The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-03-28
Public Schnnls.

By the new Constitution Of our State, adopted
last fall, the free school law under which the
children OF Maryland are now being educated
will expire with the close Of the legislature now
in session. aud, BY the same instrument, Il is
made the d'tiy OF the General Assombl y, at his
'c-sioH TO provide another system, to replace the
oue aboa, being superseded
Our pre- 1t school system 10 acknowledged TO
be "lmos, perfect, and, even by the strongest
friends VI the new constitution, regrets were ex.
pressed that clause abrogaiing Il was placed
u" that instrument and had the question not
come up at a time OF great political excitement,
We believe that the insertion OF that CLAUSE In
the new constitution would have Insured lie de.
feat. But party predictions ruled the hour.
and ia one day the work aud labor OF years was
ovrrlurncd-our school system, which had PROV
cd a blessing aud OF inestimable benefit 10 the
children OF the State 10 the poor especially, was
swept away and the cause of popular education
was handed over 10 the uncertain issues Of "a po.
iiiical campaign. Bat still, without expecting
much, We hoped for the best, and believed that
our General Assembly, acting up to the need OF
the times and obeying what 10 clearly public
opinion upon this subject, would have used their
best cndeavOrs 10 have given the people Of the
State system al least satisfactory TO portion
OF the people. We are doomed however, even Ia
this reasonable expectation, to bitter disappoiut-
men, 1t seems that, indeed, mo good eau come
out oi d" Nazareth
Early IN the prescn, session Of the Legislature
= great show Of interest was exhibited on this
subject. \ committee was appointed TO draft n
school law, aud performed i's duty by report ing
a 5! STEM Vcry good in al its details, but, unIor-
iunalrl!, Objectionable To the majority la the
House, and 20 ihe committee was inyreased to
the unW,cldy number VI twenty-five aud the
suhicc, g,icIted anew 10 this committee. This
bad! ,VyAsricd In due time, aud brought the bill
back altered ia every essential feature that It's
first iriruds failed 10 recognize IL. While, un.
der IL, all ,hc good features Of the old system are
carefully excluded the Objectionable features OF
the old one are ampIiiicd and enlarged until there
d scarcely anything commcndable IN il.
The D'll nJs before the Legislature ~ simply
- general school bil' at all, IL We except the
lc'!ing ui general ,AX and its general dis,ribu-
don. There Is To be neither II county school
board not - general superintendent, aud tho old
co"n'! :! stem, ~hish Was h0 system at ALL Is,
"a i'ei, t. ''lablshvd. rae County boards OF
school commissioners, have entire control Oyet
.i'o ''huu,s, ine svltcIon VI irxi-bvoks, and the
di-bnisr.Urnis oi the school funds. Thus there
may 'c ga every cOuniy Of the State a didrrrnt
l'.1n %: instruction, different books used, aud the
"a. A A
education 10 She 'vI! CLASSES ior whom public
Schools ATE esscniinli! nterssart.
But great care is taken that tue tax IL support,
tnis lev system shall be general, and under
is general ieatur,s it follows that q large SUN
| ui muue! % 10 be raised ~ baltimore count, 10
AID ia supporting schools in Oihrr counties OF the
stat \ tax % lively, cents ON every one hun.
df'd dollars worth OF asscssablr propcr,, ia the
stat, Is 10 bc levied tot the support Of Schools,
10 he distributed pro rata 10 each county.
according To the white children ia them. Under
iHis plan Baltimore county will pay $50, 32I. &c
aud will receive $40 1880, or 50 80 per year for
Zach white child Allegany will ryceiveS2 - for
each child Frederick S2.s2; Washington 81 -,
and A6oa, in this proportion Tor the large and
populous counties while Charles county will nay
: 0i7 - and will receive Sla 2Os 80. or Sd. 30
for each Vi is white children -. Mays will
pay - .93.is aud will receive Si3,O73.is, or
Si.it Tor each Of it, children Prince Gcorge 5
will pay SluG>o 90, aad will receive $50 OGi
or si-G' lor each white child Calvert will pay
-, !.i' receiving =, asi ~, or 50 II for each
white ctili, and 50 on, keeping up this proper.
ton between the large and small counties. We
OF Baltimore county must pay into a general fund
as much. in proportion 90 our wealth, rs the
/ love. couniit.. anl common justice would seem
iotttllF' HAT al W pay should be kept here to
EDUCATE our own children but not So We mus,
] help piy for the education Of the rich men .
chil ircu q The slaveholiing counties, and while
We receive but So - tor the education Of each
% oar children, each child in Charles is allowed
Sd.33 Comfortable reflection, that, for the
Aafd-woiking fathers Of Baltimore county
This Is the School System. then, tina, will soon
perhaps supcrcede the just and equitable one un-
der which we are now working wesay perhaps,
og ii is not at all certain that even this will pass
The Legislature seems to be afraid to meet the
'sue and such is the Adversely Of sentiment in
Tie two Houses, aud among members, upon the
sutjec' HAT the probability now is tina, the Leg
isl"iurc will adjourn without providing any sys-
TEN at all, leaving the people to their own re.
sources in the education OF their children. 10
view OF this cxigeney, Senator Clarke, Of this
county, has prepared local system for Balti.
more county, 10 be operative only should gen.
cral plan fail 10 be enacted and there Is a strong
probability Of is passing. This seems . hard
exPeden,, but !, was certainly the best plan that
could he pursued, and Senator Clarke deserve.
credit Tor his wise foreihought in the matter.