The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-02-04
Report Of the School Commissioners.

the unque-to Republican ears declara-
ton that cit is believed they contain all
the public desire to know, and quite as
much as it desires to pay for knowing. -
The public desire to know all the particu-
lars involving the expenditure of funds,
which that meagre Report displays neither
Iberality or courtesy in giving; and they
have ever evinced a willingness to pay the
trifing sum required to publish a full state
ment showing chow the money goes. -
When officials have what they have cause
to deem an unpalatable Report to make to
the public, they naturally desire it to be as
brief, and got out of sight as soon as pos
sible.
This Report cavalierly continues " The
Report of our State Board will be out in
its best style in short time, and the extra
curious in educational matters will then
have ample opportunity of indulging their
taste both for figures and fancies.' "The
extra curious in educational matters and
who are those "extra- curious ," Those
who have at heart the education of the
children of the county, and the judicious
expenditure of the money appropriated for
that purpose? We can conceive of no
other class likely to be "curious at all, to
say nothing of ''extra." Butts not such Gu
riosity-to adopt the language of the Report
-commendable, as evincing an interest
in the future well-being of the children of
the county, and deserving of more respect
than sneers from these servants of the peo-
pie, the School Board9 1t is well known
that the Report of the State Board is acces-
sible to but comparatively few of the many
thousands of our people who have avery
deep interest in the education of their
children, and when the great expense of
public education is decried by its enemies,
it is only natural that the true friends of
Public Schools should wish to be made
acquainted with every item of expense, in
order that all unnecessary and Clancy"
expenditures might be Topped off The
few grains of information grumblingly
dolled out in compliance with a duty
enjoined by law, comes from officials with
an exceedingly bad grace. Asa rule faith
full stewards never grumble in advance at
the anticipated disapprobation of their
masters What fancies the State Board
have given or purpose giving to the public
in their Report We are unable to divine,
not having yet seen copy of that Report
which is promised by their county co-labor
ers of Cecil, to be SO replete with Figures
and fancies.'
When the School Board came into power
and organized under the present Democratic
system, which promised to effect great
economy in Public School expenses, they
found $3.50 worth Of new books and sta
tionery in the office, turned over by the old
Board, while the Public Schools were sup
piled with So, 600 or Sc, 500 worth of books,
stationery, &c. These statements were
made by the President of the former Board
at the time. The new Board determined
to patronize some other School Book con-
Germ and the supply of books then in their
possession and in the schools were made
way with probably for song or less. This
was the first step in the new path of econ
omy published in advance. And this, when
the new Board were publishing the state
ment depreacting the heavy debt they had
to contend with, transmitted by their pre-
decessors and which cramped the energies
of the Board, whose first care should have
been directed toward getting rid of, by
economizing'i every expenditure possible.
BY way of making show of inaugural
ing rigid system of economy, the offices of
examiner, treasurer, visitor, and secretary,
were combined in one, and salary of $500
appropriated for that officer of manifold
duties. The compensation of this officer
has since been raised by additions till at
present it is $3.50. We do not express the
opinion that this sum is too much or not
sufficient for the work demanded, but make
the statement to point the difference
between promising and performing.
When the present Secretary assumed the
duties of Office he reported a debt of Sic,
263.2a as a legacy bequeathed the new,
by the retiring Board, which the President
of the old Board contradicted by coun-
reinstatement, showing 1904. 43 as assets,
leaving the actual debt which the incoming
Board had to assume about $4,000; and
though this expose of the state of the
school finances was denied at the time
unoficially the figures given by the Presi-
dent Of the former Board seemed to bear
him out in his statement.
We mention these facts merely to show
the case as stated by the contending par
ties at the time. In the Report Of the
School Board recently published for the
year 1870, the debt is there shown to he
$4,000, an increase taking the statement
of either party, Notwithstanding the ample
provision made by the new law to raise
revenue by taxation, showing the Demo-
cratic family traits for debts and taxation,
with which the people of Maryland have
become too familiar since the advent OF
that party to power; and which we assure
them they will never be less familiar with
while it is suffered by the lease of power
to tax at will and spend at its pleasure
Another item in that abstract of a Report
shows matter of $11, oG3. II expended for
books, stationery, &c, in the last three
fourths Of school year which the schools
were open; which, to adopt the language
of the Report, is all the public desire to
know" to convince them of the incapacity
and extravaganza of the present Board.
WHAT NEXT?-With the February num-
Der of The Aldine just received, is chrome
entitled "Ducks,' splendid copy of an
oil painting by an eminent Dusseldorf
artist, fully equal for its size g by 10 inches)
to any chrome ever published. The marvel
is that this oil chrome was printed on
Campbell press. The art of printing has
surely made long stride, when a fine oil
painting can be initiated so closely that it
would require a critical eye to detect the
difference. This number contains eight
elegant illustrations, as follows: Dante at
the River, Dore; Hon. George Opdyke; AS
a Hen Gathereth her Chickens under her
Wings; A Waterfall in Norway, Larson;