Montgomery County sentinel., 1961-06-22
Wick Byron's S Column

1t is difficult to understand C. Taylor
Whittiers latest proposal and the method he
used in making it public.
The Superintendent pulled the surprise of
the year when he presented last week to the
School Board q 12mOnth school plan that he
had not even mentioned to any of the menu
bers. However, he had discussed the proposal
weeks ago with various principals and super.
vis0rs at a meeting. He even held a press
conference on this subject before Board
Members were told.
Although it has been referred to as c.
Taylor Whittier's proposal, it must be pointed
out that he said at the time of presentation
that it was a new idea being given to the
Board for consideration. Whittier did not say
he endorsed it; neither did he say he objected
to it.
However, one wonders what justification
Whittier had in tossing out plan that would
involve the communitys way of life SO
thoroughly without first consulting carefully
with the Board of Education the body
charged with providing the school system.
The community leaders = or those per-
sonally involved = cannot make an intelli-
gent evaluation without understanding the
issues involved as well as very clear picture
of all aspects of the plan, including financial.
1t is not enough for the Superintendent
to say that great savings would be effected.
He has to give the entire financial structure
on this aspect of the plan. For instance the.
following questions are but few of those
that must be answered:
1. What would be the total increase in
payroll costs? The plan would invlove added
personnel, and/or added pay for teachers, bus
drivers and others.
2. Added payroll costs mean added social
security payments and related payroll items
What would this amount to at the present
time? And what would be the total under
the plan?
g. What would be the cost to air condition
buildings and to operate them? How would
these costs compare with the savings on
bond interest which would be saved by build
ing fewer schools in the next 10 to u years?
A. There would be added transportation
costs. How much extra would it take to
operate the buses IL months instead of nine?
These are only a few of the financial
questions that come to mind. There are many
more that should be answered before any
action is taken.
There are other and more important
aspects of this 12.4 plan. And the School
Board should insist that its Superintendent
define and clarity the issues now that he has
taken it upon himself to toss out such hot
potato
1t is our opinion that Dr. Whittier must
know more of the details than he has thus
far given to the Board.
AS far back as July, 1858, he was think
ing some type of 12month school program
In the National Education Association Re-
search Memo of July, 1858, much was re-
ported on the AlYear School,
1t said "that shortages of adequate
school facilities and qualified teachers are
nationwide problems today. Glasses are often
conducted without proper seating, lighting or
material for instruction, in temporary build
lngs school auditorums, and school GYM
nasiums. Harassed school boards meet extra
hours in an attempt to cope with this serious
situation, and parents worry about the kind
of education their children are getting under
these conditions. One solution which has
been and is again being considered in many
communities is allyear school"
School Board members should request
copy of this July, 1858 NEA Research Memo
They could get some background reasons
motivating interest in 12lmonth plan and
they will even see fourquarter plan with
rotating attendance.