The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-01-27
Report Oh the Public Schools OF
the County.

conv of which we have been favored with.
The Rcport is an interesting document as
Saving the status Of common school eda-
cation in Maryland. An Appendix, com
posed of the Reports of the Presidents Of
the Boards of Public Education in each
county, accompanies the Superintendent 5
Report. The Report of F. A. Ellis, Presi
dent of the Board of this county, we publish
below A matter so vitality important can
net fail to Interest every reader of The
Wing:
CECIL COUNTY.
The Public Schools of this county were
established under a local law, passed at
january Session, 1853, and were opened on
the l st day of January, 1859, from which
time until the inauguration of the present
general or State system, in July last, they
were in successful operation, under the man
agement and control of Board of nine
Commissioners, composed of one from each
election district each of whom exercised a
comparatively independent supervision of
the schools in his own district, numbering
from five or six to thirteen or fourteen. ac-
cording to the size and population Of the re-
spectve districts.
The teachers employed were those only
who had passed a successful examination in
Orthography. Reading, Writing, Arithmetic,
Geography. Grammar, and History of the
United States, before committee Of the
Board, as required by law.
The School Houses were found to be much
better in some sections Of the county than
il others; but, in the aggregate, greatly be
low the real requirements Of the system in
number and quality. At the time of the in
troduction Of the County system. there re
manned in the hands of the Orphans Court,
the custodiary and disbursing agent Of the
Free School Fund some eight thousand dol
lars Of that fund. This money was distrib-
ucd to the different districts, and appropri
acd to the erection Of new houses. where
most needed, and to the permanent improve
ment Of such as were found to be properly
located. Still the supply of houses was
greatly below the number required while
the character of many Of them was, to say
the least, very inferior. We were conse-
uuently obliged to appropriate annually, u
considerable part Of our revenue to the cree
ton, Or Improvement, and proper furnishing
OF School Houses.
The fnnds by which the Schools TINS es-
tlblishcl were supported, were, first, Il
County levy of twelve cents on the hundred
dollars Of the asseSsablef property Of the
c,unty. sub ect to deductions by insolvcncies,
&c, and producing about $4,000, which, in
the year 1861, was increased by supplement
t, twenty cents on the 500, producin9about
$4,000
Secondly, the annual receipt from the
State ON account of the Free School Fund
VARYING slightly from $1,000 either less or
more.
Thirdly, FROM fines and forfeitures, and
the surplus product OF local law taxing
dogs for the protection of sheep, producing
in all not more than $500, and Fourthly, the
revenue rived from the tuition fee of one
dollar per Quarter or Term, paid by all pu-
p pills not admitted free by the Commissioner
of the district producing about 50, 400; thus
making the entire revenue of the Board
about SIS, 300 up to 1864, and S21, 700 for
that year The number of Schools estab-
llshcd wa about siXty-fve attended by an
average of two thousand four hundred and
sixty-tour pupils-thirtcen hundred and for
ty-two boys, and eleven hundred and twenty
two girls.
The degree of efficiency to which the
Schools had attained under the County sys-
ten, was, to say the least, respectable; and
it is believed they were gradually improving.
The Introduction of a uniform and we'll
digested system of Text Books, and an
abundant supply of stationery, gave to the
pupils, under the County system, advantages
they never before enjoyed.
The great defect, however, was the want
of a more thorough, searching, and special
supervision. The law having confined the
compensation of each District Commissioner
to a small per diem for each day he attended
the sessions of the Board, it could not be
reasonably expected of him that he would
neglect or sacrifice his own business for the
performance of public duty unrewarded.
The consequence was that the Schools, ex-
ccpt perhaps those nearest the residence of
the Commissioner, were rarely visited by
him. The evils growing out of this want of
thorough supervision were, among others,
the waste of stationery, the needless destruc-
ton of books, and the inadequate enforce
ment of the law requiring the payment OF
tn tuition fee of one dollar per quarter by
all pupils whose parents were able to pay
whereby the Board failed to receive the full
amount properly to be collected from this
source, by at least the sum of five hundred
dollars annually. And it may, think, be
fairly estimated that a more thorough and
searching supervision would have saved tc
the county at least the sun of three hundred
dollars in books and stationery.
Upon the third topic, | would remark tina
am not now in possession of any reliable
data upon which could approximate a cor
rect opinion as to the number of adults VIII,
cannot read and write. During the year
1851, 1852 and 1858, i was ascertained from
monthly reports made by reliable colpor
teur to the County Bible Society, Of which
was then secretary, that there were the