Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1957-07-04
School Board Majority
Discharges Color
COnsultant DIR. Lands

The Montgomery County Coun-
Gil of PTAs this week made
strong plea to the School Board
to find ways and means of in
Guiding foreign languages in the
elementary school program.
From the number in the audi
ence at Mondays meeting, inter-
est in this program almost equals
that in the county's indignation
policy.
Some so PTA members crowd
ed the board of education build
ing to hear Mrs. John F. Sherman
of Parkwood, foreign language
committee chairman of the Coun-
ell of PTAs, ask the board for it's
opinion on "the flexibility of the
State law which forbids charging
fees for instruction during school
hours"
This law, according to Mrs.
Sherman, hampers the extension
of the program throughout the
county from the 13 elementaries
which offered French or Spanish
instruction on an optional basis
fee of $40 per semester during
the '56-'57 school year.
Foreign languages in Elemen,
tary Schools (FLES) was begun
in the county in 1854 at Parkwood
for DC students who met after
school. In 1855 after-school pro-
grams were offered at this school
and Bethesda to 160 pupils.
In the past year, almost 800
students were enrolled in FILES,
in Montgomery, as compared to
the 271 total for the State of
Maryland in 1855.
Superintendent Forbes Norris
reported that he had allowed two
schools to give instruction in
school hours as pilot project al
though he feels that the State law
is against it.
He learned later that two other
schools through misunderstood
ing had also carried the program
during the day. The remainder of
the schools held after.hour pro-
grams.
DR.. Norris said that if FILES
was not to be considered "a Fad"
it should be offered to all county
pupils from the third grade up
but this would pose adIninistra-
tive problems of facilities and
teachers.
The superintendent has recon-.
mended study next year by Sec
ondary supervisors for starting
foreign language study in the sew
enth instead of the ninth grades.
The PTAs are planning to con-
tinue FILES as an after-school
program in 20 schools in 1878
if it can't become part of the
regular school program. The lat
ter, Mrs. Sherman said, had been
proved an outstanding success.
Bard members expressed agree
ment with their attorney, Charles
Prettyman's informal opinion
that since the board was charged
to provide free education for all
it could not continue the program
during school hours on fee
basis.
At next weeks meeting, Mr..
Prettyman will give opinion on
a suggestion of Member Helen
Scharf that a voluntary fund be
contributed by interested parents
to finance an optional free.for,all
FILES program.
This was offered as.one way of
getting around the State law pro-
hibition. The committee, under
Mrs. Sherman, will bring in other
specific proposals to test "the
laws flexibility."
The value of another special
service, the elementary school Ii.
brary with professional librarian,
was argued by Miss Alice Robin
son, Library supervisor, in a dis
cussion period with the board.
II is the most economical means
of providing variety of materials
without duplication, Miss Robin
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