Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1957-12-12
In Montgomery
EducatorsDefend
Science Program

brought science and math education in the pub
lie school systems of the country into the spot
light recently with much adverse criticism aimed
at these programs
Montgomery County parents, however should
relax the school board staff contends Few Of
the nationwide complaints apply TO the county
our educators say
One cry for instance, is that our children
are being encouraged to avoid the hard sub
iects" such as science and math.
This year at Bethesda Chevy Chase High
new course Earth Science a combination of
geology and astronomy, was offered for the first
time to 18th grade students.
teacher Miss Beverly Blades, had done
extra work at Cornell University in preparation
for the course. The response was so overwhem-
ing that another teacher had to be added to handle
the seven sections of approximately 210 students
who elected the course.
This certainly doesn't indicate any apathy
among the students towards the sciences. Other
indications are:
That each year number of students at
tend summer school in order to take electives in
science above and beyond the state requirements
for graduation which are two years of labora
tory science.
"A number of students at BCC take Biology
Chemistry or Physics on the college level for adj
vance credit through the advance placement ex
animation program
The annual Science Fair begun seven years
ago on an individual school basis at BCC and
Gaithersburg, has grown each year until last
years second countrywide science fair had over
600 individual entries in its exhibits.
Interest in science has increased in the last
20 years in Montgomery according to Edmund
T. Burke, special supervisor of science in the
secondary schools, who has taught science in the
county since 1885.
"Anti-intelIectualism" of which Americans
have been accused is not attitude that is wide
spread in Montgomery, Burke feels.
Out of 1881 secondary students last year,
1852 or Sc percent were taking one or more
science courses.
The percentage in the overall secondary pic
ture is held down by the fact that all seventh
grade students are required to take geography
rather than a general science course.
In the countys three-year senior high schools
the percentage jumps to between 70 and Is per-
cent of the total enrolment Last year, for in
stance, Montgomery Blair had 1853 or 76 percent
of its students taking science; B-CC had 1853 or
10 percent enrolled in science programs.
Another improvement over 20 years ago.
Burke feels is the increased facilities for teach.
ing laboratory sciences in the schools
New senior highs exceptionally wen
equipped and the new Junior highs for the first
time now have laboratory facilities.
In addition, the School Board on the staffs
recommendation last year started program to
modernize and re-equip the laboratories in the
older secondary schools.
Last years budget included $35 900 for renova-
ton of the county's biology labs; this year,
similar appropriation will be asked for the chem
istry labs with physics and general science to
follow
npa laoly To-
gram, Burke says is an adequate supply of ex-
perienced qualified teachers. This of course is
true of the whole Institutional program but par
ticularly in science and math where competition
from government and industry is high
However, two years before Sputnk the School
Board and the staff took steps to help fill this
need A program of allowing $500 for summer
school expenses was offered to county science
and math teachers to encourage them to extend
their education
Last summer, SO of the countys SO science
and IA math teachers took advantage either of
the countys offer or grants from private founda.
tons to get more education.
Time - the number of hours in high school
daily schedule - is another limiting factor Burke
says General curriculum requirements naturally
limit the number of hours that students can snend
on science
In spite of the fact that he is champion of
the science program, Burke doesn't go along with
the growing opinion that the way to increase
the number OF science students is by tailoring
the program to cut down on other courses and
force children into science courses.
better solution, he feels, is to offer as broad
selection of good science courses as possible
and let the children choose from them
Montgomery secondary schools at present Of
Ter IL different courses in the science program.
General Science is offered at the 9Th and 9th
grade levels In the senior highs, beginning and
advanced biology chemistry and physics are of.
Tered plus senior physical sciences and Earth
Science at B-CC; electronics at Wheaton, Blair
and Richard Montgomery: and hnrtic,,lt,,ra Of