesda!Chevy Chase High
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Local Fvenlen Mfldmed
OUer County Control Plan

that anything more than an din
formational report" on the
measure will be presented
Monday.
Mr.. Fauver also says it's un-
likely that the ACC will have
any recommendation concerning
fire departments ready in time
for the County Councils May
legislative session.
Begun by Marcus
The latest eruption began two
months ago when the ACC legis.
lative committee received a pro.
posal relating to fire depart.
ments by committee member
Philip Marcus, longtime foe Of
the present county fire protection
setup, especially in the urban
areas.
The legislative recommends.
ton for Centralized coordina-
Continued on Page 81
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22

Montgomery County volunteer
firemen last weekend thought the
long-smoldering controversy over
a countyregulated fire system
had broken into flames again,
but it turned out TO be a false
alarm.
Members Of the Allied Civic
Group were bombarded with
kilograms from the volunteer
firemen of Silver Spring who
thought the civic group was 60
ing to meet Monday to endorse
a plan that would create
countrywide, county.run fire de.
partment.
Actually the civic group
doesn't meet until this coming
Monday. ACC president Clarke
Fauver says that while a measure
relating to fire departments is
being considered by the groups
safety committee il is unlikely
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
G'burg Group
To Pick Slate
For Town Vote

A slate of candidates to run
in the May z Gaithersburg town
election is expected to be announ-
ced following a meeting of new
political group tonight. The
slate will include candidates for
mayor and two councilmen posi-
tons and repeatedly will have the
backing of a number of Gathers
burg Businessmen.
The terms Of Mayor Merton
Duvall and Councilmen Samuel
Briggs and G.. Sprigg Ward ex-
pire in May. Mr.. Briggs says he
is retiring after 20 years on the
town council. Mr.. Ward says
he's mot fully decided about
seeking reelection. Mayor Duvall
says he has no statement.
The new town political group,
as yet without a name, met last
week at the Knights Of Pythians
Hall and tentatively named a
slate. The three people proposed
are expected to agree to run at
tonight's meeting.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Few Oppose
New ZOning
Of WOodlnont


The Montgomery County Coun-
Gil at coming hearing in Rock
vile last Thursday heard little
opposition to the Maryland-Na-
tional Capitol Park and Planning
Commission application for a
mass rezoning of Bethesda's
Woodmont Triangle from residen.
tial to commercial.
The Council also heard com.
ments on Mrs. Rose Sacks re.
quest for one.half acre lot coming
on 1876 acres at Macarthur Boule-
ward and Persimmon Tree Road.
The track, across from Congress
sional Country Club, is presently
zoned for two acre lots.
Two-thirds of the Woodmont
Triangle's 80 acres are already
zoned for commercial use. The
planning commission stated that
blanket rezoning would "eXpe-
dite commercial development" in
the triangle bounded by Wiscon-
sin Avenue, Old Georgetown
Road, and Auburn Avenue.
The Woodmont Triangle Bust
ness Association, representing SIS
commercial property owners and
seven tenants favored the mass
rezoning.
James B. Gilbert, representing
a group of home-owners in the tri-
angle, asked the council to leave
the residential tag on properties
whose owners do not want com
mercial coming. County Council
president Robert Snure advised
residents who want their property
to remain residentially zoned to
notify the council.
Mr.. Gilbert said triangle resi-
dents would be driven away by
higher taxes following a mass
commercial reZoning.
Several residents living close to
the triangle asked for an office
or apartment building buffer
zone" between the commercial
area and the surrounding residen-
tial areas, if the rezoning applica.
ton is granted.
Mrs. Sacks attorney, r. Robert
Linowes, told the council that
Mrs. Sack plans to divide her
property into one acre lots. The
county has no one acre zone.
Mr.. Linowes said his client had
omitted from her coming applica.
ton a 20 acre buffer zone adioin.
ing Congressional Country Club
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Groups Hit
Money Plan
For Schools

Last Thursday at a public hear.
ing held at North Bethesda Jul
Nor High, the Montgomery Coun-
ty School Board heard criticism
from representatives of 13 county
organizations of the superintend-
ents recommendation for the
56-'57 operating budget of $16.1
million, exclusive of teacher pay
raises.
Speakers from the Montgomery
County Council of PTAs, the AL
lied Civic Associations, the
League of Women Voters, the
Montgomery County Association
for the Retarded Child and the
PTAs of Bethesda.C Chevy Chase,
Wheaton High, Takoma Park Ju-
Nor High, Montgomery Blair and
Parkside made general and spe-
cific comments on the budget.
The answer as to which Of the
four different recommended
teacher salary schedules should
be accepted was left unresolved
by the conflicting views presented
at the hearing. The school board
must make up its mind on this
question before the March 80
deadline when the operating bud
get goes to the county manager.
Although all were i'm favor of
some kind Of a teacher pay raise,
the speakers disagreed as to meth
cd, timing and amounts. The four
previously recommended scales
from the majority and minority
reports of the lay-professional
committee appointed to study
teacher salaries, superintendent
Forbes Norris, and the County
Education Association ranged be-
ginners pay from $1,000 to $1,000.
The league asked for a straight
Continued on Page O.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Scholarship
Exam Slated
On Saturday

The annual state senatorial
scholarship examination will be
given at 10 am. Saturday, at
Richard Montgomery High
School, for Montgomery County
students.
The Board of Education said
that six scholarships are avail
able. All are full scholarships.
They are for a boy or girl at
Washington College, Chester.
Town; for a boy or girl at St.
Johns College, Annapolis; for a
boy at Johns Hopkins School of
Engineering, Baltimore; for
girl at Hood College Frederick,
and for a boy at Charlotte Hall
Military Academy, Charlotte
Hall.
The sixth scholarship, to the
Peabody Conservatory Of Music,
will require applicants TO meet
certain specifications at Peabody,
besides passing the examination.
Public school seniors interested
in taking the test may contact
high school counselors for infor.
nation and TO register. Further
information is also available at
the office of the supervisor Of
pupil personnel at the Board Of
Education, Rockville.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
LiyParade'
Set Saturday
In Rockville

A lily parade in which eight
Rockville Junior High School
girls will sell Easter lilies at
shopping centers on Washington
Street and East Montgomery Ave.
nue. will feature Montgomery
County's observance of National
Crippled Children's Day, Satur-
day.
Proceeds from sale Of the lilies
will be used to finance operation
of the treatment center main
tained by the Montgomery County
Society Tor Crippled Children and
Adults at 1906 Rockville Pike.
Mrs. Jack c. B. Jones, COL
Blandford Avenue, is in charge of
Rockville arrangements. She said
the parade would start at 10
am, with the sale of the first
lilies to Mayor Hovsepian and
county councilmen at City Hall
before moving to the shopping
centers.
Mrs. Curtis Walker, president
of the county society, urged
county residents to buy the lilies
from the youngsters. She pointed
out that contributions from
county residents must be in
creased by 60 per cent over 1865
to accommodate a GO per cent in
crease in case load of patients
requiring physical and speech
therapy.
Direct contributions should be
sent to 1906 Rockville Pike.
The Rockville youngsters par
ticipating are Susan Robertson,
10, of 1908 Edmonston Drive;
Betsy Bridges, 10, of ZIG Edmon-
ston Drive; Jean Sanders, 13, of
I'D Blandford Avenue; Connie
Mckay, 10, of Hungerford Towne;
Janet Venable, 10, of SOP CraW-
ford Drive; Marian Hull, 10, of 6
Anita Court; Rita KochowicZ, IL,
of 913 Lewis Avenue; and Phoebe
America, 10, of 1907 Rockcrest
Drive.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Furniture,
Clothes Sought

Furniture, bed linens, kitch-
en- equipment and clothing are
desperately needed by a moth.
er and three children being
supported by the Montgomery
County Welfare Board.
The family, originally from
Montgomery County, were
brought here by the Welfare
Board from Virginia this week
after the father was imprison.
ed. The Welfare Board has
rented a house for them at the
Rockville Fruit Farm, and will
furnish a subsistence allot-
ment.
But the board has no funds
to provide household goods for
the family, so they are now
housed at the Salvation
Army's emergency home in
washington. The children are
a girl, 10, boy of five and
an infant boy.
The case was called 10 the
Sentinels attention by Bill
Lytton, manager of the Re.
gional Finance Corps Rock
vile office. Mr. Lytton, a for.
mer social worker, has inter.
ested himself in the case as
a private citizen.
He said that contributions
may be left at the fruit farm
in care Of Mr.. Dole. or per.
sons may call Lutz Bros. Nov.
ers, Rockville, to have their
gifts picked up free.
These people are truly de-
serving" Mr. Lytton said,
"and it's a real emergency.
Anything you can give will be
appreciated.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Rockville
Adds NeU
Revised Lau

Number 10 in a series of 16
revised laws in RockWlle's codi-
fication program was passed
Tuesday night with the approval
of the new water and sewer utili-
ties code by the mayor and coun-
Gil.
The new code supplements the
plumbing code passed in Febru-
airy by regulating the water and
sewer facilities as supplied by the
city. 1t contains no major
changes but is simply a revision
of existing provisions.
The schedule of fees passed at
the same time increases the wa
ter tap fee from S65 to SIS for
normal residential use to provide,
Continued on Page g.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Figures Reveal
High Pedestrian
Accident Rate

The 10 accidents involving
pedestrians since January / is
"alarmingly high" according to
the Montgomery County Police
Department. There were eight
pedestrian accidents in January
and II last month. In the first
two months of 1855 there were
only six accidents involving
pedestrians.
OF pedestrian accidents, the
police department says mo
amount of engineering or enforce
ment against motorists will take
the place of education in elimin-
ating this type of accident.
Children especially, but adults
too, must be made TO realize the
Importance Of crossing at inter-
sections and the helplessness of
the motorist when they needless
ly run into the street from behind
parked cars or other distractions
to vision"
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Discussion
On ZOning


Tuesday nights discussion on
Rockville'S new Zoning ordinance
has been postponed. The mayor
and council decided this week not
to reopen its public hearing on
the ordinance until the Zoning
Commission had completed its re-
vision. The commission has
scheduled another work session
on April 5 that will be open to
the public.
Meeting Thursday in public and
Friday in executive session, the
commission considered recon-
mendations from local builders
and Board of Trade members as
to possible revisions to the code
which was released to the public
on February 9.
The commission reviewed the
desirability of an Rio zone, that
is, a multiple family residential,
1000 square feet per family or
high density apartments, which
is not included in the code at
present.
Its decision in this case is the
same as in the case of the ban on
a heavy industrial zone. Both are
desirable, the commissioners feel,
if the master plan shows suffi-
cient evidence to support these
uses.
But at this point in the develop
ment of the master plan there is
not enough information on where
such areas might be located. The
commissioners fear that in the alb
sence of master plan, spot zon-
ing might result.
Instead they prefer to wait I'M
til the master plan develops far
enough to show the areas where
RIO can be used as buffer strip
between residential and CONNER
cial at which time the code can
be amended.
Another question raised by the
builders is whether Rockville's
code is more restrictive than the
county code as the builders con-
tend it is.
City pianner Robert Plavnick's
opinion is that the new code is
restrictive only in the sense that
it is attempting more homog-
enous land use by preventing the
encroachment of a less dense use
into a more dense area, such as
residential in commercial or COM
mercial uses in industrial areas.
Mr.. Plavnick feels that by
CHASING similar uses in one area
the code is restrictive in a pro-
tective rather than a discrimina-
tory sense.
Differences of opinion on the
non-conforming uses and other
legal points are under study by
city attorney David Cahoon who
is meeting with John w. New
Continued on Page g.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Indictments Due
From Grand Jury

The March session of the Mont.
gomery County grand jury is ex.
pected to return its indictments
today. Foreman Of the grand
jury is architect and builder Alvin
L. Aubinoe of Bethesda.
Others on the jury are Walter
M. Brown, Roger a. Hayden, AL.
bert b. Ground, Ferman Plum
mer, James r. Harmon, Garnett
Umberger, Mary Jane Gill, Marin
Zueese, J. Frank Rice Jr., J. Ster-
ling Bowman, James II. Davis,
Elizabeth f. Talon, Sherman
Stokes.
Carl r. Fisher, Mildred G.. Ed.
wards, John Rinehart, Osborne n.
Stabler, Norman +. Belt, Vivian
A. Starke, James p. Shea, Ellen
j. Bissett, and Willard +. Kruhm.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22

The Montgomery County
School Board labored long and
late this week to give final APP.
prevail to the superintendent
construction program before
Mondays deadline when the So
81 capital budget must be pre-
scented to the county manager.
Action taken so far on the re-
quests totaling $12.1 million has
given approval for 164 new class.
rooms and eight all purpose
rooms with a capacity of 5,045
students to cost $6,296,070.
Broken down, the list of APP
proved projects includes new ele-
mentary schools at Ashburton
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22
Council Votes
Up-County
Building Code

All new construction in upper
Montgomery County, except farm
buildings and fences, must pass
county inspection beginning to-
morrow. At its Tuesday meeting
the County Council voted unani-
mously to extend the county
building code to the entire coun-
ty.
AT present the building code APP
plies only to construction in the
lower county. +. w. Bucklin, d.
rector of licenses and inspections,
says he will have to hire two
new inspectors to administer the
new extension.
Builders in the up-county will
now have to pay the three.
eighths Of cent per square foot
inspection fee on residential and
non-fireproof commercial struc-
lures and five-eighths- Of cent
per square foot inspection fee for
fireproof commercial structures.
Until now up-county builders
have paid only So for a permit
used for assessment purposes.
County manager NJ. L. Reese will
study the possibility of abandon,
ing the So permit now that up
county buildings are subject to
the inspection fees.
In other business:
1. The council decided Mont.
gomery County will be on day
light saving time from 2 am.
Sunday, April % to 2 am. Sun
day, September 30.
2. For the second time this year
the council rejected the rezoning
application of doctors Austin B.
Rohrbaugh, Jr., and George A.
Gray, Jr. The physicians want to
build an office building in a pres.
emily residential area on Chevy
Chase Drive in Bethesda.
3. Good moral, reputable, and
responsible character was add
ed to the conditions for granting
a permit to operate a hospital,
care home, nursing home, or
sanitarium. The amendment was
initiated after Mrs. Anna L.
O'Malley, operator of the Bright
view Sanitarium on Rockville
Pike, was convicted on bad check
charges.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22

he list of Silver Spring leaders
meeting Wednesday night a
Montgomery Blair High Schoo
TO discuss plans for a Silver
Spring hospital.
School superintendent Forbes
Norris, president of the Har-
ward Teachers Association, is
presiding at the annual confer
Ence of the organization in BOs-
ton today, tomorrow, and Satur-
day. The association plays an
important part in New Eng
lands school policies.
Col. A. r. Lofstrand this week
stated that Rockville's LofStrano
manufacturing plant has not
yet" been sold but conceded thai
the factory may" be sold in the
future. Rumors that the plant
has been or will soon be sold to
a New York or New Jersey firm
have circulated recently.
The good neighbOrs of the
Hugo Brooks of 713 RoxbOrO
Road, Rockville, put in a hurry
call for the fire department
Monday when thy saw smoke
rising from the roof while the
Brooks were away from home.
The "arsonist" in the case, the
firemen discovered when they
arrived, was tfp last-Of-the-sea-
son storm. The Smoke" was
steam from snow melting in the
spring sun.
Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-03-22

Eight student publications from
six Montgomery County schools
won awards at this weeks Colum-
bia Press Association convention
in New York. The medalist award
for publications of distinction"
went to the "Tattler" of Bethesda
Chevy Chase High School. First
place awards went to Silver
Chips, "Praeco Argenteus", and
Silver Quill, all of Montgomery
Blair. Second place awards went
to Wheaton Scroll of Wheaton
Junior-Senior High School, Ian
don News" of Landon School,
Montgomery Tide" of Richard
Montgomery High School, and
"Rock Terrace Bugle" of Rock
Terrace Elementary School in
Rockville.
The Junior Chambers of Com
merce in Rockville, Silver
Spring, Bethesda, and Kensing-
ton.Wheaton hayp joined with
five other area Jaycees in
campaign TO raise money for
the AZ families left homeless by
last weeks Randall Apartment
fire In Washington, and for the
family of thr fireman killed in
the blaze. The money will be
used primarily for beds, cloth
ing, and household furnishings.
Only one of the families was
insured.
Montgomery County Council
president Robert Snure will head