Catholic Parents' Effort In Md. Reflects Role Of Political Bargaining

By Jeff Archer

Each weekday, an Allegany County Transit bus drives a crew of workers the 20-odd miles from Cumberland in western Maryland to a paper mill in Luke.

On its way back, the bus picks up Mary Anne Mertz's 7th grade son and about 18 other students who ride the bus back to Cumberland and classes at Bishop Walsh Middle/High School.

Ms. Mertz is thankful the paper mill gave her county an excuse to run the bus route. But she still pays about $500 a year in bus fare, on top of $2,800 in tuition to...