Who was Thomas W. Pyle of Thomas W. Pyle Middle School in Bethesda?
—A reader from Olney
Thomas W. Pyle spent 37 years as a teacher and principal with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). He held positions at various schools, including principal of Bethesda-Chevy Chase Junior/Senior High School, and served as a supervisor in the MCPS central office before retiring in 1958, according to MCPS spokesman Dana Tofig.
Thomas W. Pyle Middle School was named for him when it opened in 1962, and aimed to memorialize his belief in a well-rounded education that included arts, athletics and foreign languages, Tofig says. Pyle occasionally visited the school, and taught short lessons to students before he died in 1967.
I’ve heard that you can donate your eyeglasses to people in need, but I can’t seem to find anywhere in Silver Spring to do so. Are there places in Montgomery County where I can donate old eyeglasses?
—A reader from Silver Spring
Local LensCrafters stores accept gently used eyeglasses through the company’s partnership with the vision care charity OneSight. The Lions Club also accepts eyeglass donations at locations throughout the county (contact your local Lions Club to find out where).
In Silver Spring, donate eyeglasses at Hillandale Opticians, 10149 New Hampshire Ave., says Debbie Morley of the Silver Spring Lions Club. You can also mail used eyeglasses to Lions Clubs International Headquarters, Attention: Receiving Department, 300 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, Ill. 60523.
What’s Clayboy’s story? He’s a Bethesda celebrity!
—A reader from Bethesda
Scott Styer began operating Clayboy’s Hawaiian Shave Ice truck in Montgomery County in the early 1990s, when he returned after living in Hawaii. He named the business for his son, Clay, now 21.
About 10 years ago, Scott and his brother, John Styer, opened Calder’s Cart—a stand named for Scott’s younger son, now 18—at the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda avenues in downtown Bethesda. John Styer manned the stand, which offers sweet, icy treats during the summer, for years before retiring at the end of 2010 and turning it over to his nephews.
“He was here for so long, he was like Mr. Bethesda,” Scott Styer says.
Calder’s Cart operates most days during the summer and the truck stops at various camps and pools in and around Potomac. Now that schools are back in session, the cart is open less often and will close until next summer when the weather turns colder, Styer says.
Have a question you’d like answered about someone or something in the Bethesda area? Email sinceyouasked@moco360.media. Please include your name and the city in which you live.
