MONTGOMERY COUNTY ARCHIVES

Guide to the Records of the

MONTGOMERY COUNTY CIVIC FEDERATION

1925-1998

Record Group 18: Civic Organizations

September 14, 1999

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Civic organizations have helped to shape modern Montgomery County government and have influenced government's responses to the needs of the County's residents. Civic organizations emerged as influential agencies after World War I when federal workers moved increasingly from Washington to suburban Maryland. The influx of these great numbers of new residents and the development of subdivisions in Garrett Park, Chevy Chase, Bethesda, and Silver Spring resulted in the need for improvements to the County infrastructure and services.

By the mid 1920s, the development of such services was not only a function of state departments, but also the domain of such newly created bi-county agencies including the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC). While the WSSC and MNCPPC essentially focused on infrastructure planning and development in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, their political allegiance and authority were derived from the Maryland state government. The governor was responsible for appointments to both agencies. In the late 1920s, political developments gave more home-rule powers to the County Commissioners, particularly in the area of taxation and allotment of revenues. However, the creation of the Western and Eastern Suburban District, a single special County tax area covering the entire suburban section of the County, gave the Commissioners only limited powers in allocating locally raised tax revenues.

The various civic-minded associations created in the early 20^th century were all dedicated to improving services in their respective communities. No single organization, however, sought wholesale changes in the system of County government until the Civic Federation took up this challenge in the 1930s. The County Commissioner system, in existence since 1776, gave a very limited role to the respective counties. The State legislature and Governor essentially controlled local affairs through jurisdiction over state funds, purview of local legislation, and the power of political appointment.

The Montgomery County Civic Federation was established in 1925 as an umbrella organization for the County's numerous civic organizations, and functioned as both a broadly-based citizens' lobby and a link between individual organizations.

During the first decade after its establishment in 1925, the Montgomery County Civic Federation focused on ensuring the development of single-family dwelling subdivisions and campaigning for improvements to the infrastructure. The Civic Federation supported the creation of the MNCPPC, which became the planning body for land-use in Montgomery County, and such projects as improvements to Georgetown Road, garbage and trash collection, and a Cabin John Creek Valley Park. Although the Federation largely focused on localized community issues, it also sought to reshape County government, and, early in its existence, campaigned for the creation of the Western and Eastern Suburban District.

In the 1930s, influenced by New Deal politics and by an influx of progressive-minded federal employees, the Montgomery County Civic Federation began to work toward home rule. The Federation had long advocated a larger, more active County government, but limited its efforts to supporting initiatives of other groups and individuals (for example, House Delegate E. Brooke Lee's legislation for the Western and Eastern Suburban District). By 1936, the Federation sought to develop a home rule charter, create a merit system for County employees, and appoint a County comptroller. This movement toward change and improvements of County government was not limited to the Civic Federation. Such diverse groups as the Home Interest Club of Forest Glen, the Montgomery County Farm Bureau, and the League of Women Voters all supported a greater role for County government.

In 1937, the Civic Federation formed a committee to study means of improving County government. The committee, headed by Allen H. Gardner, called for wholesale changes in County government, and in April 1938 the Federation passed a resolution calling for the County Commissioners to fund a third-party study of County government. In the winter of 1939, the County Commissioners hired the Brookings Institute for Government Research for the study. The Brookings study, entitled Government of Montgomery County, was released to the public in March 1941. The study recommended sweeping changes to the County government, including replacing the Board of Commissioners with a County Manager and a nonpartisan County Council, a County employee merit system, and the formation of a Civil Service Commission. The Brookings group also proposed the professionalization of several departments, namely the Police Department and the Office of County Engineer.

The suggestions of the Brookings study gave added support to the Civic Federation's demand for a home rule charter. This demand put the Federation at odds with the Democratic Party and its leader, E. Brooke Lee, because home rule and other suggestions of the Brookings study posed a threat to the Democrats' power in Montgomery County. The Civic Federation also found itself increasingly in conflict with the Democrat-run MNCPPC. Until the mid-1930s, the Civic Federation and the MNCPPC had worked together in developing Montgomery County. However, by the late 1930s, Maryland home owners began to worry that MNCPPC projects such as commercial development, low-income housing, and multifamily dwellings would have an adverse effect on the standard of living and on property values. A disagreement over apartment house zoning in 1941 sparked the open conflict over a home rule charter. In 1942, the Civic Federation voted to establish the Montgomery County Charter Committee (MCCC) which would work toward a charter referendum, and soon received support from the Republican Party for whom a new charter opened the opportunity to oust the Democrats from absolute power in the County.

In the election of 1946 the Charter and Republican slate received 56% of the vote. However, the new Charter, finally adopted in 1948, did not fulfill all hopes of the Civic Federation. Most importantly, the new administration was outmaneuvered by the allies of E. Brooke Lee in Annapolis and was unable to dismantle the MNCPPC and return the planning and development functions to elected officials. Consequently, civic groups, in particular the MCCC, pressed for a revision of the charter. This revision took place in 1968 and gave Montgomery County further autonomy. Although the bi-county agencies were not abolished, their members were appointed by local, not state, officials, and the County Council/County Manager form of government was replaced by a County Council/County Executive system which provided for an elected County Executive with full executive powers.

In the decades after World War II, civic organizations have continued to play an important part in planning and developing Montgomery County. By the mid-1970s approximately 300 associations were working together through such umbrella organizations as the Civic Federation, the Allied Civic Group, and the Metropolitan Congress of Citizens, founded in 1970.

Throughout much of its history, the Federation was in conflict with the County government because it championed such politically unpopular causes as a nonpartisan County government, a County Manager system, and the abolition of state-appointed officials to the MNCPPC and the WSSC. During the 1950s, the MCCF supported selection of the school board through nonpartisan elections, and contributed to the revision and improvement in enforcement of zoning codes. In more recent years, the Federation has continued to monitor the County government. Objects of special concern have included state politics, County court procedures, and public transportation and the Ride-On bus system.

PROCESSING PROCEDURES

General processing procedures consisted of discarding duplicates, unnecessary binders, and routine transmittals. Oversized documents, photographs, and audio and video tape recordings were removed from the original location in their assigned series and placed in separate containers. Separation sheets were inserted in the original location within the folder to indicate the new location of any records placed elsewhere.

Preservation copying of newspaper clippings was performed whenever feasible. Records in folders were arranged, unless otherwise indicated, in forward chronological order, with undated records appearing at the end of the folder.

PROVENANCE

These records were solicited from former Federation presidents and other prominent members. Some were donated in 1998 by Robert S. Price, head of the Membership Committee for many years. Past president William J. Skinner donated the videotape to Rockville Library in 1998, and it was subsequently transferred to the Archives.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The 7.25 cubic feet of records from the Montgomery County Civic Federation cover the years 1925 to 1998. The records include correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, directories, committee records, clippings, a videotape, and the Federation's record books. In addition to reflecting the Federation activities, these records also provide insight into Montgomery County government in the years prior to 1948, a period for which little documentation exists elsewhere. Also included are unidentified tape recordings of meetings in 1961 to 1963.

The record title has been arranged as nine series:

Series I: Administrative

Series II: By-Laws and Constitution

Series III: Committees

Series IV: Meetings: Minutes /Newsletters

Series V: Press Releases and Clippings

Series VI: Publications

Series VII: Thesis

Series VIII: Audiotape Recordings

Series IX Videotape.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I: Administrative, 1958-1986 (3 folders)

This series contains correspondence reflecting the scope of the Montgomery County Civic Federation's accomplishments, plans, and areas of concern. It also contains samples of letterhead, which list member organizations and Federation officers.

The records are arranged in alphabetical order, and then chronologically.

Series II: By-Laws and Constitution, 1950-1976 (2 folders)

This series contains the by-laws and constitution of the Montgomery County Civic Federation and its subsequent revisions, as well as undated procedures for the presentation of resolutions.

Series III: Committees, 1941-1985 (1.75 cu.ft.)

This series includes the minutes of various committees of the Montgomery County Civic Federation as well as correspondence, notes, and flyers which relate to them, and mailing lists and lists of members. One folder is restricted because it contains charges of ethics violations leveled against a County employee.

The records are arranged in alphabetical order by committee, and then chronologically.

Series IV: Meetings: Minutes/Newsletters, 1943-1992 (0.6 cu.ft.)

The series contains minutes and newsletters documenting the Montgomery Count Civic Federation's monthly meetings, and includes attendance lists from 1970 to 1976.

The series is arranged chronologically, with the attendance lists at the end.

Series V: Press Releases and Clippings, 1938-1941, 1972-1985 (0.15 cu.ft.)

This series consists of press releases for the years 1972 to 1981 highlighting the Montgomery County Civic Federation's activities. The series also includes newspaper clippings for the years 1938 to 1941 and 1977 to 1985, which were collected and donated by former members.

The series is arranged in alphabetical order by type, and then chronologically.

Series VI: Publications, 1925-1994 ( 4.75 cu.ft.)

This series primarily consists of record books, which contain correspondence, clippings, and delegate selection records, along with the Federation's directories from 1929 to 1994 and other publications. A few of the directories are missing. Record Books Nos. 8 and 13 through 15 are also missing for the years 1932 to 1933 and 1937 to 1940.

The records are arranged in alphabetical order, and then chronologically.

Series VII: Thesis, 1934 (1 folder)

This series contains a thesis on "Adult Education in the Social Planning of a Civic Organization" by Alice Watts Hostetler submitted to the University of Maryland.

Series VIII: Audiotape Recordings, 1961-1963 (1 folder)

This series contains audiotape recordings of the meetings of the Montgomery County Civic Federation. The tapes have been removed to Record Group 19: Audiovisual.

Series IX: Videotape, 1998 (1 folder)

This videotape records a presentation to the County Council on April 14, 1998, on the issue of special exceptions. The tape has been removed to Record Group 19: Audiovisual.

Box 1

Series I: Administrative

Correspondence, 1958-1986 (2 folders)

Letterhead, n.d.

Series II: Bylaws and Constitution

By-Laws and Constitution, 1950-1976

Procedures, n.d.

Series III: Committees

Advisory and Executive, 1956-1981

Banquet, 1950-1980

Executive, 1984-1985

Executive and Advisory, 1945-1960

General, 1944-1950

General, 1954-1963, 1976-1980

Internal County Improvement, 1946-1954, n.d.

Legislation and Legal Action, 1945-1980, n.d. (3 folders)

Membership, c. 1977-1985, n.d.

Membership: 1984 Membership Data, 1982-1985, n.d.

Nominating, 1945-1955, n.d.

Planning and Zoning, 1957-1982 (3 folders)

Program Achievement, 1952

Public Finance, 1956-1966

Public Finance, 1975-1977

Public Finance, 1978-1981

Public Finance and Budget, 1948-1954

Public Safety, 1954-1979

Public Utilities, 1955-1964

Public Utilities, 1969-1980

Roads, Streets, Bridges, 1951-1955

Roads, Streets, Bridges, 1958-1980 (2 folders)

Box 2

Sanitation and Public Health, 1951

Sanitation and Public Health, 1957-1967

Sanitation and Public Health, 1974-1981 (2 folders)

Schools, 1941-1956, n.d.

Schools, 1955-1980 (2 folders)

Social Welfare, 1944-1951

Special: Civil Defense, 1957-1958

Special: COG Citizen Participation Program, 1980 RESTRICTED

Special: Effect of Apartment House Development in Montgomery County, 1944-1950, n.d.

Special: Inter-Federation Council, 1959-1976

Special: Libraries, 1953

Special: To Make a Factual Study of a Fiscally Independent School Board for Montgomery County, 1957, n.d.

Special: Parks and Playgrounds, 1957-1959, n.d.

Special: To Study and Submit Reports on Questions Pertaining to Apartment Zoning, 1949-1950, n.d.

Special: To Study Bi-County Agencies, 1954-1958, n.d.

Welfare, 1960-1980

Series IV: Minutes/Newsletters

1943-1967 (5 folders)

Box 3

1968-1991 (6 folders)

1992

Attendance Lists, 1970-1976

Series V: Press Releases and Clippings

Clippings, 1938-1941, n.d.

Clippings, 1977-1985 (9 folders)

Press Releases, 1972-1981

Series VI: Publications

Affiliated Association Newsletters, 1971-1984

The Digest (Vol. 1, Nos. 1-4), 1938

Directories, 1930-1963 (4 folders)

Directories, 1970-1994 (3 folders)

Box 4

Record Book, No. 1, 1925-1926

Record Book, No. 2, 1926-1927

Box 5

Record Book, No. 3, 1927-1928

Record Book, No. 4, 1928-1929

Record Book, No. 5, 1929-1930

Record Book, No. 6, 1930-1931

Box 6

Record Book, No. 7, 1931-1932

Record Book, No. 9, 1933-1934

Record Book, No. 10, 1934-1935

Record Book, No. 11, 1935-1936

Record Books (Addendum Folder), 1938

Box 7

Record Book, No. 12, 1936-1937

Record Book, No. 16, 1940-1941

Record Book, No. 17, 1941-1942

Record Books (Addendum Folder), 1941-1942

Record Book, 1943-1946

Record Books (Addendum Folder), 1943-1946

Record Book, 1946-1948

Record Books (Addendum Folder), 1947

Box 8

Record Book, 1948-1949

Record Book, 1949-1951

Record Book, 1951-1952

Record Book, 1952-1953

Record Book, 1953-1954

Record Book, 1954-1955

Record Book, 1955-1956

Box 9

Record Book, 1956-1957

Series VII: Thesis

Adult Education in the Social Planning of a Civic Organization, 1934

Series VIII: Audiotape Recordings

Minutes, 1961-1963 (1 folder)

Series IX: Videotape

Special Exceptions: April 14, 1998 Presentation to County Council, 1998 (1 folder)