Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1960-01-07
Hits School Costs

Hits School Costs
The Council for Better Educa-
ton appreciates the good wishes
expressed in your editorial col
umn of December 18th, and
hopes it can continue to attract
well-deserved public support"
We are sorry that you take is
sue with our attitude toward the
superintendent budget on the
grounds that we recommended
it before it was made public.
At the time of our public
meeting on December 9th the
capital budget had already been
released, and on the same day,
according to news story in the
Washington Post, whittier in
dictated his proposed operating
budget, to be presented Thurs
day, would raise the per pupil
expenditures from $400 to SAG.
Raising the per pupil expendi-
ture does not necessarily follow
an increase in total school popu-
lation. Because of statistics re-
leased, showing an expected
large increase in total number
of school children in Montgom-
cry County next year, everyone
realizes that expenditures for
construction of new buildings,
hiring more teachers, and buy
ing more equipment must be in
creased. We have no quarrel
with that, and will support such
necessary appropriations.
However, the increased total
cost divided by the increased
number of children served
should not raise the cost per
pupil. DR.. Whittier's proposed
jump from $500 to S449, an in
crease of 1914 per cent in one
year, can only mean one of two
things: costlier ways of provid-
ing the same services offered
now, or the addition of new
ways of spending the public
funds, or both. His subsequent
statement that most of the
items in the operating budget
that relate to what the Post
termed increased administra-
tive super-structure" and were
deleted from last years budget
by the County Council, must be
restored is indicative of his
point of view. He is not willing
to abide by the carefully-consid-
cred opinion of the County
Council as to how school ex-
penditures shall fit into the total
picture of county finances. Such
an attitude, stubbornly adhered
to in the face of our mounting
public debt and increasing tax
burden, is indeed wild spend
ing"
The Council for Better Educa-
ton believes that the quality of
education in Montgomery Coun-
ty can be improved if the
schools will spend more of
their time, effort, and money
on intellectual d evelopm n t
rather than on life-adjustment
and social welfare programs. {"
Watching carefully where our
dollars are spent is important
not only to keep some check on
sky-rocketing tax bills, but also
to make sure that school money
goes for the important things.
Every dollar spent on life-ad-
justment, social welfare
schemes, make-work summer
programs, elaborate gymnasi-
ums, etc. is a dollar not avail
able for teachers salaries, Ii
braries, good text books, and the
like. And every hour spent in
using these non-essential dol
lars and equipment is time
siphoned off the school day
from the true business of edu-
cation.
II is evident from these facts
that we did not speak out before
the Superintendent's budget was
released, and that even cur.
sorry preview Of II indicates that
no thought Of economy mott.
waited its authors.
The Montgomery County Sen.
tinel, while protesting to be re-
ceptive TO honest criticism OF
our school system. has never to