The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-05-21
Session of the School Board.-The Com

missioners of Public Schools were in SEES
sion on Tuesday last, and their first bust
ness was to make an examination of the
new School Law, which went into effect
from the date Of its passage. After care
full examination of the Act, the Board came
to the unanimous opinion that it is one of
the greatest mass Of absurdities and con-
tradictions ever placed upon the statute
book of any State. The law provides for
three School Commissioners in counties
numbering less than one hundred schools,
in place of one from each election District
as at present; and those Commissioners are
to be appointed by the Judges Of the Cir
cult Court, but the present Board retains
power till the expiration Of the time for
which the members were elected. There
are three Commissioners, commonly called
Trustees, appointed for each school, who
have the appointment of teachers. The
months in the year, but only ten cents on
the hundred dollars are required to be
levied in the county for school funds. If
any more is levied it is at the option Of the
County Commissioners. The law is full of
contradictions similar to those above noted,
and was devised, doubtless, by the enemies
to Public Schools, as the Legislature was
in possession of abundant material in the
shape of reports and suggestions from the
County Boards, and School Conventions
from all parts Of the State, pointing out
the defects of the old law and the needs
which practiced experince had revealed
A frst-rate law might have been provided
for the management of the Public Schools,
by alterations and amendments to the old
law, in the place of the jumbled mess which
our last Democratic Legislature has be-
queathed to the State.
Ameng the changes in books which is
constantly taking place, T. NJ. Harvey's
Grammar was adopted in place Of the one
at present used in the schools-another
item of useless expenditure.
Communications were received from par
ties in Port Deposit proposing to sell to the
School Board the old Academy and Odd
Fellows Hall building, in that town. for
school purposes which propositions we've
laid on the table.
The question of building new school
houses was again before the Board, and
warmly discussed by the members from
First, Fourth and Ninth Districts. The
Commissioner from the Fourth District,
Mr.. Mackie, showed his ability as legis-
lator by putting his argument in shape of
an offer to build stone school house at
Cowantown, "a by 40 feet, finished and
furnished complete, to be built according
to plans and drawings provided by the
School Board, for sir hundred dollars, the
money not to be paid till the Committee of
the Board accepted the building. This
was proposal SO obviously advantageous
to the School Beard, in the present deple-
ted condition of its purse, that, after some
debate OIL the part of the Commissioners
from the First and Ninth Districts, who de-
sired to amend the motion by including
school houses for their Districts, but exclu-
ding the terms, that it was finally adopted.
The actual cost of the building will be
probably fifteen hundred dollars, all of
which, above six hundred dollars the
patrons of the school propose to supply in
materials and labor. The Commissioner
from the Ninth District finally determined
to make a similar proposition to the Board,
and submit it to the patrons of the proposed
school house to be built near the Blue
Ball, for their approval or rejection, as the
best possible condition which the Board
could make. The Commissioner from the
First District, however, secuted such
proposal.
The matter of devising ways and means
to keep about $4,000 Of a debt ahoat is
subject which requires the serious consid-
Grafton of the Board at each meeting. A
note at 80 days to Messrs. Bond & Co., Of
Baltimore, for books and stationery, for
$1,649.95 was renewed, and a proposal of
Mr.. jeremiah Swisher to accept note
from the Board for 81, 900 payable in April,
1871, bearing interest at eight per cent. on
claim of 81, 400 with interest, the balance
over and above the amount OF the note to
be paid in cash, was accepted by the Board.
The President and Secretary were author
lied to provide for the obligations of the
Board falling due, which has to be done
principally by rewnewing the notes now
outstanding. District Commissioners were
appointed for all the schools in the county,
three Commissioners to each school The
schools number upwards of seventy. which
requires a list Of names too long for the
space we have to spare, and they are con-
sequently omitted. The colored schools,
which alse come under the supervision OF
the Beard of Public Schools, had Commits
sioners appointed for them also. Peter
Milburn, Hesekiah c. Caldwell and Chas.
McCabe were appointed for the Elkton
colored school.