Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-06-11
PTA Votes
Confidence in
DR.. Lands

DR.. Mildred M. Lands, prin-
cipal Of Wood Acres Elemen-
tary School, won a vote Of con-
fidence last night from the
school Parent Teacher Asso-
citation.
BY a narrow margin, the
group approved a resolution
expressing confidence in DR..
Lands professional ability"
and requesting reconsideration
Of her dismissal. The final
vote. after more than three
hours of debate heard by nearly
$50 PTA members. was II to 81.
The 52-year-old principal,
who holds fine arts degrees
from Columbia and Harvard
Universities, was notified last
month her contract would not
be renewed. She outSpokenly
resisted a school administra-
ton suggestion that she resign.
Outcome Of Conflicts
The administrative custer
apparently was the outcome of
conflicts between DR.. Lands
and school officials in Rockville,
On one occasion, she rejected
three fourth-grade teachers in
succession. Another incident
involved plans for a school
addition.
DR.. Lands was at the center
of another educational storm
two years ago in connection
with her work as color con-
sultant for the school system.
Hired by former School Supt.
Forbes H. Norris, who also was
fired by the present school
board, DR.. Lands designed the
interior color schemes for Al
school buildings.
Many parents and teachers
were startled by the vivid
panels of color she recon-
mended for classroom walls
and sch oolt corridors. DR..
Lands said her aim was to
replace the traditional drab-
ness of school colors with a
variety of stimulating hues.
Some Parents Bitter
PTA members were sharply
split in their opinions both of
DR.. Lands and the school
boards action. Some parents
bitterly declared the resolution
of confidence in her was rail-
roaded" through the meeting by
highhanded tactics on the part
of the PTA's Executive Com
mittee.
Prior to the meeting, a group
of six PTA officers, three school
trustees and three past presi-
dents of the association had
agreed to submit the resolution
favoring DR.. Lands only if the
full membership decided the
group should act at all.
Yesterday, in reply to criti-
cism of her "unprofessional"
handling of the elementary
school. DR.. Lands issued a de-
tailed, seven-page resume of
her dealings with the county
school administration.
She accused school heads of
"shoddy practices" in the pro-
curement and placement Of
teachers and charged that the
administrations handling of
her contract was clumsy and
authoritarian"
Meeting Abandoned
Two top school administra-
ton aides yesterday afternoon
visited the Wood Acres school
and attempted to hold a meet
ing of teachers. DR.. Lands
questioned their right to ex-
clude her from the meeting and
the officials abandoned the
idea.
The school aides, DR.. James
L. Prince, assistant Superin-
tendent in charge of person.
mel, and DR.. Thomas w. Pyle,
head of the elementary educa-
ton division, reported back to
the Board of Education in
Rockville. Later. after a closed
session of the board, School
Supt. C. Taylor Whittier said
the two aides went to the
school in response to a tele-
phone call from a teacher
there.
The teacher, who was not
identified, had reported that
things were in a hectic state"
at the school, DR.. Whittier said.