Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-01-27
the standard has been sufficient compen-

Sat1OQ.
There is demand for graduates of thi
school as teachers far beyond what it i
possible to meet. School Commissioner
and others interested in public schools
should exert themselves to find out younf
persons of ability and promise, and en-
courage them to educate themselves spe
cially for the business of teaching. The
salaries are too low to induce young mer
of enterprise to engage in teaching as tht
occupation of lifetime; but it is hard tc
say what employment could be more pleas
ant, more useful, or more, respectable fol
a young woman. And there are symp
toms ;, too, which indicate that women o
real merit as teachers will not be refused
a reasonable compensation for their SER
vices.
Students who are sent to the Norma
School should be selected on account O
their special fitness to be trained as teach
ers. No such selection is usually made
the students enter almost at haphazard
and the sitting process therefore must take
place in school. 1t is not every young
person who will make diligent student
it is rot every diligent student who will
make a good teacher Therefore com.
paratively few of those who enter the Nor.
NAL School are able to graduate. But il
due vigilance were used to search out pro.
perly qualified persons for entrance. and
to send no others, the anQual number o.
graduates might be doubled. or trebled
without additional expense and with 9
great diminution of labor.
There are in every county many prom
ising young persons who would be willing
and glad to teach. but who are unable te
pay for their boarding while they pursue
the necessary studies. Why should moi
the Boards of County School Commission.
ers aid such persons? 1t could be done
almost without expense and without much
risk. If the ordinary salary of teacher
is $3.50. the Board might advance $a5(
to student (to defray expenses at the
Normal SchooD. on the students taking
an obligation to teach next year for 5000
Ordinary care would guard against risk
arising from incompeteucy and dishoues
ty; the only additional risks would be
that of sickness or death. If any such
scholarships should be established they
should be filled by competitive examina
ton, and the examination should be made
by the Faculty of the NNys1saf School.--
Thus all suspicious of local favoritisn
could be avoided.
COUNTY NORMAL SCHOOLS.
During the summer County Norma
School was organized by George G. Nc
Kay, Esq, the Examiner of 3Allcgany
county. and placed under the charge o
two graduates of the State Normal School
1t was we'll attended, and ifskept up regu.
larly during the summer holidays will b
of great service to those who wish to teach
and are conscious that they need some
further instruction. The example of AL
legany in this respect might be followed
with advantage by other counties.
TEACHERS INSTITUTES.
Teachers institutes were held this yea1
in the counties of Baltimore. Charles
Dorchester. Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot
and Washington. The examiners of these
counties testify to the usefulness of these
meetings. ss a. a
For five years the law required that ar
institute should be held annually in every
county. During all that time no institute
has been held in CARROLL. Cecil, Prince
Georges or St. Maryfs. There may be
good reasons for the neglect. though it il
very doubtful. The one most frequently
assigned is, I'VE are not ready for an in.
stitute yet; teachers are not sufficiently
advanced" The institute being the most
efficient agent within our reach for giving
teachers a better knowledge Of their pro.
fession. it is not surprising that those who
were not sufficiently advanced five years
ago (and have neglected the means of ad.
vancement) are not sufficiently advanced
yet. 1t would be more logical (and about
as true) to say .sour teachers are so fal
advanced in their profession that they dc
not need to learn any more."
COLLEGES, HIGH SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES
The reports of the several colleges show
these institutions generally to be in -four.
ishing condition. St. Johns College, An.
napolis. and the Agricultural College have
not lost. and show no symptoms Of losing,
the impetus which they received some
years ago They are specially commend.
ed to the confidence Of the citizens oI
Maryland and to the fostering care of the
Legislature.
The Baltimore Female College still
keeps up to its numbers and its reputation
The Western Maryland College is max.
ing steady progress,
Washington College, Chestertown. and
Frederick College. in Frederick city. have
no collegiate organization. but are doubt.
less doing good service as schools of .
higher grade than the ordinary district
schools.
The Principal of the State Norma
School, as required by law, visited and ex-
amined during the year the High Schools
at Easton, St. Michael's, Snow Hill, New.
town and Berlin, and found them in gooc
working order and giving promise of in.
creased usefulness. IF there be any othel
Public High Schools in the State he ha,
no official knowledge Of tho fact.