The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-11-18
ANNUAL STATEMENT
Board Of School Commissioner
OF HARTFORD COUNTY.

| which
idea of the difficulties in successfully carving
out the School Law and keeping tile Schools
in operation ten months in the wear as pre-
scribed bv the law. 1t is an incontroyertible
fact, that Free Public School system cannot
be kent in successful operation without suffi-
cient funds. More funds arc required now
than formerly in consequence of the enhanced
price of all commodities and necessaries of
! life Teachers require more salary, or they
will seek some other locality where they can
be adequately compensated and their iabors
better appreciated. The number of schools
| in the county have increased. besides the sal
aries of the Teachers have been raised For
merly there were only G5 Schools in the
county, and MANY of the Teachers received
about $50 per term for Is pupils. Now the
same Teacher receives $50 Der term, besides
the State distribution has been gradually di-
minishing. In 1868 the State distribution
to this county per term of three months was
! S4yOOO-noW So 526. So. while the Schools
have increased and the Teachers salaries have
been necessarily raised, the State fund has
! been gradually diminishing. There are SO
School Districts in the county at the present
time there are in operation 81 Schools, In
In the other two districts there are no School
houses, which the Board intend building
The Board deem it unnecessary to repeat that
the salaries of the Teachers are too small. and
not n sufficient compensation for qualified
Teachers. First Grade Teachers receive 800
per term; in Baltimore county $3.50, and in
| Howard 1925. Second Grade Teachers in
many counties of the State receive as much
salary, and in some more. than First Grade in
this county. WHY is this? Should Hartford
not be equally as liberal and as ready to ap-
preciate the primary education other children,
and as willing to pay for it, as other counties?
Fault is often found, and openly expressed, at
the poor qualifications of the Teachers. The
| Board reply to this implied censure, do YOU
eypect Euclids for the compensation II has
been the aim and desire of the Board to raise
the standard of qualification; consequently,
the examinations have been more rigid and
searching; but when we raise the standard of
scholarship it is equally Just to raise the COM
pensation This will be great incentive to
persons to prepare themselves for the arduous
duties of teacher. We know bv experience
that our Teachers qualifications are not in
ferior to those of the teachers of the other
counties, in which the salaries are higher;
but censure is an easy tax to nav, and it often
results either from ignorance or prejudice
We believe, with few exceptions, that our
Teachers duly appreciate the responsibilities
of their position, and are laboring with zeal
and energy worthy Of public consideration
and better remuneration.
1t will be seen that the Board received
from the State $15, 751 go, an amount less by
So, 511 30 than sufficient to nav the Teachers
salaries for three terms. The incidental ex-
penses of the Schools, added to the amount of
| Teachers salaries, will be S2O,273.27 for three
terms, and in this ratio for four terms it
would require 500 ,552. Is to keep the Schools
in successful operation for ten months in the
wear, The State paws S15. .69. leaving n
|
S1O,9OO.46. This does not include the Secre.
tarys salary, per diem of Commissioners.
printing, and Office expenses. Our estimated
receipts from the State for the ensuing wear
(based on the October distribution are S15-
45661. and county tax. S12 IA e9-totoi
SOS. 11O.9O. This sum would be sufficient TO
keep the Schools in operation ten months
had the Board no School-houses to nav for
and Book debt to louidate. Will Hartford
not initiate the example of her little sister
county. Kent which has erected nine new
schooi-houses during 1869 Mt n cost of SIT
OOOp The little town of Chestertown sinh.
scribcd $1,000 towards the erection of n new
school-bouse in that nrosnerous town which
is not included i'm the Iii 600, Little Kent
has only re- Public Schools vet she onnreci.
ates The inheritance of edncation and there
fore the necessity of having comfartohle and
commodious School HOUSES which are m
Ornament to the county and an index to the in.
telligence and public shirt Of the neonle,-
Hartford. we are sure feels n deem and an
abiding interest in the Educational system Of
the State. because She believes on iis nernc.
tuitv denend tbe intelligence morality and
prosress of the rising generation. ~
The Roord deem If to he their innerotivo
dutv indenendent of other considerotions to
bniid comfortable School Houses to accom-.
modote the children of the county The
BOARD regret to saw that the majority Of
the School Houses in the comfy are old de-.
cayed and uncomfortohIe hot in SIMMER
cold in winter, noorlv furnished badly VEN,
tiIated and generally loo small to acrommo-
date the number of children ATTENDING them
The BOARD have erected and maid for n
commodious School House, No I, baptist !