The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-09-07
From the Baltimore Americana
The NEW CONSTITUTION.
READ BEFORE YOU VOTE.

A solid objection to the adoption of the
proposed Constitution is its abolition of the
present uniform system ofpublic instruction.
For long years the common people" OF
Maryland have endeavored to establish a
method Of education for the children of the
State, but the influence of the dominant
class, which is the late slaveholding, but
now landholdlng, class, in the Bay counties,
has always been thrown against such educa,
ton.
For two centuries Maryland has been
without any uniform system of the kind.
1t was only at last accomplished by the
summary provisions of the Constitution OF
1864. 1t was provided by that instrument
that there should be appointed a State
Superintendent of Education, who should
report plan for a uniform system ofeduca'
ton, which should have the force of law
unless modified by the Legislature. Mem
bers of that body had no alternative but to
create system of their own or to allow that
of the State Superintendent to become law.
Only thus could prejudice he overcome.
Only thus could the children of the State be
educated together, and parents removing
from one county to another be savel the
expense of purchasing new books, and the
children themselves be relieved from dis
advantage OF new teachers practicing a dit
terent system from that they had already
learned.
The proposed Constitution aJoHshes this
rhoie system Of public schools. 1t does not
require the Legislature to adopt another,
but leaves it optional with that body to re-
turn to the old county system, which we all
know was never effective; which educated
but few, and that rs was universally felt,
but very imperlectly.
Under this provision we are likely to re.
turn to the old log school house, with a
struggling wanderer caught up for teacher,
who, upon the bare pay afforded, stays three
months, and then abandons the neghbor-
hood and leaves it teacherless for the year.
1t is doubtful, indeed, whether by the pro,
visions Of the proposed Constitution we shall
have any system at all-.none was ever
agreed on by any previous Legislature.
The Convention itself debated q plan oil
general education for more than a week,
and disagreed so utterly as to be compelled
instruction at ALL Then, as if to insure the
defeat of any uniform system, it increased
the representation largely of the counties
which have uniformly and persistently OPP
posed all schemes for the education Of the
children Of the State. A short trial of q
general and uniform system would soon
make 1t popular in each county.
The present system was, wherever pre-.
iudice had allowed it fair play, greatly priz.
ed by the poorer people.
AS it is now, the large land holders of the
lower counties are not willing to be taxed
to educate the children of their labonng
neighbors.
They can afford to send their own chill,
dren to Northern colleges, where most OF
the leading men of these counties themselve.
have been educated.
The superior advantages there had ena.
oled them to control and govern the igno-
rant masses, the more certainly and entire,
y as they Hmain passive and in ignorance.
But the people Of these counties receive
more from the State than they pay for edu.
cation. Baltimore city, awake to the i'm.
portance of popular instruction honoriug
her system, Of which she is greatly proud,
pays seven sixteenths, or nearly one half Of
the whole school tax for the State. The
counties receive and pay as per the annex,
ID table: