Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1960-10-13

Tic NAOiilSOlllCLy SOullty los
Association might think about.
HE SAID it would be a good
idea if the county newspapers
could hold public meeting
large press conference type
of meeting) in order fol- the
candidates for the three spots
on the School Board to an
swer questions put to them by
neWSmen.
1T is FELT that the news
papers would be doing a great
public service if this could be
done. However, it might be
handled much quicker and
with less strain if the County
Press Association could spon-
sor such a meeting.
THE SCHOOL BOARD cleo
tons are supposed to be nom
partisan, therefore, the two big
political parties cannot inform
the voters about the School
Board candidates. This Is true
even though the School Board
is responsible for spending
more than 1000 of the local
tax dollar.
MANY OBSERVERS believe
that a so-called non-partisan
election for the School Board
is not the proper way to get
the best School Board. But this
is our system at the present
time and it is important that
the people know what the can
didates stand for and how they
will be expected to carry on if
elected to the Board.
1T is BELIEVED that the
proper knowledge is not gain
ed at the many public meet
ings thus far held. For some
reason, many feel that the
questions asked the candidates
do not deal in specifics to any
great extent. Most feel that the
real thinking of the candidates
concerning school matters has
not been brought out strongly
enough because of the rules
and regulations" of the public
meetings or debates.
PERHAPS, MRS. 10 STE
PHENS, the president of the
Press Association, will call a
meeting of her Executive Com
mittee to discuss this PROPOSE
ton.
AT THE MEETING of the
Fourth Estate and Public Re-
lations Consultants last Friday
at Congressional Country Club,
Mason Butcher, County Man.
ager, gave the impression that
he knows what he's talking
about concerning county af-
fairs; likes the press and
thinks he has been getting
good and fair coverage; gets
along well with County School
Superintendent c. Taylor Whit
tier (they have met several
times to discuss mutual prob
lems); likes his job; has the
ability to see himself and
those around him in the light
human vein, and is proving
that the County Council (all
Democrats) was right in APP
pointing him County Manager,
although he is a registered Re
publican. And it can be said
that Mr.. Butchers political af-
filiation has not shown all OF
these years and there is very
little chance that 1t will.
WE SAW A RELATIVELY
NEW MEMBER, who writes a
mean book review, talking
with a guest who might have
been a great explorer, beer
baron, oil man from Texas or
an individualist with a mind of
his own. So we asked for a re-
port on his conversation. We
suppose it is the polite way OF
saying we would liked to have
listened in had we not been
talking with Mrs. Stevenson,
whose husband is Washington
editor of the Readers Digest,
Judy Graves, one of the best
publicists of all time, and Ka-
thy Leary, the tops in society
and news reporting. Anyway,
here is the report:
"YOU MEET such interest
ed people in the newspaper
business; and stran g ely
enough, most of them turn out
to be newspapermen them
selves.
A PRIME EXAMPLE is jim
my Bedford, professor of jour-
nalism at the University of
Maryland, whom 1 ran into at
the Press Association luncheon
last week at the Congressional
Country Club.
JIMMY, who is about six
feet, four inches tall and
sports a luxuriant red mus
tache with inch-long points at
either end, told me about some
of his experiences during his
recent travels through Africa