The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1961-03-02

lall those living within thirty
mile radiusJ / am sure everyone
living in Garrett County is very
much aware of the hazardous driv-
ing conditions Of the winter
months and believe me, the roads
are just as hazardous in Allegany
County This means all those liV-
ing within this radius would either
walk or drive to school. This would
also throw an added hardship upon
the average student because so
few college students are able to
afford a car.
How many families, from the
modest income brackets of West
ern Maryland, can afford to send
their children to a university? Fur
thermore, if students from West
ern Maryland want to and can af-
ford to 90 to a university why don't
they 60 to the one at College Park
instead of coming to Frostburg.
The rates at Frostburg have been
kept low because of grants from
the state of Maryland for each stu
dent entering the field of educa-
ton. A large institution is natur-
ally going to be more expensive to
operate if it is scattered over a
large area than is smaller local
college. The taxpayers and the stu
dents would pay for this added OK
pense. There would be tuition,
dorm rates would be increased,
and there would be the many add
ed university fees" Don't think
that Maryland University would
maintain The low rates at The Frost
burg Branch and still continue the
higher university rates at College
Park
If Maryland absorbs the colleges
it will control the majority of the
higher education in the state. This
could lead TO a lack of wholesome
competition and fleXibility in pro-
viding better education throughout
the state 1t must be remembered
that the merger will only make
FrOstburg a branch of Maryland
University. whose functions are
in the areas of research, graduate
studies, and various professional
programs. Undergraduate work
would be only a small segment. The
Frostburg Branch would be pri-
marily junior college where after
two years students would transfer
to a university center TO enter a
professional program.
Now, / ask you, is this what
Western Maryland wants? Do you
think this move is to aid in the
economic, individual, and cultural
development OF Maryland?
A prominent business man made
the statement that we college stu
dents are just teen ayers and are
lot old enough to know what is
best for US Most of us were 18 or
19 years old when we graduated
from high school By the time we
have had two years of college we
are certainly no longer teenagers.
One of the goals of education is to
teach us to think for ourselves and
to reason out problems. Surely by
the time we are seniors in college
we are old enough to have some
idea of what We want and need.
After all, we are. most Of us. old
enough 10 vote. We are old enough
and mature enough to go out into
the public schools to teach children.
We are also old enough to take on
family responsibilities. Why. then,
aren't we old enough to know what
kind of educational set-up is best
for our peers in Western Mary
land?
I speak as young Western
Marylander, who will graduate
from Frostburg State Teachers this
June. My che desire is that the
young people of Western Maryland
who desire a college education will
have the same opportunity of OBJ
tanning one as l have had.
If you feel that Frostburg should
remain as it is, please make your
views known to your local legis-
lators: Senator Bernard I. Gender.
Delegates Eliza f. Bray, Ebert E..
Buckle, and Leslie f. Savage, by
phone, letter, or personal contact,
or by working through your local
service or civic groups.
Most Sincerely.
Helen Cummings
Simpson Hall
State Teachers College
Frostburg, Maryland