The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-03-23
The following communication an tb

slavery Legislature, though not lntenucu ioT
publication by the writer, gives such clear
expose of the atrocity of the party who now
are in control Of the State, and who would
hang on to the relics of barbarism while
system, and thus retard or dry up the foun.
tains of knowledge, that we are induced to
ovcr-rule the apparent wish Of the writer and
give his communication to the public We
ask tile poor and labering men who were
.foois-that's the word-enough to vote for
the Rebel party last fall, to look at the vital
stab you have given the fair hopes of
your children who stand at the dried.up
fountain thirsting for knowledge. that bright.
est hope which was 10 help them on and
smooth the rugged path of life. We refer
you to the solemn truths contained in Judge
Underwoods letter, printed on the first
page, and to the utter ruin wrought by this
remnant OF the rebellion, our present Legs.
lature, IN one short session, as pointed out
by our own correspondent, and the late law
published herewith:
CECIL County, March IS, 1867.
T.. +. EWING, ESQ Dear Sir Il have
read with some interest your editorial on the
Public School law, and fully agree with you
that the dominant party, in the Legislature,
has done all it could do to cripple the State
system Of Public Education II has relieved
Baltimore city from the operations of the
State system, the effect of which has been
to make her indifferent, if not antagonstc
to it, and this is readily accounted for when
you consider the fact that she pays far more
than she receives. In addition to this the
Legislature has so far as know refused to
IL.
sioners Of each county a right to levy a sup.
Elementary tax where, in their Judgment,
such tax WAS required to keep the schools
open during the year, which amendment of
the law was asked for by the Convention of
| School Commissioners met in Baltimore, in
December last.
If | am correct, all we have received from
the present Legislature, is a tax OF Is cts,
and that on the basis of 1852, not of 1866
and it is fair to presume that we would not
have had even this, if the Constitution had
not required a tax of at least 10 cts, and our
loyal Legislature has given Is cts.
Unless l am greatly mistaken, you are in
error when you say that the Legislature has
passed an amendment empowering the
County Commissioners to levy on any school
district, in any of the counties, the amount
of tax to build school.houses, provided
haJolt'y VI mt NOteiS may SO determine ri
an election held for said purpose" If the
enclosed copy of the amendment is correct,
it provides (Sec. p that where Public
School fund existed prior to JAN, 1865, mo
such fund existed in Cec!,) they may pay
out at their discretion, &C., and section Sd
to which you probably refer provinces that
the County Commissioners shall have power
to levy an additional tax for the building Of
schoolhouses as hare been GuiH since Jan.
1860. provided a majority of the voters of
such district shall so decide. Now, if am
not mistaken, this makes no provision for
schoolbouses hereafter to be built, and even
if it did, in my opinion, it is not worth a
baubce; tori doubt whether you will find
district in the county, where majority of
the voters will decide to tax themselves for
| the purpose Of building school houses, and
go SO far as to say that in my opinion, it
would be unreasonable and unjust 10 expect
them to do so, when the fact is taken into
consideration that for the last eight years
they have by taxation paid for repairing and
building school houses in other parts Of the
county.
| hear that the State system is so crippled
that it will not amount to much. The tax
of fifteen cts will not keep our schools open
more than two terms, if so long and during
the vacation, the pupils will forget large
part Of that learned during the time the
schools were open In order to make the
system efficient, the schools should be in
operation the entire year.
| There is outrageous injustice done by the
present system to the counties in which a
small part of the population consists of col.
cred caildren, which 1t seems TO me ought
to be severely handled. The fund from tax.
alton is distributed in proportion to the
whole population, white and colored, be.
tween the ages of five and twenty. This
gives to the late slave Counties % to SO
per head to educate white children (tihu ouu
cation beng restricted to them) while Cecil
receives about So per head, and Frederick,
| Washington and Allegany probably not more
than Sl,50 to $500 per head. The fund
ought to be distributed in proportion to the
number of white children, or the slave coun.
ties ought to be compelled to educate their
population. would prefer the latter,
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM,