Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-02-23

we nave heretofore puDllSheu
In a previous number we stated that,
in our opinion, system of common
school education should provide for the
of three grades of schools
grammar and high schools,
We will in this article endeaYor to show
that such division is possible even in a
region of country as sparsely populated
as our own.
The county Of Montgomery, we sup
pose contains about 900 square miles.
We have mentioned that a primary
school should be established at least in
every five miles square. This would
cause the creation of thirty-six primary
schools. Surprising the school house to
be erected as near the centre Of the five
miles square as practicable, the greatest
possible distance which any pupil would
have to travel would be three and-a-half
miles. There would be but very few
days in the year in which this distance
could not be traversed by the families Of
any of our farmers.
With reference to the grammar schools,
of course the distance will be greater.
Even then, its extreme will not be more
than six or seven miles, distance tho
not very agreeable in bad weather, yet
by no means impracticable. And we
hold that a little inconvenience had bet
ter be endured in this direction, than to
have on our shoulders the evils arising
from the multiplication of schools of the
same grade. The grammar schools should
be SO arranged, in this respect, that they
may present a respectable array of pu-
pills, all the means and appliances of a
thorough English education, and eff
cient, capable and well paid teachers.
This cannot be brought about if parents,
frightened at the distance which their
children may have to go, should insist on
the establishment of schools near to
them. Good instructors could not be
obtained, and all the instruction, which
their children might receive would be
worse than nothing.
But all this will cost money. Ger
tainly. But what will it cost Let us
see.
The teachers of the primary schools,
we suppose, will be females. Tbirty-six
teachers at salary of $500 each, would
call for $10,800 Five teachers of the
grammar schools, one in each political
district, at 5000 each, would demand
$1,000. Let the salary of the principal
of the high school be 81 900. Let there
be two assistants; one whose duty it
should be to give the requisite instruction
in natural philosophy, chemistry, &C.,
and modern languages the other in the
ordinary branches Of academical educa-
ton, at salary of 5000 each
Let us sum up
Salaries of primary school teachers $40. 500
Salaries Of grammar school teachers 5000
Salaries Of high school teachers 1900
Total $4,000
How can this amount BE- raised?
The State of Maryland pays to the
county Of Montgomery for educational
purposes about So, 600. The remainder.
then, $40, 200, would have to be raised
by taxation. The assessed value of real
and personal property in this county is
So, 25S, $40. A tax of twenty-five cents
on the one hundred dollars will raise the
amount of 1913, 147. Would the citi-
zens of the county be willing to pay such
a tax? We think they would. For
several years they paid that amount to
the State of Maryland to aid in the bust
ness of relieving her from the effects of
imprudent and hasty legislation, and
they now pay direct tax offifteen cents
on the hundred dollars for the same pur-
pose, to say nothing of the tax on prom
issory notes. deeds, probates, collateral
inheritances and what not. This they
pay and have paid without grumbling,
and feel an honest and manly pride in
having done their part in maintaining the
honor and dignity oftheir father land
Our citizens have so acted, then. for
the sake of honor. No advantage what
ever, other than this, has accrued tothem.
Have they been willing to spend so Law
ishly for the purpose of paying for that
policy which has bound the different
portions of our county with bands of
iron, but which has not directly benefit
ted them one cent, and yet be unwilling
to spend like amount for the purpose Of
establishing system which will bind
mems hearts together with stronger ties
than "hooks Of STEEL" and which will
be returned to them hundred fold I?
We cannot believe it. Away with such
aniggardly, such suicidal policy We
have layished thousands, nay, millions,
on works of internal improvements; let
Us now try and lavish, if lavish we can,
few hundreds. or even thousands on
the training of the intellect and moral
and religious affections of the rising gen.
Grafton; that generation which will soor
be our future rulers, and on whose right
action are to depend, under Heaven, W,
verify believe, the destinies of constitu
tional liberty throughout the world.
But some one may say, 81 am not viii
ling to be taxed to educate other persons
children. l might as well be taxed TO
their clothing" &c.
That is just what you have been doing
sir, all your life time. How much hay,
you paid in taxes for the support of you
Poor House? How much for the main
tenance of your criminal jurisprudence
You can easily tell by looking at you
tax bills, how much you pay for punish
ing tho vices of mankind; for erecting tn,
gallows, tho jail and the penitentiary
How much have you paid for the pre-
rention of these vices