Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1961-08-15
School System Excellent
But improvements Needed
Curriculum Study Group
Presents Report to Board

Montgomery County's school system is excellent
when compared with nationwide standards, but mad
equate when measured against its potential.
This observation hghlghts the final report of the
county's Curriculum Study Committee made public
Sunday by the Board of Education.
The report is contained in a 18O-page booklet
which includes summaries of recommendations by the
committees 16 study groups. supplemental 7O0page
volume lists each groups findings in detail. Both rep
resent the completion of IA months of intensive nves
gation and discussion by the approximately 300 per-
who participated in the work of evaluating the
various school programs.
Running like scarlet threat throughout the re-
port is the constant admoniton to improve existing
procedures and to seek higher goals for both teachers
and students.
"By the standard of educational opportunities
granted many children in the nation may be proud
of exceptionally sound program" the committee de-
cared. "Yet some boys and girls underachieye
not motivated toward real effort do not acquire the
zes for knowledge and service that contribute to
sponsibe citizenship.
"In the measure that the schools fail to motviate
youth to study fail to offer training which will develop
individual potential to the fullest fail to help all youth
become good and useful citizens, and in the measure
that the climate for education lacks certain quality
features which will help to achieve these ends-in
these measures our schools are inadequate"
Only by always striving toward higher goals
working for better of tax funds without forgetting
those goals and refusing to stop at standards set by
others when exceed them if we wilP' can
Montgomery County schools reach their fullest poten-
tial, the report emphasized.
The primary function of the schools, the commit
tee insisted is to inpart specific knowledge relations
ships between facts and ss in reading, writing and
calculating
"They must not neglect these specific functions
If these facts and these ss not learned in school,
they are generally not learned at ALL" the report
warned.
Realization of these detectives, the committee
pointed out have direct effect the continuation of
our democratic form of government. AT the same time
concern over the operation of schools Cannot diminish
if we are to remain free and sovereign nation, the
report added
"By election of School Board members and will
ngness to bear the burdens required the commit
tee stated 'by civic enterprise and civic effort the
citizens of Montgomery County have evidenced unmis-
takaby their determination to make our public school
system second to none"
School officials too, in for their share OF
credit in the report:
'The interest that the Board of Education and
its staff have shown in attempting to provide the best
possible curriculum lends assurance that our schools
will continue to improve and that we will not be bur-
dened with worry of complacency in an attempt to
provide the finest possible educational experience"
While concedng that the school systems legal OBJ
legation is to educate children the committee stressed
the "mora obligation to develop training opportun
tiles for all age groups
This means vocational training and enrich
ment courses for adults the report said Further, the
report recommended that adult education be given de-
partmenta status equal to elementary and secondary
education.
The report also suggested that the School Board
consider establishing technical division of the jun
or college, This division would have major RESPONSE
bility for vocational and technical training