The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1868-09-10
Fer 1s Democratic Advocate.
Our Public Schools.


9.withstanding the acknowledged import
Ahee oi thg political contest now wa0iu0-a
contest, a. al must Be aware. invoiying ,eor..
inpmentous consequences 10 the great body ~
the people Of this nation than an or anv ,bst
pave pFecrded Il; there Il aIoiler matter tha,
sonssfns even more vitality the interests Of The
people Of Carroll cdunfv viz fbc ,x.ff..a ~
oar Public schools. Bg The provIsIon. ~ !.
iaW passed during The last session Of our stair
ifKinatnre. ilts whnia matter has been niacsd
80 tnc bands OF oar own people. And Il now
seth wlth thctn whether we are to have an cf-
5Js.sss sys'eln, ar whether we are 10 be con-
arlnhea y bear The weight Of additional taxes
Without the btaehi " corresponding ir.provs.
Hebt ~ lha adminisiratAn Of our schooi.
That uig Legislature meant 10 econo,o,se A..
IpunN iappFy, 80 far as II u possible. 4. I
.slAs' aDHadsutly evident fram the fact that
ine salaries pt The School Commissioners undcr
sle new law are merely nominal; while th.ir
ant'es' y not 20 very Iaborious. are certalplv
hpt without large share Of responsibsli.v fcv
y y 70 thuin The people mHst look Cor sapplv
~ e"nl nlnieht and energetic teachers, and Il q
n. 49, tae wa.ie system must depend FOR
~ organization and caiciency. Now II th.,
people eSpeet % haya their children pyaparl,
noRht they must be ready 10 eo-operafe Win
tha rbefis 81 che Commissioners IN effect tl,a,
,na,' % ags,fAoie Fesnlt willing 70 accept The law
-, ~ y iss laPsHeeuoHs, aud last though not
Tor ne benefits they expect 20 derive frop, Z
complete and perfectly ordered plan cf Pubi,n
Seh0elA In no other way Is Il ps,Nsible n, puA
into operation Systela that will glvo pcrina-
neat satisfaction " all interested.
'ne eaueaiion OF children, like any other
onsihfes, ean be carried on only by emnloyirar
tig hsst accessible means. Thr nierchanl 49,,
woes himself With sabsfantial. well-roofcd
s0mplsisiy aired and lighted store In which 4,
Nsel nH goods sals from tho damaging effects
cs,fesi J @ss'heti and he 4. Also partcularIy
saFe!ul that both the interior and exterior IL
this baildtng shall be kept ia the best na.sihls
repair, and thai nothing unsightIy or oifsnrlve.
W she smallest degree, shali bc found near III
premises, in the selection OF his clerks and
Assiatahis, ne la no less cautious, never employ.
ing any but those Of kRown honestv and rn,,-
peisoey, oa whose conscientious discharge N
aatt be can plare the fullest reliance. The
sAme may be said Of the farmer No anc
ever kac~ that man 20 grt rich farming, who
VA TOO sungy 10 incur the rxpeuse of nannr-
w nis heias, or who would rather acrateh ais
lana with q two-horsc pillow than 90 10 the ex-
Pense q buying an additional horse, or who.
rather than pay the high wages current In H.
nsighhorhood, shoald prefer % run the rlsk az
losing hah his harvest IL this Is true 10 The
case % ne merchant and the farmer, as all viii
readily admit, 4 "a no less 50 In the case az 4
system Of Public Schools. | know full we'll
mat there are men, even IN Carroll county,
Who prefer money 10 learning aud love their
farms and houses better than they do theis own
children. Iotliese do not speak, for know
they would remain nnmored bv anr apnasi
that could make to their strong hearts. How
ever, | am rgjoicrd 10 know that these mea
form, with all their wealth, pitifuI ,ninoritvs
and The great body Of our people, both riek
and poor, asc fully aware Of the advantage al
a., Mah ss tns obligation Of educating the young,
both intellectually and morallyi even "a thc
sacrifice Of a considerable part of their worldly
u Is now iixcd fact that the great majority
OF the youth Of Carroll county will be educa
va va sltnor wen or indihcreutly- most GER
.aniy IN fablie Schools, and these schools will
be exactly such as the people Of our county
shall agree 70 make them. II spirit Of false
economy shall unfortunately prevail among
nose having control Of this matter, il viii be
almost impossible for ~ 70 have such schools
d,a.s ~ w onEht-l mean the very best, for an IN
hiherenuy managed school is very little better
than none az all. Tho all important point then.
- " bs ready and wiiling to ineur the expense
winch V absolutely necessary 70 every enter
prise ni moment, at least as regards temporal
Ihllnss. Inc task Of furnishing our schools
with suitable teachers have 20 doubt can be
done very readily by the present board--wh6.
Presume are IN general better acquainted
with The wants OF the county, In that respect.
taan u y possible for any sing sle individual pos
sess'ng limited means OF Information, 10 be-
come. bnt waving the merits OF the entlcmeu
who at present form the board, and suppozino
which feel certain u the fact--that thew
are doing their utmost to afford us the best
schools IN their power; how, In The name of
common senge, can they do impossibilitiesf N
the iund raised 10 the county Tor school purpo-
ses Is Insufficient after providing school houses,
iael, books, &C., 70 enable the Commissioners
70 oner such salaries as 10 Command the beat
talent q the country whose Is the faaltf Can
we justly blame our public officers for not fll-
ing our schools with men aud women of An
ished education and commanding talents II We
withhold from them the necessary means r.
when any one Of Us wishes TO purchase a supe-
rior article, care not what Ii be, does he ex-.
pect to be accommodated by cifering less than
ohe'haii what II costs 10 procure the article In
the hrft lnstance2 And no nne will dcny that
y u quite as unreasonable to expect to com,
mand, permanently at least, for the fneaare
pittanee OF $500 or $400 year, the services Of
teacher who must have devoted, at least, six
or eight years OF the best Of his life, and in
CURED an expense little short Of 81, 900, In pre-
pairing himself fer the arduous and responsible
duties OF his profession In this matter, as in
all CHEERS OF any importance, the liberal policy
is the best policy. To economise money Is 4
laudabie act in itself but to econamise money
81 the risk OF wasting heyouth OF our childrea
IN learning much that must afterwards be un-
learned-or, what is little worse, not learning
anything vt ALL but growing up in that
VICE. which Is sure, like noxious weeds. 10
flourish best where there il the least caitiva-
tion--this, say, ia not merely an error bat
positive erilnc. N.