The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1869-12-25
8rtsident at tge Buatd al Guumtg St6uut Commissioners
Baltimore CountY, Maryland.


Third. An increase in the number of schools
Fourth. Repairing and furnishing school
houses.
Fifth. Building and furnishing new school
houses.
Many houses were, from necessity, neglect
ed during the war, and a large number of
them are still out of repair. New houses apart
from the ones already provided for are needed
i'll different sections of the county. The
amount actually required for the two last
items could be run up to quite a large sum,
but new school houses, repairs and furniture
is an imp ortant and expensive subject and
one that must be approached prudeRtly, and
carried into effect gradually.
As approximation. we think it would be
safe to calculate that the improvements con-
templated can be made and the system carried
on the next year upon its present basis for
about Sl02, 200; and that this be done
without increasing the amount at present levied
in the county for school purposes. This
amount would also continue to provide for
some permanent improvements and repairs
each year.
The estimated resources for the next year
will be:
From the State. 100000
:" County 53,OO9.OO
" Book Fees .......'...... lZ,1UV.UU
q Fines, &c............... 5OO.OO
Total ,O00.0 90
The Board of school commissioners have,
lin compliance with the provisions of the
school law required the Board of county com
mssoaers to levy such additional sums upon
the assessible property of the county as would
be necessary to carry on the system 'cOnom-
cally and efficiently in this county, and 1T al
tords us pleasure to say that the county COM
miSSlOnarS al nj inn "
the amounts designated.
The three last leves on the accessible prop
erterty OF the county have been as follows, viz:
Levy of '67, seven cts. the $780,. $50 4l2.62
Levy of '6S, eight cts. on the $780,. 30, 90
Levy of 69, twelve cts. on the $780,. 53,024 90
The taxes have been paid over promptly by
the Treasurer of the county collected, but
it is not safe to calculate upon receiving more
than two-thirds or three fourths Of the amount
in the same year that the levy is made.
At the end of the last fiscal year small bal
ance was still due on the levy of $ls67; $23.-
$1,000 on the levy of 1888. From these bal
ances, and ON account of the levy of 1869, $40,
205.3l was the total amount received from the
county school tax in the last fiscal year.
The school law is not claimed to be perfect.
Many changes, some of much and others of
minor importance, could be suggested, but we
have not experienced any serious difficulties
in carrying on the schools under it. The sys-
tenn of free public schools is not new, not an
experiment, but living institution in this
county, this being the goth annual report upon
that important subject In the last report,
briefly alluded to some facts in its history and
by figures illustrated its progress in this COM
munity.
The great and essential points of success of
any system is, first the means to support it
and, second, thorough and efficient manage
ment and supervision.
The people of Baltimore county have long
since recognized the Importance of a system Of
free public education and cheerfully contribute
the necessary means to support it,
Of the amount received into the Treasury
last year the State contributed 35,24l.S2 and
the county from different sources) SIS, 392.6I,
making the amount contributed locally $780,
15O.79 more than that received from the State
All propositions for changes in the law
should be carefully considered and well ma
tured and only such should be made as expe-
rience and a thorough knowledge of the
system should suggest
GEORGE II. CARMAN,
President.