Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-09-16

BOARD ~cuoHI oN''tls-I'ilciS- At'uVo-'
his, Mr.. Co>:igin's remarks. hare not
been directly aimed at me, individually,
vet a. one Of the teachers | cannot but
feel deep interest in all that concerns
their general welfare The assumption Of
the right - take part Of the teachers
furd Gnsuficient as it already Is wheth-
er to build school houses or for any other
purpose not authorized hr law. should |
think deeply interest, and concern all the
teachers, whether of the majority of "a
small minority of teachers which met IN
convention on the 3rd of August" or hot.
I was member Of that convention Of
teachers so stigmatized for their small
numbers. Due notice Of the meeting was
given. and the small attendance was
caused no doubt in part by the notice of
meeting being placed in an obscure cor
ner cf tho PAPER, wheresfew who read the
paper at first saw it. This convention
was called for the purnose OF turtherIng
tie objects advocated in a communion
ton sirued "Tcacher," and forming a
"Teachers' Association = but owing TO
the small number present Ne concluded
to adjourn TO the 18th Of August without
further action than passing some lnpor-
tant resolutions which il was deemed the
importance Of the occasion dcmandcd.-
At the adjourned meeting on 18th inst,
which was attended by thirteen teachers,
including ten who were present at the
first meeting, the consideration Of the
above mentioned resolutions was postpon-
ed The discomfort which has per-
vadcd the minds Of the teachers for
some time past, and which eliminated
in the late correspondence and passage OF
the Aforesaid resolutions, was caused IN
part ty the small sum the teachers re-
ceivcd for the Spring term without any
assurance that they would receive more,
| myself was repeatedly assured by one
of the School Commissioners that S34
was all we would receive for the Spring
term BY way of consolation, however,
we were told that we would receive our
full salary for the other three terms. The
principal cause of dissatisfaction, so tas as
| know, has been caused by the fact that
a part of the funds primarily intended to
pay teachers has been misapplled and ap-
propriated to the building Of school hou-
ses. Sec. Of Chap Of the school law,
not only provides that the State School
Fund is primarily intended to pay the sal
aries Of teachers but goes further and
says, that whenever this fund shall prove
inadequate for that purpose, "thcn the
County Commissioners of such county are
hereby authorized, empowered, directed
and required to levy and collect such
tax upon the a~.csable property ofthe conn
tv as tho Board of School Commissioners
shall designate to make good the defclep-
cy and to pay on the day fixed for the
payment of the State School Fund, to the
several counties the amount 50 levied and
collected over to the Treasurer of the
Board of County School Commissioners,
&C. Here the law is plain and unambie-
uou} The Co nmissioners are mot only
authorized but directed and required to
levy, &c, such amount, not as the Schoo,
Commissioners may but shall designate.
+ With regard to repairs, &C., Sec. , of
Chap. /, states
They CHE School Commissioners shall
attend to all necessary repairs and charge
the cost among the incidental expenses of
the school, to be paid out Of the tax levied,
&C." d. as herein provided for.
The next clause of this section relates
to the employment of teachers. and then
goes on to state THE County Commits
sioners shall provide by general county
taxation for school houses in the several
districts, to be paid out of the school fund
Of the county" 1t Of course has to be
paid out of the school fund Of the county,
because MI SUMS thus raised by county
taxation have to pass into the hands of the
Treasurer of the Board of County School
Commissioners and then does become con-
soldntod into and forms a part of the
school fund of the county, and consequent
" has to be paid out Of it. And if to be
paid out Of the school fund, the School
Commissioners have the direction of the
matter consequently they, and not the
County Commissioners, are the proper
parties to apply to for school houses. 1t
will thus be seen that the former part of
this section provides for the repair of
school houses, while the latter part II
would seem provides for their erection. |
am aware that the Commissioner of 9th
district construes the whole Of this section
relative to school houses 10 relate to re-
pairs, but it seems to me 4 little inconsis-
tent TO provide in the latter part of a Sec
ton for that which is already provided
for in the first part. But whether it re-
lates to repairs or not the fund has first
to be provided for BY county ta1ation.-
II it bad to be paid out of the fund de-
rived from the State there would have
been no necessity Of mentioning county
taxation or County Commissioner in con-
nection with the matter State taxation
and county taxation being distinguished
from each other, the former for school
purposes has to be paid into the Treasury
o: the State and afterwards apportIoned
among the several counties, while the lat
ter has to be paid into the hands Of the
Treasurer Of the Board of county School
Commissioners. But as our Commission
er construes this section of the law to re-
late to repairs altogether, would like for
him to treat US or the public with that
particular section Of the law which under
his or the Boards construction authorizes
them 70 use any part Of the fund prlmarl-
II intended to pay teachers salaries in
building school houses. unless such fund
should prove more than sufficient TO pay
the teachers. Ii is certainly very well to
build houses aud increase the educational
facilities Of the county. but | canno: see
the justice of taking part Of the teach
ers' salaries for that purpose. There are