American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-02-21


of the public school system in Baltimore, is es
sentially connected with its gradual dereiope-
ment. The wisdom derived from the experience
of passing years, will give the ability to lay the
foundations strong and secure; rapid and eX-
pansive erection would endangcr its stability.
A vigiant, economical and successful admins
tration of the public school system will main
tain and increase its popularity; and the City
Council should carefully guard against the a
doption of measures which might divert this
favorable current into hostility. Your commit
tee adopt the words Of Bacon which, profound
in their wisdom, can never become trite: "Our
changes, to be beneficial, should resemble those
of time, which, though the greatest Of all inno-
vators, works oct its alterations so gradually
that the process is never perceived" The truth
of this analogical illustration is confirmed by
observation of material and intellectual deve-
lopement. The acorn, by degrees, is matured
into the oak; and years pass away before its
roots have extended far as to enable il to defy
the power of elemental strife. The phioso-
pher, whose mind extends over 'the range Of
planets, suns, and adamantine Spheres was
once Graded in the mental imbecity Of child
hood. 1t was, step by step, that he attained
the knowledge which makes him, GLOW noble
in reason! how infinite in faculties in appre-
hension. how like god!'
''Lord OF the wide world, and wild watery seas
Centuries passed away before the nomadic tribes
Of prmeval man were merged in the institutions
of civilized life. Christianity herself, notwith-
standing the divinity of her origin, had her
broad foundations laid immovcably secure, in
suffering and toll, in persecution and fire, in
blood and death. 1t is a great law of material
and intellectual nature, that premature or ra-
pid development, is followed by premature or
rapid decay.
Having INDUCED in these remarks as expla-
natoTy of their views in relation to the general
policy of the public school system, your COM
Inlttee proceed to the consideration of the pro-
vision for the support of the Public Schools
during the current year. In their estimate of
expenditures for eighteen hundred and forty
| five, the School Commissioners report the ex-
penditures as $40 GAS "a; including $685. as
note and interest to be paid during the year on
the purchase money for the High School build
ing. To meet this expenditure, the City Reg
lister, i'll his last annual report, makes state
ment which shows that the estimated resources
Of tie Board of School Commissioners, togeth-
er with the moneys belonging to the School
fund which will be received by him during the
year, amount to S35,7l5 49, If this be de-
Quoted from the estimated expenditure, 1t VIII
/
prated by the City Council for the ordinary
expenses Of this year; which sum also includes
$685., due the Messrs. Cohen as an install
ment payable in 1915. Having thus, by
comparison of the estimates of the School Com
missioners with those of the Register, arrived
at the amount required, your committee most
cordially recommend that the City Council APP
propriate this sum, as corrected in subsequent
part of this report, for the Public Schools.
Your committee do not assent to that part
of the report of the Commissioners in which
they recommend the continuance ofthe levy of
five cents on every hundred dollars. 1t is the
duty of the Commissioners to inform the City
Council what sum will be required for the sup
port of the schools and it is the duty of the
Council to provide for the payment of that sum.
But the mode by which that amount shall be
raised is to be determined by the Council The
propriety of this course will be easily proved.
By comparison of the reports of Commission
ers and Register, it has been shown that The
amount required is Ss,S2S Is. A levy of FIVE
centson the hundred dollars, taking the assess
cd value ofproperty i'll the city, liable to taxes
for city purposes, at S57 100000, will amount
to S2S,750. Your committee are informed by
the Register that Seueil-tenths of levy will be
collected by the close of the year. Seven
IenLllS VI TO, 'oo 10 p~Oj ~ Will
pear that levy of FIVE cents on every hundred
dollars, would produce, during the gear, twice
the requisite amount. The report Of the Com
missioners was drawn up before the pubca-
ton of that of the Register; and the report of
the Register shows that the estimated receipts,
during the year, from arrears of school tax,
from city's proportion of school fund from the
State, and from balance in hand, amount to
S22,573 06. How then was it possible for the
School Commissioners to know what specific
levy would be required, when they were unin-
formed as to what amount, apart from new
levy, would be in the city treasury, for their
use, during the year? In the report submitted
on January LIST, 1914, the Commissioners, for
the first time, recommended specific levy
Your committee respectfully suggest that the
mode which prevailed before that period is the
most appropriate. Whenever the Council au-
thorses the erection of new school houses, the
ordinance which confers the power can supply
the means. The fourth section Of ordinance
No. 7, approved March 18th, 1914, provides
that the School Commissioners shall not build
or purchase property without the approval of
the Mayor and City Council. Why, then,
should levy be laid which will produce twice
the requisite amount!
One of the items in the estimate of resources,
made by the School Commissioners, is $500 for
rent of the Assembly Rooms. But as the city
commissioners have given unanimous opinion
that the continued use of the saloon for balls
would endanger the safety of the building, and
the, School Commissioners having decided that
it shall no longer be used for such purposes, or
be rented for any uses except for concerts and
lectures, which will not endanger the building,
nor, being held at night, interfere with the Or
der of the schools diminuton of that item
of resource will be the consequence. In addi-
ton to this, they have very properly determin-
cd to occupy the Library room for the accom-
mediation of male school No. 9, by which ar
rangement they will be enabled to remove the
smaller scholars from the dark, low and I'M