Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1960-06-30

Mr.. Zatman's column on the
ACCESSIBILITY of selecting a school
board by election raises some
questions. Mr.. Zatman reports
various objections - "that the
election of board members
would divide the county into
warning camps" that promises
made during the heat of a polit.
ical campaign would greatly
weaken the members ability to
Withstand pressure by special
interest groups" "such conflict
ing claims and appeals to
emotion obviously make it diff
ficult for voters to decide, OBJ
jectively and dispassionately,
who is to be responsible for
operating the agency )" and
constant disputes and argu-
ments over the boards policies
lessen the members effective
ness. :" These very arguments
might well be used against the
election of any official in gov
eminent.
These are largely the reasons
that nations like Portugal,
Spain, France, Italy and most
of the Latin American countries
have found it difficult or i'm
possible to function effectively
as a republic or a democracy.
In an article in the current is
sue of Foreign Affairs april
1860, Professor Frank Tan
nenbaum of Columbia Univer-
sity points out that it seems
impossible to divide and dis
tribute political authority in
most Latin American nations
because the ingredients, of a
monarchy, centralisni, authori-
tarianism, and aristocracy, re-
main after the monarchies
were overthrow. Spain, now
under a dictatorship, appears
to be moving towards mon.
archy again, and the French
Government, impotentf and di-
vided as a republic, appar-
emily needed a strong man in
the form of DeGaulle to restore
firmness and potency. Portu-
gal, now having been under a
dictatorship for 80 years, tried
the Republican form of govern
ment during the period of 1910
to 1926; during this period, 40
presidential ca bin cts were
overthrown and 10 revolutions
took place. Is there some cul-
tural element common to all
these countries which prevents
the people from setting up a
free and democratic govern
ment? If so, is it possible that
this same cultural element has
infiltrated our people and ira
ditiCns to such an extent that
we are unable to elect school
board without carrying the
heat and dissentions of the
election campaign into the OPP
Grafton of the school system?
AS a free and enlightened
people, the citizens of Mont
gomery County should be able
to elect a school board with
a minimum of political parti.
sanship, and after the election,
support the elected officials,
Many Americans have ex.
pressed their concern about the
apparent tendency of the voter
to select the personality kid as
their candidate; the quick
smile, the common touch, the
boyish appeal, the magnetic
personality, and the good guy
Characteristic seem to be more
important to some voters than
a candidates stand on import.
ant issues. If America is to
remain a great nation, this
type of voter must remain a
small minority.
In this time of ferment in
American education, a wide
and full discussion of the is.
sues involved would seem to
be the best course. That wide
and full discussion can best be
provided by electing school
board members. 1 believe that
enough intelligent voters exist
In Montgomery County to dis
cuss the issues and elect an
able school board.
Lester l.. Kimble