Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-05

operate rapidly and with au-I
thority when the chips are down.
The association also is far
more democratic" Mr.. Rhodes
contends. This results from the
new constitution which provides
for:
/. Election of the nominating
committee.
2. An assembly of delegates
from each school which meets
monthly to decide policy matters.
8. An executive committee
comprising all officers and stand
ing committee chairmen that
has veto power over assembly
actions which can be overruled
by two-thirds vote Of the as
sembly.
The delegates serve as mem
bership chairmen in their re-
spective schools.
"They have been instrumental
in pointing out to individual
teachers their responsibilities to
the association" Mr.. Rhodes
said.
He denied, however, a charge
made by an anonymous teacher
that in some schools teachers
were "high-pressured" into join
ing the association.
But, he added, the delegates
work hard as membership chair
men and are partly responsible
for the $50 increase in member
ship over last years total.
Getting Moneys Worth
Why have the teachers agreed
to the tripling Of their local
dues so that they now pay five
times as much as Baltimore city
and three times more than any
other local group?
Because they feel they are
getting their moneys worth" is
Mr.. Rhodes answer.
They get periodic bulletins
from their Rockville Office, spe-
cial statistical data prepared by
Mr.. Rhodes to take to civic asso-
Citations in their pay raise cam
paign. special radio shows and
school columns in some weekly
papers done by Mr.. Rhodes.
Mr.. Rhodes with his secretary
and expenses cost the association
about $4,000 a year.
He says the association saves
members money on their pay
mentS for group disqualification
insurance. Their loan fund serv-
ices also have been increased.
They also have Mr.. Rhodes to
represent them at all school
board meetings.
MY relations with the school
board staff have been friendly
Mr.. Rhodes said. He added that
he can talk freely and cordially
about the needs of teachers with
the administrative staff and the
board"
100000 Fund Restored
The teachers saw : in Mr.
Rhodes first undertaking -. the
county council last June restore
some 100000 in the annual
budget for teachers salaries
which had been cut out by
County Manager M. L. Reese.
Hardly had the ink dried on
the budget than the teachers re-
ceived a special bulletin from Mr..
Rhodes:
&c. Now that we are almost
entirely on the boards (salary)
scale we are at least able to plan
for future salary negotiations"
The success of applying pub
lie pressure for the funds restora-
ton during budget hearings did
not go unnoticed by Mr.. Rhodes:
1.-The budget hearing of June
10 was the most successful in
county history in the eyes of all
who favored restitution of school
cuts. Your association played a
large part in making this true"
Mr.. Rhodes services as a ne
gotiator takes him to many adj
ministrative officials on individ-
ual teacher problems as well as
on major pay and benefit mat
tiers.
cts ticklish proposition for
employees to deal for themselves
with their bosses when they are
proposing more expensive bene-
fits" Mr.. Rhodes said.
"They feel they just can't go
far in representing personal
needs to supervisors and en-
iployerS, he added.
Labor Union Techniques
Once the association adopts a
policy stand, it is up to Mr..
Rhodes to carry the ball officially
and forcefully to county officials
while the members are working
for support of PTAs and civic
associations.
Although acquiring many of
the operating techniques Of a
labor union, Mr.. Rhodes and Mr..
Tarallo insist it still is a pro-
fessional association.
I'VE wouldn't think of calling
a strike" Mr.. Tarallo said. 1--WE
have a responsibility to these
youngsters. There is no place for
that kind of dealing"
Another difference between the
association and a union is that
the former 'is more interested
in maintaining an ethical code in
improving standards in the pro-
fession," Mr.. Rhodes contends.
Has Some Critics
Such improvements in teach
ing standards come second to the
promotion of the general welfare
of teachers in the associations
detectives as listed in the consti-
tuition.