Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1856-02-07

At meeting of the Trustees of School
County, held on Thursday, January Is,
1856, for the purpose of electing Teacher
and making other arrangements for the en-
suing year, the subject of amending the
Primary School system for the county, a
notification of which was made to the Legis-
lature by one of our delegation as appears
by the Legislative proceedings, was casual
ly introduced to the Board. Whereupon, a
move was made to address our delegation
upon the subject.
A committee Of three, consisting of THo's
A. M1LLAR, GEORGE w. CARPENTER, and
Francis R. SrEAKE, was then appointed to
draw up memorial or address to our De-
legates to the Legislature. The committee,
after due deliberation, presented the follow
ing Address:
To Hon. Wm. B. Stone and YIN. D. .Nerrick:
GENTLEMEN,-We, the undersigned Trustees OF
School No. l, in lst Election District of Charles
County, seeing from the proceedings of the Legis-
lature that you have it in contemplation to ''amend
the Primary School system of Charles County,
would respectfully beg leave to offer to your con-
sderation the following suggestions.
You cannot fail to be aware that the various a.
mendments, alterations, notifications and chang.
es, which from time to time have been made with
reference to our school law, has had the effect so
to mystify it as to render its provisions incongru-
Gus and Of doubtful construction. We would
therefore, suggest an entire repeal OF the present
laws, preparatory to the introduction of a new one
that will embrace the entire system in one enact
ment. We cannot but feel that it would be more
acceptable to the people of the county to have a
law free from amendments, which only tend to
confuse, than one in whose mutilated features you
can scarcely trace lineament of the original; il
would at least to your petitioners.
In the message of the Executive Of our State tC
your honorable body, we have sad comment up
on our public school system, which should cause
the blush of modification. If not Of shame, to man
tie the cheek of every true Marylander.
Our system of public schools went into opera
ton in 1925, and the fruits of that system sheW
itself in the census of 1850 !; and what were they
Why, that for the ten years next preceding tina
in which the census taken the number O
white adults who could neither read nor write
were doubled, whilst our population had increas
ed only one fifth.
This brings us to the hum,atlng reflection tina
in our efforts to advance the cause of education
and bring to the door of every child the means o
acquiring it, have far failed as to have scat
tered the seeds of ignorance which have vegetatet
and grown 1ortn 10 our Shame. Lev US dt ohc'
eradicate them. Give US system plain and com
prehensive, that will secure to every child in gu
State, but particularly in our county, the mean
of acquiring good, sound, substantial and usefu
education. Where he is not able, give it to hin
without price, it is the duty the State owes hin,
and where she does not forget her children the
will never cease to feel proud of, and venerate
her name. Under good educational system
available equally to the poor to the rich, man
"a village Hampden" might arise among us
illuminate our national glory, and add another sta
to the galaxy Of our States greatness. The poe
! tells us
"Full many flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste jts sweetness on the desert air.