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

THE BOARD, in publishing their Annual
l. Report, deem it proper to submit a few
facts which will tend to give the public some
idea of the difficulties in successfully carrying
out the School Law and keeping the Schools
in operation ten months in the year as pre-
scribed by the law. 1t is an incontrovertible
fact, that Free Public School system cannot
be kept in successful operation without suffi-
Gent funds. More funds are required now
than formerly in consequence of the enhanced
price of all commodities and nccessaries of
life. Teachers require more salary, or they
will seek some other locality where they can
be adequately compensated and their labors
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 65 Schools in the
county, and many of the Teachers received
about $50 per term for Is pupils. Now the
same Teacher receives $50 per term, besides
the State distribution has been gradually di-
minishing In 1868 the State distribution
to this county per term of three months was
$4,OOO-now 1886 So, while the Schools
have increased and the Teachers salaries have
been necessarily raised, the State fund has
been gradually diminishing. There are 83
School Districts in the county; at the present
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 sufficient compensation for qualified
Teachers. First Grade Teachers receive 800
per term; in Baltimore county $3.50, and in
Howard $125. 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 censurc, do you
expect Euclids for the compensation? 1t 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
pensaton. This will be a great incentive to
persons to prepare themselves for the arduous
duties of teacher. We know by 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 pay, 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
$2,51129 than sufficient to pay the Teachers
salaries for three terms. The incidental eX-
penses of the Schools added to the amount of
Teachers salaries, will be $20,27327 for three
terms, and in this ratio for four terms it
would require $2G, 55215 to keep the Schools
in successful operation for ten months in the
year, The State pays $15,751.69 leaving a
balance to be provided for by local taxation,
S10,90046. 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 year
(bascd on the October distribution) are $15,-
45G61, and county tax, $12, 714.29-total,
$2S, 1000. This sum would be sufficient to
keep the Schools in operation ten months
had the Board no School-houses to pay for
and Book debt to liquidate. Will Hartford
not initiate the example of her little sister
county, Kent, which has erected nine new
school-houses during 1869 at cost of Sill
600? The little town of Chestertown sub
scribcd 5000 towards the erection of new
school-house in that prosperous town, which
is not included in the $1,000 Little Kent
has only 30 Public Schools, yet she appreci-
ates the Importance of education, and there
fore the necessity of having comfortable and
commodious School-Houses, which are an
ornament to the county and an index to in
telligence and public spirit of the people,
Hartford, we are sure, feels deep and an
abiding interest in the Educational system of
the State, because she believes on its perpe-
tuity depend the intelligence, morality, and
progress of the rising generation.
The Board deem it to be their imperative
duty, Independent of other considerations, to
build comfortable School-Houses to accom-
modate the children of the county. The
Board regret to say that the majority of
the School-Houses in the county are old, de-
cayed and uncomfortable; hot in summer
cold in winter, poorly furnished badly ven
tilated, and generally too small to accommo-
date the number of children attending Them
The Board have erected and paid for u
commodious School House, No. Z, baptist J
in the 4th district, at cost of $790. IS includ-
ing interest. A new SchOol-house has been
erected at Lapidum I'd district, one at Cal
vary, one at Forest Hill, one at OF above the
Hickory 3D. district; one is in the process of
building at Abingdon, and one at Hartford
Furnace, LIST district, and intend to build one
at Aberdeen. The aggregate cost of these
Houses will be 1888. The Board had made
an appropriation Of $3.50 to build a School
House at Aberdeen, in which and its vicinity
there arc at least so children to attend; but
in consequence of the County Commissioners
refusing to levy sufficient amount to build
it and some other Houses contemplated, the
Board was obliged TO abandon the idea of
contracting for the building of any more
Houses. If the people desire School Houses
to be built, (Which we feel sure they do,) they
must urge The County Commissioners to levy
the means