The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-09-05

performed by Mcssrs. Brokaw and NcCauley,
Two Of tns EaciAbers oi IN" present school
Board. who were employed ~ ns 10 do that
work, neither the Peuyville District, No.
50. nor District No. 30, where the house
built by Mr. sswisher is located, had Il school
house within their limits; and it became
matter of positive obligation upon us, as far
as in our power, to supply the houses needed.
The demand in the perryviIe District Was
imperative. 1t could not be disrcgarded or
postponed for the people in that popnlous
section of the county had for years been
without the means Of having their children
educated. 1t is also proper to remark that
when Mr.. Swishcr and the citizens of the
18th School District called upon us, we IN.
formed them distinctly that We had not the
means, and would not during our official eX-
istence have the means of paying for the
house; and as it was impossible then to tell
what would be the character OF the system
which was to take the place OF the one then
in operation. We could give them no assuar-
ance of payment if the house was built
When, however. Mr.. Swisher, with com.
mendable liberaity, proposed to build and
furnish the house himself, and to take the
risk of receiving his pay from the future
school authorities, whoever they might be-
in the face, and the lot upon which it was to
be constructed having been rendered as 4
donation by Mr.. Nesbitt, we could no longer
withhold cur acIuiesccnce III the enierpriZe;
and when the building was completed, fur
nished and occupied by the Public School
for the District, we felt it to be an impera-
tive duty to sanction tho TRANSACTIONS, and
with due notice to Mr.. Suisher, as already
stated, that he must depend upon the future
school authorities recognizing the legality OF
the claim, we gave him the obligation above
referred to, taking care to postpone the time
of payment for one entire year, that our sue.
ceSsors might have ample time to provide
for its payment. Such were the circum-
stances under which that obligation was in
curred-by which the present Board were
supplied with third new school house of
first class character, completely furnished
for their use, and located Ill District where
it is absolutely required.
% The shadomy mystery as 10 mhy the
schools hare been so long suspended,' to
which the editor of The Democrat refers, has
10 existence except in the imagination OF
those who may choose to conJure 1t up
There is no mystery about it. The people
of the county have been repeatedly advised
of the fact and the cause Of the suspension,
by publication in both the papers of the
county; and their representatives i'll the
Legislature were distinctly informed by di-
rect answers to very specific interrogatories
submitted to us by the House of Delegates
through the State Superintendent; SO that
none need be ignorant of the reason unless
wiliully so.
The county tax for school purposes having
been taken away. the School Board. in 1867,
were deprived of $4,000 Of the former rev.
al tbo ha Il
rived from the State tax, being less than
$i4 600. and Cecil couuty's proportion Of
the Free School Fund less than $500
The cost of sustaining the schools being very
nearly 81 900 per term, it was manifest, that
with the general incidental expenses and
repairs absolutely required, we could not.
with the means we had, sustain the schools
for two terms and make any payments on
our ob.isations for the new school-houses
we had been obliged to construct; and the
Beard in fact hesiiatGd az to the proprety Of
opening the schools at ali III the fall of 1867.
They determined however, to raise tho book
fee from 50 cts. to S1.00 per quarter, and to
open the schools for the Fall and Winter
terms, when the largest number of pupils
are always in attendance. This increase IN
the book fee reduced the quarterly demand
upon the Board a sufficient amount to ena-
be us to keep the schools open for those
two quarters, to pay about $500 or 5000 for
repairs and general incidentals, and to re-
duce our Indebtedness for mew school houses.
This, however, we succeeded in dong only
through the AID Of Mr.. Tome and the officers
Of the Cecil National Bank for as two of
the quarterly ipstalllncns of the State tax,
and the countys proportion of the Free
School Fund, were not receivable Tor months
after the two terms of tuition would end, we
were necessarily obliged to anticipate them
by bank accommodations hence portion
OF the liabilities thus spread before The pub
lie.
The members Of the late Eoatd gave to
the people of the county, and their children,
ali the iuLiiu School tuition they could pos
sibiy expect, witt, tie means supplied, for
the year commencing in September, 1867,
and ending i'll September, 1868, and Ill a
time when the largest number of scholars
could attend and derive the benefit of it.
Neither the meip bers Of the late Board,
nor those of the present one, are in any
manner responsible for the long suspension
OF the schools. 1t was the necessary conse-
quencc of the want Of adequate means for
their support; and the members and officers
of the present Board should have made
themselves sufficiently acquainted with the
subject to meet complaints when made in
tbs proper manner, without attempting, even
III an indiract manner, to impute maladmin-
istra:ion to iheis predecessors.
u. l.. ELLIS,
In behalf Of the late School board.