Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-09-19
Continued from Page A4)

averaged more than eight
cents per MUNICH.
BY the end of the first day
a trip to the shopping center
was necessary to purchase
many articles suggested by the
various class teachers. On a
previous trip the cost of note
book paper, subject dividers,
cartridge pen refills, and a
pencil case for the notebook
had totaled SIPS and now en-
HANGED last years notebook for
thrift's sake. However, in these
few short hours the story was
told a different way. In two
classes attended, notebook
paper was not used anymore,
instead, separate spiral note
books were THE THING! So
another $1.01 changed hands.
The scene began to shift
again by the end of the second
school day. By a pm. the axe
had fallen. Among the debris
of books, notebook, and spiral
pads was a long list of NECES-
SARY ARTICLES. At first
glance, one was inclined to
laugh, but at second glance
one reached for reading
glasses and a chair.
This formidable list contain
ed such "necessaries" as spe-
cial, spelling, spiral notebook
(NOT tablet, a gym towel fee
of So, another spiral notebook,
and book covers. Also brought
home was an envelope explain
ing P-TA dues and a "sug-
gested donation" amounting to
81.
Off to the store once again
after dinner in order to make
ourselves poorer. This time two
spiral notebooks were pur-
chased as an insurance against
the time when demanded. This
list only totaled $3.50, plus tax,
plus gas. But that wasn't all.
Unable to get book covers, as
free covers given by local
stores do not fit out-sized text
books, another so cents was
ensconced in our daughters
purse for purchasing these
items at the school store the
following day.
BY the third morning of
school, having partially re-
covered our patience and re-
balanced the food budget for
the week, a deep breath was
taken by all.
Unfortunately, the daZed ex-
preston returned to our eyes
again by a pm. ANOTHER
list was brought home! This
one included a pad of white,
unlined, drawing paper needed
for two classes, a gym suit
to be purchased at the school,
a pair of white sneakers (she
had good blue ones, but had to
have white), a sweat shirt, and
a set of colored pencils. Oh
well, one didn't NEED to eat.
Give the child the necessary
$11.29 this third day. Must keep
the pre-teenager happy! Don't,
by any means, create a prob
lem on only the third day of
Junior High!
The fourth day did it. Our
raucous laughter could be
heard for blocks. Our daughter
still didn't have enough to
carry back and forth to school!
This time a bulletin board
measuring approximately II
feet by 4 feet had to be cover
ed. So 30-some students in
the particular class were given
a week to draw a cell and label
it. But, in order to make it look
really good, the instructions
were "use poster board, mark
ing pencils. Magic Markers,
drawing ink, etc." Was the
teacher planning to display
possibly 80 cell drawings, each
poster board measuring SO
inches by IS inches on ONE
bulletin board? Incredible!
At the cost of Is cents per
poster sheet, this assignment
could only cost the class $3.50,
but, then, shouldn't complain.
Maybe the teacher wouldn't
like some of the poster draw
ings AFTER they were invest
ed in and labored over, so she
could select few to put up
in the designated space. Once
again we gritted our teeth and
did some long-range planning
against future assignments and
invested in THREE poster