The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1870-02-19
ON. School Sustenl.


their recommended changes to the consideration
of the Legislature, through its committee on ed
ucation.
We believe that committee of seven has dis
charged its duties in that respect.
The committees first recommendation is "that
" State Board of Education should be appoint
" ed with general supervisory powers"
We consider this recommendation an exceed
ingly wholesome one; and without the aid and
supervision of some such department in our pub
lie school system it must fail to fill the full meas
ure of its usefulness.
The Legislature of 1865 gave US the first school
law whose jurisdiction covered tue entire State,
or assumed State Importance. In that law the
State Board of Education was made the head
and front of the system.
That system, though faulty~in several re-
spects, was based upon the correct idea so far as
the State School Board was concerned. Being
aware of many objections that were advanced
against that portion of the system at the time,
and knowing that the opposition thus manifes-
ted was directed more against the individuals,
composing that board, and their action in the
discharge of their duties, than against the pro-
visions of the system ITSELF though the individ-
uas who gave that opposition may not be alto
gether conscious of the motives that prompted
it, and without undertaking to discuss the mer-
its or dement's of the charges thus made against
the members of that Board of Education, we as
sert that ITS existence was not without its fruits
Under that system this Board had "supervi-
" sion and control Of Public instruction"
throughout the State, and supervised all collie
" ges and schools that receive any State dona-
" ton, or are incorporated by Act of the Gener-
"al Assembly" and exercised a controlling in
f1uence over the schools calculated, when the
prejudice and excitement incident to the rebel.
lion had died away, to inspire an enthusiasm
among the people, concerning the public schools
throughout the State.
That Board of Education Through one Of its
members) the State Superintendent of Public In
struction, visited the counties of the State an
nually, inspecting schools, delivering addresses,
collecting statistics, and diffusing information
tending to the improvement of instruction
throughout the State
This feature of oar school system was put on
trial just long enough TO let it take a cursory
survey Of the field of its labors, and collect in
formation enough, relating 10 the requirements
of the people, to give il a.good footing for use
fulness. This was necessarily the case as ii was
entirely new with us. The Board had no ex-
Ill tbo - he
discharge of their duties, whose successes they
might initiate or whose mistakes and blunders
they might see and avoid.
They were pioneers in the movement, and were
compelled 'to break the track" in the best way
they could and with whatever material they had
at hand
The best system possible mot condemning the
one in question:, under such circumstances
could not do more than get ready TO prove its
efficiency, during the time it was in operation.
system of Public Instruction, and made provi-
sion for another. In other words they attemp-
ted 10 run a State School machinery by the i'm
potency of The body of the system of 1865, with
its head taken oF This headless creature has
been cropping in the dark for the past two years,
thereby discovering its inability to discharge
the duties required at its hands; and to-day it is
crying alond to the Legislature to restore its
controlling power--its head-by the creation
of Estate Board OF Education" "with general
"superviSory powers"
We trust the Assembly will respond 10 this
request by Immediately re-heading our Educa-
tiOnal system in the broadcast and most compre-
hensive sense of the term.
That head should not be one in name only
II should be State Board of Education, clothed
with all the powers and equipments necessary to
render it equal to the task it will be called upon
TO perform.
We, however, differ from the committee, con-
corning their recommendations relative to the
Board of County School Commissioners. We
have always considered this appendage to a
school system almost, if not entirely, useless.
Leaving the control of the schools in the hands
of the Board of school commissioners, or in the
district to the one commissioner of the district,
is mode that has become Anticipated and
the requisites of the times demand that in its
place something better, more efficient, and more
satisfactory to the people should be substituted.
That substitute should be something like the
following:
LIE; the county examiner have general SUPER
visory powers over the schools of the county
Let him hold stated examinations at which those
wishing to teach shall be examined, and if found
competent, furnished with a certificate, setting
forth the character of the candidates qualitica-
ton in each branch respectively.
Let the patrons of each school be required to
assemble at some stated time yearly or half
yearly, and elect three of their number school
directors or trustees, whose duty it shall be to
exercise guardianship over the school and look
after its material interest vahom pay. Let the
existence of the school depend upon the amount
of interest manifested in it by those most inter-
ested then the evil 1.-THE unpopularity of the sys-
tem because the patrons have no voice in the
schooimanagement,) will soon be remedied.-
The prevalent dissatisfaction will work out its
own remedy.
You could not find a community id Baltimore
county, at least, that would not show this much
interest in the education of their children.
The people would then have the matter at their
own disposal, and they alone would be response
BILE Tor any miscarriage that might'oocur.
la the 18th esolution the convention recon-
mended THAT schools should be kept open three
" terms (seven and one-half months) during the
" year and that penalties should be provided so
= as to insure this result
This is certainly laudable recommendation,
and should he acquesced in by the Assembly by
bill securing this object.
The Legislature can, by a judicious recon-
siructon of the present law, give us a most eff
cirnt ;, stem of Public Schools. Such system
will he equal to all the requirements OF the State.
We do not wish TO be understood as finding
fault with the officers of our present system Of
schools Ii is the law, and some 1.-THE unsound
Ones) Of the recommendations of the convention
to the General Assembly, that we impugn.
We should have been much gratified to have
seen a recommendation, emana,ing from that
convention in connection with the others, asking
that:provision DIETER than the present. be made
for the education of the Ia, 900 people in our