The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-02-17
Report Of r. 6. McGinn, ESQ,

Report Of r. G. McGinn, ESQ.,,
President Board School Commissioners Of BlIi-
more county, 10 Me State Superintendent Of Pub
Tic Lastruction.
As the closing remarks In your communication
,f the LIST inst, Indicate special desire to have
replies 10 your suggested topics Il may he pru-
dent 10 conhne myself chiefly 10 them.
In rcplyto the let and "a lneFrogatores, ]
would respectfully state that under The old law
there were iO2 Schools IN operation, IN charge
Of i02 Principals and II Assistants, under the
supervision Of II Commissioners, elected blen-
ulally by tho people, and Visitors, for each |
School, chosen annuallyhy the patrons, Teaeh- |
era WE'RE moi employed without procuring eeF-
,iAcatc OF qualification from Heard Of hkalalns
rrs appointed by The President 1f The hphoel
or the houses, there weFebg IN
good condition., itiln ordinary eohdlllon, ana ~
greatly In need VI repair, The funds ny which
The Schoela we're snpnaFltd, amounted In the ag-
grcea,e 20 Sad,eaU ~, arising Hem eanntY tax,
the Free school and Academic funds, taIlion fees,
and Anea and f0rtbiurtsi FFem The printed re-
ports Of the COMMISSIONER II Ia evident That the
efficiency OF the Schools annually increased and
my frat official visit enables mo eheeFfny 10 ell-
dorsc the encouraging statements In The report
for 1904. This report also contains eueclhct
history OF the system from lla ineipieney, most
hatterlng, IN ils summary Of details, 10 every
friend Of education in tho county,
In the absence Of the I'd volume Of the census
OF 1860, we have 10 refer 10 the census OF 1850,
In order To approximate Il correct answer To II
part OF the I'D topic. Though the census 10 which
allusion Is made, does not afford n correct mode
Of ascertnining the number Ia the county who
could not read and write when II was taken, on
account OF containing the city and county com
bined, yet, by n pro rata calculation, from which,
for several reasons, u deduction should be made
-. 4 E.,A a.. .l.awa E.afl1t tn
adults who could not read and write, is 4, 266.-
Now, Il the yearly increasing facilities for intel
lectual improvement which have been extended
since lS49, and the stimulus which children con-
stantly exhibiting the beneficial advantages OF
the public school give TO the unlettered as an in
centive to study, together with the mortality OF
the same time, be taken rs part of n basis for
forming an opinion, it may be safely asserted that
the class referred TO is very small indeed.
With reference 10 the general intelligence OF
the people, think no better evidence can be ad-
duced than their system of public schools, the
fostering care extended over'them, The augmcn-
tation Of the fund necessary to their support, and
the beneficial results arising from their successful
continuance. In 1855 the expenditure for school
purposes was nearly $22, 900 in 1864, nine years
subeeouent, il reached over SAG, 900, monetary
proof that the interest in that time more than
doubled. Now, rs to the beneficial result, a COM
parison of different reports shows that, in 1903,
8, 700 pupils attended school, and ,4,5l2 did not
attend, making II total of a2l2. In 1864, the
names of SOL pupils were registered as having
attended during some part Of the year, or nearly
as many as the entire number of pupils attend
ing and non-atiending reported six years before.
A comment might be made on this favorable as
pect but for the desire 10 make the cOmmunlca-
lion AS brief as possible Other, though moi as
palpabe proofs of the general intelligence of the
people could be advanced sucll as the improve
ments progressing in all parts of the county the
increased employment of labor-savng machine
ry; the feeble hold which old prejudices have
upon the citizens; the liberal support of NO well
conducted county papers the large supply of
varied literature which finds its way to the nu-
merous post-offices throughout the county; the
various societies organized in different sections.
whose laudable objects are generally, if not al
WAYS, the fruit of The excellent education of their
originators; and the schools OF a higher order
established in several districts, 10 supply the de-
mand for culture which the public school, under
the old law, was unable TO do
The report for the fall term shows an attend
ance of Z, Asa boys and 2,2l6 girls. Total 1870
scholars There were l22 Teachers and Asss-
tants employed. The aggregate amount paid for
salaries was $l3,057 48, and for Incidental ex-
peUeeS, luCluuIuk l~SlOFSS uuu repairs
Of houses, 1926 10.
With so many evidences of the good already
accomplished in our county under the old system,
and the encouraging prospects prominently be-
fore US as unavoidable consequences of the excel
lent improvements of the present law, affording,
"a il does, unexampled and unparalleled advan-
tages to every youthful aspirant to literary hon
Ors, cannot avoid entertaining good opinion
Of it. 1t may need some notifications in its mi
nor details, but even as il is, liberal support Of
its provisions, combined with an enlightened and
energetic management of it's operations, will de-
veloy beneficial results which, at the present time,
can be contemplated only in theory.
Teachers Associations having been wisely
recommended as important means for elevating
the standard of public instruction, liberal pro-
visions for their encouragement, embodied in
the School law, would tend greatly 10 increase
their efficiency and usefulness The time speci-
fed for the duration of their meetings is so short
that but little good can be effected. If instead
of Saturday, the Friday and Saturday of some
month, once in each term. were given them, and
a certain minimdm amount fixed to be apprepri-
ated by each County Board, to procure the SER
vices of competent lecturers, provide education
al works and periodicals calculate to diffuse
among the teachers a more extensive knowledge
of the high and responsible duties of their hon
orable profession, and of the improved methods
of teaching and School government, think the
Association would fully accomplish the purposes
of the law for their organization.
y Il
find great objection to purchasing books and
stationery, or paying for their use, as required
by law The citizens say that they thought the
system was to be free, but that the present mode
of procuring books and stationery with the in
creased tax, makes it less free than before. 1t is
in my opinion, and that of nearly all with whom
| have conversed upon the subject, that the
cheapest and most uniform way TO supply the
books and stationery, would be by an additional
tax OF two cents. The revenue thus arising
would be ample for the purpose obviate this OBJ
lection tend to make the system, in this par
ticuar, the same in all the counties have it en-
phatcally free, and by relieving the teacher of
the onerous duties Of book-agent, which con-
sumes much Of his precious time, and not unfre-
quently occasion unpleasant feelings, would bet
ter qualify him to bestow his individual attention
upon the official duties Of the School. AS an
additional argument, ! respectfully submit an
extract from the report of the Superintendent Of
a sister State SIT will he found, almost without
exception, that where the system of making the
Schools free, by property tax, has been adopted,
the Schools are better, more permanent in their
arrangements, and more regular in their atten-
dance, than in those districts where rate bills are
still collected"
Very respectfully, yours, &c,
r. C. McGlNN,
Prest Board School Com, Baltimore Co.