Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-03-02

CoLcREp ScBooEs A black friend Of
Ours, Interested in edneaf;cn, has sskcd
u.s.
Jst-Arc tie black people offhe coun-
ty entitled by tie school laws ofthn State
{" snv rortian n the publie school tax for
the cslmeas;on Of their children?
2nd-If so entitled. to what proportion
Of the fund are they entitled?
3rd-From what date are they entitled
to charge the school fund for the proper
iion that NAV be found due them
4sh-How should they 90 to work to
get fhc prnrorti"n due sscm -
These Gre ssbsanially the questions
proposed, -S7c~-= -
We reply. that the. frst question has
bcen:ansvered bv the Alto, my General Of
the STATE. HIM. 1saar d: Jones. ix a let
ter TO John W: Dausheriy. Of Baltimore
city. uH;er date Of the Oh Of Fsbrsary,
ult:I. the an,wcr Sihs. tkst thehhck pep
pie DIRE ensisiea7ts = rssssea Of she .pnbaic
school tax for, the education Of their -ehiis
dren- -
|. But II 30 entitled. to- what properties,
Of the fund are they entitledf Theblaek
people. in our iudgme.,s. are entitled un-
der the laws, both OF so and 10. to On
the revenue. for school purposes that mag
have been drawn BY taxation from their
property. whether this revenue was deriv-
cd from State School or a. County School
tax This, is,r Also Substantially Mr..
jones' opinion. : p,
From what iatesarc the black people
entitled to charge the. sciool fund for the
proportion that may be found due them :!
We answer, from the date that the first
school law went into effect. after the adop-
ton Of TIC new Constitution. Mr.. Jones,
in his letter. to Danghertr quotes the
School Act of 1870. and calls It the Act Of
1860. There was M School Act passed
in go. our recollection being that there
was no session The Legislature that year.
Mr. Jones. we presume. meant the School
Act. now in force. which was adopted and
went into effect April 4,h. 1870. But
the claim IT the black people to their pro-
portion Of the school tax should not be
made to commence from this date. This
would aniy. give them one years revenue.
whereas, in our Judgment, they are en:i-
tied to three or nearly three. IL it shall be
found that they have. not collected any
part of the fund due them. Section Of
Chapter Q Of the School Act Of 1868 is
identical, in word and matter. with Section
1 Of Chapter Is Of the School Act Of
1870. BY both. it is provided, that 1.-The
total amount of taxes paid for school pur-
poses by the colcred people Of any coun-
ty. together with any donations that may
be made for the purpose. shall be ntaside
for maintaining the schools Of colored chill
drcn" The Act'of 1868 was approved
March Both, 1868, and went into opera
ton the LIST Of April Of the same year, and
it is. consequently. from the LIST Of April.
1868, that the black people arc entitled
to charge the school .rund for their pro-
portion IF the school tax. State and coun-
.y. which may have accrued since that time
How should the black people go to work
to get the proportion due them? They
should appear, either by committee ofthcir
own color or by some intelligent white
agent. before the School Commissioners Of
the county. stating their intention Of or
ganizins and opening school for black
children. for instance. in the village Of
l.eonardtown in Lconardtowu district. and
naming the three persons they may desire
60 act as trustees Of said school. The ap-
pointmcnt asked for being made. the local
board will then proceed to elect Teacher.
but before this is done. it should be re-
membered, that no person can teach in
any of the public schools of this. State
unless such person shall hold ccrti6-
cate Of qualification In other words. the
applicant for teacher will have to be exam
ined by the County Examiner. Dr. Bunt-
ing. and obtain from him certificate as
to competency. etc. This done and the
election consummnted. an organization will
have been formed. and the balance will
be plain sailing.