davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Administration

General Administration Di-
rector Schuyler Lowe said one
OF the most important single
municipal problems" still was
finding sufficient revenue TO f.
nance essential services.
Last year $l97.35l.80S was
raised through taxes. charges
and Federal payments and
loans to run this Capital City.
But real estate tax exemptions
and falling gas tax collections
continued to harry budget off,
GERS. Mr.. Lowe said.
Taxable land area in the
District dropped from Sc per
cent to a per cent of total land
area from 1885 to 1857. Mr.
Lowe said. in addition. Con-
gress tended to grant an ever
increasing number Of tax ex-
emptions to groups petitioning
Capitol Hill for relief.
IF this trend continues,
there is reason to believe that
the real estate tax base will
be seriously impaired as the
major source Of District rev.
enue." Mr.. Lowe warned. Last
year real estate taxes ac-
counted for % per cent. or S56 :
729.826 of the total District
revenue.
Mr.. Lowe also noted a per-
sistend downward trend" in
fuel tax takes which dropped
from Sl2.255.62T in fiscal 1856
to sll,5l3,6e4 in fiscal 1857.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
City Heads Report
Stresses Problems
Of Cash and Space
Review of Work in Past Year
Halls Citizen Advisory Groups

The District Commissioners today released a voluminous
review Of the past accomplishments reported by
OF their department directors.
The reports repeatedly cited problems OF finding enough
money and space for municipal services
But the Commissioners and their topevel aids salts
fed in general that city activities through the year ending
last June 80 had been worth taxpayers money.
The Commissioners said they held IS regular and so
special meetings 10 maintain aison with Congress- admin
lister laws and supervise agencies
They salued their IA citizen groups
ganizaon helped solve renewal prob
lens, revise the ctys public program and expanded
services TO potential delinquents
The Board of Commissioners wish record its indebted
and appreciation these group-many problems
referred TO them consuming inevitably conro-
versial" the Commissioners reported
Highlghs of the reports follow:
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Alexandra Women
Is Killed in Crush

Penelope Ruth Rich. 43, Of
SOFA East Howell avenue.
Alexandria. was fatally injured
yesterday when the automobile
in which she was riding
crashed into wall south Of
Alexandria on U. S. Route /.
Virginia State Trooper c. Z.
Seymour said Miss Rich was
a passenger in a car driven by
Johnnie Z. Carey. 30. OF the same
address. After hitting the wall.
the car slid onto the road and
was hit by another car driven
by James F. Wikan. %. of Fort
Belvoir. police said.
Miss Rich died in Alexandra
Hospital OF head. chest and in
ternal injuries. Trooper Sey-
mour said.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Godfrey's Daughter
Is Injured in Crosh

LEESBURG. Va. Dec. 9
(SpeciaD A daughter Of Ar
thur Godfrey is in Loudoun
County Hospital with injuries
suffered in an auto accident.
Patty Godfrey. Is. received a
broken shoulder and scalp and
finger cuts in a collision Satur-
day on the side road leading to
the Godfrey farm.
State Trooper c. L. Wood
said Miss Godfrey was a pas
senger in a 1857 station wagon
driven by Joan Parks. Is. Of
Round Hill. Va. The station
wagon was listed to Beacon
Hills Farm. the TV stars es-
tate.
Miss Parks. a friend Of the
Godfrey family. also was adj
mitted to the hospital. She
suffered brush burns and head
injuries.
Trooper Wood said the sta
Evening star., 1957-12-09
64th FotoIity Of Year
Recorded in District

Washington's 64th traffic
fatality Of the year was record
ed yesterday with the death of
. pedestrian struck November
~ BY a streetcar.
Charles B. Wood. So, who
roomed in the first block OF F
street NV. died in Emergency
Hospital. He suffered rib. skull.
and pelvis fractures and never
recovered consciousness after
being hit by the streetcar at
Pennsylvania avenue and Eieh-
teenth street NV.
Floyd w. Wooton. %. of 1885
Third street NE. driver Of the
lstreetcar. was charged routine
ly with homicide. police said.
An inquest was to be sched-
uled at the District Morgue.
Police said only So deaths
had been recorded over a sim
+ liar period of 1856.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
.zoniing Group
Hears Groom

The District Zonine Commits
sion today held its second
meeting to consider recommen-
dations Of the Citizens Zoning
Advisory Committee for a
complete overhaul of District
coming codes.
Commission Chairman Alvin
c. Welling said the zoning Of
ficials had passed judgment
on the technical suggestions OF
Thomas J. Groom's group. For
the most part. the citizens
asked for greater densities
downtown and less stringent
parking requirements than
urged by the city's coming con-
sultant. Harold NJ. Lewis.
Mr.. Lewis drafted the pro-
posed revision Of zoning. on
which Mr.. Groom's committee
commented.
Col. Wellin gsaid the COM
mission had not decided. how
ever. on Mr.. Groom's request
that zoning go into effect two
years after first publication Of
regulations or that the citi-
zens aid ir mapping.
Map of sections of the city
zoned under proposed new reg
ulations will be prepared for
the commission at a meeting
before Christmas. Col. Thomas
Hunter, chief zoning advisor
to Engineer Commissioner
yelling. said.
The coming revision has been
underway for nearly two years,
Evening star., 1957-12-09
SPEED IN 25-MILE ZONE
Ambulance Halted
In Blood Emergency

An ambulance making an
emergency delivery Of blood was
stopped for speeding Saturday
night on Wisconsin avenue by
District police.
The ambulance had been dis
patched by the Bethesda Chevy
Chase Rescue Squad TO carry
three pints OF blood from the
Red Cross blood bank at 2025
z street NV. to Suburban Hos
pital, where q patient was being
operated on.
The ambulance driver. Jo-
Iseph Gordon. %. was arrested
In the $500 block Of Wisconsin
avenue NV. by Pvt. L. d. Jack
son. He was charged with driv-
ing so miles an hour in q 25-
mile zone.
Another Ambulance Called
He was taken to the. eighth
precinct. booked and then re-
leased on his own recognizance
He called the Rescue Squad
after the arrest and another
ambulance was dispatched, But
he was released before the Sec
ond ambulance arrived, and
completed the blood delivery
himself. The delivery was de-
layed about 10 minutes.
The hospital patient, a So
year-old man suffering from a
bleeding ulcer, had been given
four pints Of blood earlier and
received two more about half
Evening star., 1957-12-09

heart disease. cancer and ner-
vous disorders were the leading
causes Of deaths in the District
last year.
The other major killers were
diseases Of early infancy: acci-
dents: pneumonia and in
huenza; cirrhosis of the the
liver, arteriosclerosis; tuber-
culosis; and variou circulatory
diseases.
There we're only l cases Of
polio recorded - the lowest
number in any one year since
1912 when five cases were re-
ported, DR.. Finucane reported.
He said this indicated the value
Of the Salk vaccine and justified
tremendous efforts" to con-
tinue the fight against polio.
The Northwest Central
Health Clinic. 1925 Upshur
street NV, was opened in No
vember. 1856. to replace two
separate northwest clinics. The
consolidation brought under one
roof chest cancer. cardiac. dia-
betes. venereal disease and epi-
demiologie services.
Evening star., 1957-12-09

MIS-. Bryan. VIE OF q H.
year-old Navy man stationed
in Alaska. was hurt about 9:35
pm. Tuesday.
Montgomery County police
said Mrs. Bryan's car skidded
broadside into the rear OF q fuel
oil truck backing out Of q
driveway in the 900 block OF
River road. Another car then
ran into the wreckage. police
said.
Police said the accident oc.
Cured near the crest OF a hill
They said Mrs. Bryan was un-
able TO see the truck until she
was nearly ON II.
Police charged the truck
driver. Earl E. Atherton, 33
lof 449 Mellon street Sc. with
manslaughter and failure u
grant right Of way. The driver
of the other car. Roger z. Alex
ander, l8. Of Poolesville. was
not charged. Neither man was
hurt.
The hospital said the victims
husband. William d. Bryan. jr.
arrived home on Saturday
afternoon.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Recorder of Deeds

Indications are that some
business organizations are op-
Grating illegally within the Dis
trict limits under the guise OF
chartered corporations.
This is a serious problem "for
these illegally operated organi-
cations enter into direct COM
petition with authorized and
chartered corporations" In
vestigative steps are under way
with a view to halting the
practice.
The agency reported total
70 l04,46 transactions during
the fiscal year 1857.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Zoo

The Washington Zoo is plan
ming to improve labelling at the
animal park to enhance its use
as an educational facility for
school children.
An estimated 1898 .564 visitors
entered the gates during the
fiscal year ended June 30.
A census counted 794 species
represented at the park, with
3.l57 individual animals.
Evening star., 1957-12-09

Highlights of the year in
clude the emphasis placed on
classes for over-age children
remedial reading programs and
the opening of a new junior
high school. Woodson. to ease
overcrowding in the upper
northwest section of the city.
The year also saw the intro
duction of the -Four Track
Plan" in senior high schools. a
program which aims to provide
the best educational opportuni-
ties for all types Of students
from the gifted TO the SLOW
learner.
Evening star., 1957-12-09

an hour after the ambulance
arrived. His condition was de-
scribed as good.
Deputy Police Chief John j
Agnew said today that he was
not familiar with details in the
case. But he pointed out that
all emergency vehicles are sub
ject to District traffic regula-
tions. He said the regulations
allow such vehicles to exceed
posted speeds but required
them TO exercise due caution,
He said q speed Of so miles in a
25-mile zone could be very
dangerous and 1t was within a
policeman's discretion to arrest
the driver.
Return OF Ticket Asked
j. Tyler Nourse. president OF
the Bethesda Chevy Chase
Rescue Squad, said today that
Metropolitan Police had in
structed the squad to return the
ticket to headquarters.
He said all squad drivers are
under instructions to be as
careful as they can under the
circumstances" He said he felt
the driver had q. legitimate
reason for his speed.
when q man is lying on the
operating table waiting fol
blood, and YOU realize his life
may be in your hands, that is
going TO give you q sense OF
urgency" he added.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Wage Eourd

investigations of the Mini
mum Wage and Industrial
Safety Board during 1851
showed that more than 700
workers had ben underpaid a
total Of $l7.600.
The board permits reStora-
ton Of unpaid wages without
legal action against the default
ing employer, and under this
policy 9S per cent Of the wages
due was paid by some 300 en-
ployers.
But "a cases were referred TO
the Corporation Counsel for
prosecution and fines and for
FIXTURES amounting to nearly
81. 800 were imposed in is cases.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Fire Department

The District Fire Department
halls a reverse in the rising
fire loss trend here over the
last few years.
Washington's fire losses
dropped from s2.7l6.720 in
1856 to s2.444.960 in 1857. a
reduction OF more than $780,
900 or ii per cent. according to
Chief Millard II. Sutton.
The combined efforts of the
Fire Prevention and Firefieht-
ing Divisions resulted in a rec
ord total of e7.049 fire preven-
ton inspections in 1857. or T.
706 more than in the previous
year. in addition to intensified
public education efforts.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Corrections

The year saw the prison sys-
TEN hold the highest number
of inmates in the history Of the
city. The average daily popu-
lation was 1858.
The department experienced
severe overcrowding. The
Committee on n~PrisonS. Proba-
ton and Parole was set up to
study ways to handle the crime
problem with hopes of avoiding
the construction of another in
stitution for adult prisoners.
Evening star., 1957-12-09

ton wagon went through a stop
sign and collided with a car
driven by Fielding L. Marshall.
"a. Of Waterford. Va. He was
released after treatment at the
hospital.
Trooper Wood said a warrant
was served on Miss Parks st
the hospital charging her with
reckless driving.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Buildings

Design was completed on IL
major and 9S minor projects.
Six major and 9S minor prof.
ectS went under construction.
Ten major and 80 minor prof.
ects were completed.
Funds available for new con-
struction and additions were
increased 80 per cent over fls-
cal 1856. With Is contracts
ana $249.932. the department
handled all construction for
the 1857 Presidential Inaugural
Parade.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Juvenile Court

The number Of court hear
ineS continued to increase for q
total of 1915.
There were 3.4l4 new cases
filed, a decline from the record
number filed the year before.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
City Counsel

A total of 4S,725 "informa-
tions" were filed in Municipal
Court and forfeitures totalins
$2.255,582 were collected.
Fine and forfeitures in traffic
offenseS totaled $l.S42,84S and
in the Municipal Court fines
and forfeitures amounted to
$4l2, 1856. A total of 1892 pro-
ceedings were filed in Juvenile
Court; 99l written opinions
were rendered to the Commis-
sioners by the office.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
The
Rambler
-. FondIy Recalls
An Old City Editor
BY GEORGE KENNEDY

"I'm Dan o'Connell." the
fat man at the city desk said
to the new reporter with q
friendly "glad-to-have-you-
aboafds smile,
The smile and facial an-
pearance reminded the news
conner Of Joe Martin OF
Massachusetts,, the former
Speaker of the House.
That was during the war
and 1t was the beginning Of
an Office friendship as close
as Is possible between those
two workaday enemies. a re-
porter and a city editor.
Dan o'ConIfell died early
Friday Of q heart attack. He
was 70 and had retired three
years ago.
The Rambler wishes he
had known him longer.
Dan was assistant city
editor when We met. He sat
on the local side of the city
desk. The other side is the
State side.
He had been city editor Of
The Star during World
War !.
The toughest job on q
newspaper is that of the city
editor, q responsibility that
Dan had to assume twice q
week, on Wednesdays and
on Saturdays.
The other desks are han
0ilng proceSSed copy, the
Associated Press reports and
local copy that has had. Its
first reading. The city editor
is daily coping with unex-
pected events. rating their
public-interest possibilities.
deciding on which and how
many reporters viii be sent
to cover and, when the story
comes in. getting the bugs
out Of it, especially that very
real bugaboo Of journalism.
the possibility Of q libel suit.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Public Health

The appointment of DR.. DAN
iel l.. Finucane to succeed DR.,
Daniel l.. Seckinger as public
health director highlighted the
years programing.
DR.. Finucane reported that
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Crash Injuries FotoI
To Rockville Mother, II

l7yearod mother died yesterday injuries received
in rafc accident Potomac Nd during Tuesday,
snow.
Mrs. Gwynn M Bryan OF River road Route l. Rockville
died in Suburban Hospital Her s-mont old daug-
Ter. Melanie. is still there In critical condition
Evening star., 1957-12-09
THOSE WORLD WAR n

THOSE WORLD WAR n
DAYS were difficult ones for
a city editor. Many OF the
regular stan members were
away in uniform. Reporters
unfamiliar with the city. were
hired. They would make
errors that could be very
embarrassing to The Star,
which means Washington To
its lifelong readers. Few OF
them would get by Dan.
His knowledge of the city
was amazing. He seemed to
know what was on every
corner OF the streets Of the
first alphabet in the four
quarters of the Capital.
Some reporters thought
that Dan was armored
against anxiety over the
many things that go wrong
in the working day of a city
editor-that he shed them
like water OF a ducks back.
Fat people are sometimes
like that - no one realizes
that they are nervous until
they 60 to pieces.
Dan never went to pieces.
In this very emotional busi-
ness Of getting out a news
paper he could take the
punishment from above ana
from the outside that comes
TO a city editor and never
relieve himself by passing i;
on to his subordinates.
In those days pocke t
money frequently was gone
before pay day. 1t still is. 1t
didn't take the Rambler long
TO discover that Dan was
always good for a IS or q $40.
Evening star., 1957-12-09
BY HAYNES JOHNSON

Gan you 90 TINS pfooiem.
If a mixture of fruit con-
tains % pounds of apples and
10 pounds of pears. what is
the percentage by weight Of
the apples?"
This Is not an arithmetic
problem given in elementary
Evening star., 1957-12-09

BUT THERE WAS AN
OTHER Dan O'Connell in
the Edwardian days before
World War /, an adventur-
Gus young reporter who was
quite a man about town.
He was on the Post and
the owner, Edward B. Nc
Lean, overheard him say
that he was thinking Of buy
ing an automobile.
Mclean, who could be as
generous as a prince to those
he liked, and Dan must have
been the most likable Of his
young men, said:
I'll give you one OF mine.
There are four in the ga
rage. Go on out and take
your pick"
Dan went out 10 Friend
ship and selected the largest
car In the garage, an Isotta
Fraschini. 1t was almost as
large as a locomotive. Dan
sat in the front seat and
had the chauffeur drive him
to his brother-in-law, Jimmy
Moore, who had a bicycle
shop.
Jimmy made him take 1t
back; told him ne couldn't
afford the car. He would
have TO hire a chauffeur.
Crestfallen, Dan went back
10 the garage and made a
good choice. He picked out
a National, the car that had
won the indianapolis 500
mile race q year or two
before.
Dan must have been quite
a sight driving that car
around. There wasn't a
sportier turnout in the Cap
ital. He finally collided with
a Fourteenth street trolley
car. Dan wasn't hurt. He was
well upholstered even then.
But the car had to be towed
10 q junk yard.
Evening star., 1957-12-09

salary scale In the District for
q teacher with a bachelors
degree begins at $500 and
after IL years reaches a MAXI
mum OF $500. For masters
degree. the minimum is 81. 400
and the maximum s6.S00.
The most a teacher with a
Ph.D. degree can earn In the
District is s6,500.
In 1899 teachers were in the
top third Of the income groups
Of the country: 10 years later
they were in the bottom third,
Their financial position since
then has improved only slight
ly.
Community Held Responsible
The public. says Mr.. John.
son. gets what II pays for
We don't want Federal aid
II has to be a local thing
local school systems. loca
boards. local communities have
! TO wake up"
/ As Clare Driscoll, science
teacher at Western High Schoo
in the District. expresses 1t;
IF / were a man with a fam.
lily, economic considerations
would put me out Of teach.
ing into some other field. Al
1t is. ! can afford to teach. In
single and my parents are self
sufficient."
Mr.. johnson wishes an at
mosphere Of cheering for in.
tellectual achievements could bt
developed In the schools.
I'VE didn't hold pep rallies
for National Science Fair win.
nerS." he says. but by gosh
we should have. When say
that to the principals. they
think I'm crazy"
Montgomery Cited
In Montgomery County ther,
are 447 students enrolled il
physics and 1.I84 in chemistry
in high schools.
Enrollments in these ke,
scientific subjects y have re,
mained steady in the Bethesda.
Chevy Chase area. with an in
crease in chemistry.
i Edmund Burke. science SUI
pervisor Of secondary schools
says:
I'm a typical junior high
school about SO per cent tax,
science. In typical senior higl
school. rs per cent are takinl
one sceince course"
Mr.. Burke believes that man,
OF the comments made recent!
about the state Of science anC
math training In schools "sounC
like they come from alarmists
Expansion Need Stressed
Il don't feel" he says, "tha
our students believe that sci
entists are longhairs or egg
heads or call them what yol
will. / don't believe all thu
scare stuff about science"
He says the greatest problem
in Montgomery County is on,
OF expansion.
with the number OF nev
students In the county gaininl
by roughly 5000 annually" hl
remarks. there is tremendou
pressure for new building
and equipment. Consequently
schools have become over
crowded and science labs ofteI
have to be improvised."
Montgomery County find
that II, too, is having difiicult,
in attracting qualified teach
ers.
The salary range goes iron
a minimum Of about $500 Il
a maximum Of about $4,000.
Professors Disputed
Mr.. Burke has this say abou
the comments by college pro
fessors that high school teach
ers often don't have prope
training in their subjects:
college people are apt 4
talk out Of the top OF thei
hats"
Science teachers. he sayi
Evening star., 1957-12-09

This Is not an arithmetic
problem given in elementary
-~~-->-~----~----~- --~--N---->---~---~~-----
Secend Of Series
schools - or high schools. II
Is given to students in a ply
sicsl science class at American
University.
DR.. Leo Schubert. chairman
Of the chemistry department
there. says-in a tone OF dis
qust-that he has to give such
problems because students have
not been properly trained be-
fore they get TO college.
"Our high schools" says DR..
Schubert. 'are producing q
generation Of mathematical
illiterates."
! Attitude Resented
The Washington area high
school teachers and admins
TRAITORS resent this attitude.
I But. after talking with the
high school educators here, one
comes away with a feeling that
there is a wide difference Of at
titudes on the problem Of
science and math training.
In Arlington County. for ex-
ample. the atmosphere one gets
( is Of enthusiasm and pride in
what is being accomplished.
/ Unfortunately. this same en-
thusiaSm is not as evident IN
other school systems.
In Arlington County. we're
not afraid to talk about our
shortcomings. because we're
taking specific steps TO improve
our teachers and students" says
Mrs. Helen Garstens. assistant
in mathematics for county
secondary schools.
Conscious Of Problems
1t is true that Arlington has
its problems-but officials talk
freely about them.
On the other hand. there
seems to be a certain hesi-
tancy--an attitude Of we're
doing fine. don't criticize u.s.
in other areas.
i The Star survey of science
training in Arlington and
Montgomery Counties and the
District shows plus and minus
signs.
In the District. despite what
Keith c. johnson. science
supervisor. calls tremendous
student interest in science, en-
rollments in physics and
chemistry are seriously declin-
ing.
Ten years ago 1879 students
we're enrolled in physics courses
This year there are 6S9. Chem
istry enrollments for the same
period have dropped from 1888
to 1,225.
Defends Teaching Staff
Mr.. johnson offers this ex-
PLANTATION.
Its not due to the qualifica-
tions Of teachers. I'd say 1t Is
due to the teaching load. There
you could say the teacher is moi
responsible but the commu-
nifty is"
He says that too many
courses have been added to the
schedule, thus cutting into time
devoted to science training.
District teachers agree. T'heS
say, for instance. that a double
period for lab work was dropped
during World War II TO make
room for physical education
courses.
The time for lab study never
was put back into the schedule
The hours for gym still remain
Curtailments Cited
II don't know Of any college.
remarks Mr.. johnson, where
you're asked to do lab work ir
40 minutes. Yet we are askec
TO do so."
Teachers" he adds. "are
becoming discouraged over the
load they have TO carry. The
lclasses are large---35 to 80 stu
dents in high school,"
BY comparison. the teacher
in the Soviet Union has about
II students In each class.
He says the District has lost
many teachers to Government
and industry.
| Teachers salaries - perhaps
the most discussed facet OF
education--are too low. The
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Student Totals

A comparison Of enrollments
in science and mathematics in
area senior and junior high
schools follows:
Mont Airing
Homefy ton
nixfFfef County C0unfv
Evening star., 1957-12-09
Professors Disputed

Mr.. Burke has this say about
the comments by college pro-
fessors that high school teach
ers often don't have proper
training in their subjects:
college people are apt 10
talk out Of the top Of their
hats"
Science teachers. he says,