Evening star., 1961-01-26
Junior COLLEGE
Aid dBi||sGo
ToAssemb|y
~ Q star staff Writer

AgN1NAT TOA46s Jaus <0s-1SSIS>
lation to establish the Junior
college program in Maryland
law and to put up State money
to aid in financing the colleges
will be introduced in the Cen
eral Assembly today.
Delegate Blair Lee III, Dem
ocrat Of Montgomery County
and chairman Of the House
Education Committee. said the
legislation is aimed at trying
to give community colleges
status as institutions of higher
education rather than as ex-
tensions Of the public school
system to the 18th and 18th
grade"
It appeared that the bills
may become involved In the
dispute over higher education
which flared after q guberna-
torial commission recommended
establishing University Of Mary.
land branches over the State.
. Back House Bills
Mr.. Lee and eight other
Delegates. including Mrs. Edna
Cook. Democrat Of Montgom-
cry, win introduce the bills in
the House. Mr.. Lee said SEN
ators William 8. James, Dem
ocrat Of Hartford and Mary l..
Mock, Democrat Of Wicomieo,
viii introduce the same meas
ures in the Senate.
One bin calls for . IS mil
lion State bond issue to be
used to help finance the COL
leges on O $3.50 basis with
the localities. The State does
not provide construction funds
now.
Another bill would require
the State to provide one-third
Of the cost Of operating the
colleges, the other two-thirds
coming from the localities and
tuition fees. The State now
puts UP $3.50 per pupil. and
Gov. Tawes has recommended
that this be increased to SITS.
The legislation also would
give the Junior college program
Q statutory basis. The only
place the program shows up
now In State legislation Il In
the budget.
. Are Operating
There are nine Junior COL
leGes In the State, most Of
them operating in public school
buildings or other non-perma-
nent quarters
Mr.. Lee said he felt the
colleges viii be part Of what.
ever program emergeS in the
field Of higher education and
that 1t IL time for the State
to give them more recognition.
State supt. Thomas @. Pull
len, IT,, said he supports the
Lee measure.
It Is likely. however, that
Gov. Tawes will study the bills
closely before approving them.
The Governor recently turned
down the Board Of Education's
request for legislation to give
the junior colleges greater legal
Statlls..
Branches Opposed
The Warfield Commission ap-
pointed by the Governor rec
ommended Q year ago that Uni.
versity Of Maryland branches
be established at three State
teachers colleges which are
now run by the Board Of Ed
ucation. The board and Mr..
Pullen resisted the move and
instead proposed expansion Of
the junior college program and
the offerings ct the teachers
colleges.
Other legislative develop.
ments yesterday included:
Liquor-The State Associa-
ton Of County Commissioners
officially joined in opposition
to removing the tax stamp
from every bottle.
Cigarettes "A vote was
scheduled for next Tuesday by
the Ways and Means Commit
tee.
Taxes - Industry protested
before the Senate Finance
Committee an effort to subject
property and equipment II
leases from the Federal Gov
ernment to taxation.
Jobless Pay-Labor testified
for the second day before the
judiciary Committees In behalf
Of its effort to nberalize bene-
fits.
Teachers-Gov. Tawes was
presented with more than 5000
petitions from Cecil County
PTA groups for increased State
aid. e..
Redlstrictlng "A plan tc
make separate districts Of
Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties was to be In
troduced today by the Republi-
can minority. The new 9th