Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1862-06-27
For The Montgomery County Sentinel.
tut NC montgomery county DeNFHet.
The Public Schools of Montgomery
cOunty--The Commissioners Refuse
to make a Levy for the support OF
the same---The Parties who are
to Blame. sc.

the Bame---Ihe Parties VINO are
to Blame, &c.
Mr. EDITOR 1t is known to the people Of
this State and county, that the Legislature Of
the State Of Maryland have, for the past thirty
years, been directing their attention to the
subject Of public schools throughout the State,
in endeavoring to establish a General School
System. Failing to agree upon any general
law, by which uniform system could be es-
tablished, ad interim, most of the counties
obtained, through instructions given to their
respective representatives, special laws for the
better encouragement and support of these
institutions adapted to their wants. condi-
tons and ability making it, at this late
period, impracticable, as well as impossible,
to obtain general law.
Seeing this inability upon the part Of the
State, Montgomery county, through the en-
ergy Of her representatives, during the winter
of 1860, obtained special law, by which the
defects in the organization and administra-
ton, under the old system, were eradicated
and a higher and more vigorous standard
both as to the education of the children and
the competency of teachers, was aimed at, as
well as being mild and uniform in its appli-
cation and free from all political OF secta-
rian tendencies; in this way, securing IL from
any embarrassment that might create, or in
any way tend, to disturb the object for which
\ growth and development.
In order that the reader may be better ac-
quanted with and understand the true objects
Of this law, | will give, in condensed FORM
its general and leading provisions. 1t APP
pointed five persons--one from each election
! district in the county-who were led the
" Board of Commissioners Of Public Schools
Of Montgomery county" and to hold their
Office for two years from the first Thursday
] aft fire cf I
every two years thereafter said appointment
to be made by the Judges of the Orphans
Court. 1t gives to the board of school COM
missioners power to appoint treasurer to
, said board the examination and appointment
, of teachers the erection Of school-houses and
Q purchasing of sites to call upon the county
I commissioners annually for levy for the
, support Of said schools said levy not to be
= less than ten nor more than twenty cents on
= the one hundred dollars, and making it oh
G ligatory on the county commissioners TO levy
., the amount estimated and reported to then
: by the said board Of school commissioners
i 1t appointed ten persons-two from each cleo
q ton districtin the county-who were required
] TO divide the said election districts into schoo
s districts, and make report Of the same e
the school Commissioners. 1t then goes OF
and prcscribes the further duties Of the schoo
commissioners, the treasurer, their time o
meeting, compensation, &c.
In accordance with the provisions Of tn
r law, the members Of the board were dull
+ qualified and entered upon their arduous anC
! responsible duties. | say arduons, becaus
Of the fact Of having 10 attend to the erection
Of schOol-houses throughout the county tn.
examination Of teachers prescribing thu
= course Of study, and the organization of tn,
2 schools, was no little task and ACCOMPANIED
with no little labor. The sum expended (ai
per report Of the school commissioners fol
the first gear, in the construction Of school
houses, was SO, s6l 2s the total number Of
schools, AZ the amount paid school teachers
ST. GA ~; the number Of scholars attending
school, l,342-thus giving unmistakable evil
dence Of the good result under this new sys-
ten, and strongly indicating its ultimate and
complete success, as well as realizing the fond.
est anticipations Of the trainers Of the law.
Indeed, from all parts of the county, the
schools met with great encouragement and
support, as well as receiving the unqualified
endorsement Of the board Of school commits
sioners. IL is true, that the bill, on account
Of the amount Of taxation, did meet with
some determined objection in one section Of
the county bat, | understand that, under
the good results Of the law, the objections
except with some few persons--haye been re-
moved.
But il seems to have been destined that this
law should not long continue to spread it's
! good results throughout the county, nor, for
any length Of time, escape the touch Of pOliti-
cal tad-poes, who always infest dirty water,
or even from the iron grasp Of the gigantic
minds Of wOuld-be statesmen, or a retired ex-
Judge.
/ Mr.. Dunlop, a member Of the last :Iegisla-
ture, SOLITARY and alone" (for Bowie Davis,
Esq. denies, understand, having any COM
| plicity in the matter, anxious to engraft upon
the annals Of legislative proceedings some
relic, as the mark Of the occasional entrance
I Of great man into that honorable body, con-
coiyed the statcsman-ike idea that this law
should be changed, and, consequently, reports
a bill TO that effect In looking over this bill
I Of Mr.. Dunlop, | gee II limits the amount Of
/ taxation to ten per cent. instead Of 20, as
under the law Of 1860. To this change !
have no particular objection, if it will meet
the requirements Of the board in carrying on
the schools. The next change sought, is TO
prevent any one member Of the board Of school
/ commissioners from acting as treasurer 70 sad
board. ! cannot sec what reason he can
assign for this change, unless II be to create
an additional Office for his old Jriend, the pre-
sent clerk OF the county commissioners. INC
next and last change is to take tho power Of
appointment from the Orphans court, ana
give the same 10 the county commissioners
Now, why not be satisfied with the reduction
Of taxation and creation Of an additional
Office and leave the power Of appointment IN
whom Il was already yested1 Mo- this was
not what he desired as ! wall presently snow.
Now, the time Of appointment under the
new law. was to be on the first Tuesday after
the first Monday in March, and every two
Years thereafter. Unfortunately for Mr.. Dun
| Top, just at this period his
1 "Vaulting ambition o'orleaps itself, and falls
| upon the other sdei"
| for, in bis zeal 10 drafiing the bill be de-
signates time for the appointment 20 be
made prior 20 the passage Of tho bill--he ne
elects the repeating clause, as well as 10 add,
" this act shall take effect from and after the
date Of ito passage" II Is true, that this last
clause is not essential 20 the validity Of the
bill, bot, unless embodied within the same,
will prevent u from going into force before
the first day u June. In other words, the
conglisgiion has dtclarsd, NJ. I'd, section