Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-08-22
BY Robin DOrr
Sentinel Reporter

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The death knell of the
original Takoma Park CAM
pus of Montgomery Junior
College may have been tolled
recently when majority
m e m b ers of the county
school board voted SIS mil
lion more for expansion of
the Rockville addition.
Minority board members, DR..
Clifford X. Beck, Mrs. Lucy
Kicker and Mrs. Lucille Maurer
fought desperately to prevent
the added ALLEGATION of funds.
They accused Board President
Charles w. Bell and majority
members William E. Coyle, VIII
liam /. Saunders and Everett H.
Woodward Of "sabotaging the
Takoma Park campus"
The Aug. 5 vote clirnaxed
months of wrangling over the
Takoma Park facilities. More
recently the junior college has
been threatened with extinction
with the building of larger
facilities near Rockville. Accord.
ing to the school boards June
10 resolution MIC will be closed
il and when the new Rockville
campus can accommodate en-
rollment needs.
MIC officials are facing the
recent threat with the stole calm
of battle.weary veterans. Hot
and cold wars have broken over
their heads since the first day
the school opened.
When Johnny came marching
home in 1916, armed with the
right to a free CT education, 1C
million men and women over
flowed the nations school facili
ties. The Montgomery County
Junior College at Takoma Park
was hastily thrown together as
q stop-gap measure to handle
some of the overflow.
1t began as a night school
Less than so students met in the
Bethesda Chevy Chase High
School. Hugh G. Price was the
first dean. In 1850 the school
board purchased the Takoms
Park property, originally design
ed as a resort hotel, and later
used by Bliss Electrical School.
BY 1856, enrolment had
jumped to more than 700, more
than IS per cent of whom were
married.
The alarming growth of stu
= dent enrolment was critical by
1856. The trials and tribulations
of the Takoma Park Junior Col
lege began. This is a capsule
report on the history of MIC
highlighting some of the events
which led to the recent board Of
education resolution which may
mean the end of the Takoms
Park school.
9 Nov. 2, 1856 State Supt
of Schools Thomas G. Fuller
announced, IF the present mum
Der of admissions Is maintained
in the years to come, for every
student admitted, an equally
well qualified one will be turn
ed away"
. Dec, 1956-731 students a
MIC, 80 from out of state. Dear
Donald E. Deyo appointed t
Governors Permanent Advisory
Commission on Higher Educa
ton to study increasing need fol
higher education.
. April, 1872 per cent o.
MIC graduates 60 on to con
tinue education.
Q Oct, 1957-Board of Educa
ton approves $150,000 for new
library. Sophomores rated sixth
in nationwide testing of 203 jun
Tor colleges. Glasses held to 1!
minimum.
. Sept, 1859 - Enrollmen
jumps to 1400, 30 per cent high
er than year before.
Q Nov, 1959-County Supt. C
Taylor Whittier proposes branch
campus to be opened at Carvei
High School, asks for S40,0 t
develop plan.
Dec, 1960-Dr. White
claims ultimate need for fiv,
junior colleges in county. Alice
Civic Groups support Whittier
proposal for additional schoo
facilities.
Jan, 1861 - Montgomer.
County Council of Parent
Teacher Associations call MIC
I budget lean" 1T cannot stanl
the barest amount of trimming,
MCCPTA officials say. Enroll
ment at 1925.
March, 1961-Health Educs
ton and Welfare Secretar,
Abraham Ribicoff says, "Rapi'
expansion of two-year JUNO
colleges is imperative"