The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1871-12-16
AN N u Al r e P 0 r T
of BALTIMORE COUNTY
ngJuneso OIL landthe Fnanc
Year
COUNTY,
NTY SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
TOWSONTOWN, DECEMBER I'd, 1871.

given by any other county in the State. Still
the fact exists that our schools do not contain
all the children who ought to be receiving an
education. During the scholastic year just
closed the number of children who ought to
have attended school (thati is, the average num-
Der enrolled for the year, was 5,460, while only
1914 were in daily attendance, being diff
ference of l,706, nearly one-third. The stats
tics of the schools also show the number ofdif-
ferent pupils enrolled for the year to be S,42O.
Allowing 1000 for the same pupils enrolled in
different schools, it is still apparent that there
ought to be, in Baltimore county, over 1000
pupils attending school every day in the year.
While this evil is patent, and is greatly to be
Jeplored, it is not an easy matter to discover
an unobJecticnable plan for its removal Com
pulsory attendance has been tried in some Sec
lions and has proved failure. Granting that
the law does not seem able to provide remedy,
it is in the power of teachers to accomplish
much in effecting a reform in this particular.
Let them endeavor to awaken the parents in
terest in the education of their children let
them make the school-room attractive and in
viting let them prove by "their works." to
patrons and others, that the pupils in their
charge a0iH be educated if they attend school =
let them exhibit renewed energy and diligence
in these respects, and good results will I'M
doubtedly follow.
We have had a Teachers Association in
Baltimore county for period often years The
meetings occur on the Friday and Saturday
Immediately succeeding the quarterly meetings
of the Board. The Board having given the
teachers permission to close their schools on
the Fridays on which the Association meets,
has thereby given evidence of its appreciation
of these Meetings. Within the past few years
the Association has displayed increased vitali
ty, for which, in part. it is indebted to the
practical instruction impaired by the Principal
Of the State Normal School at almost every
session during the last three years. The pro
ceedings varied by essays and discussions,
and vocal and instrumental music, by the
teachers, and addresses by gentlemen of expert
ence and ability as educators. The meetings
are well attended by the teachers, the majority
taking decided interest in them, but few
being willing to forego the advantages to be
derived from them as it is evident that every
teacher who desires to advance in his profess
sion can be greatly assisted by becoming
working member of the Teachers Association
1t proposed, during the present year, to
establish District Associations, by the teachers
of two or more contiguous Districts meeting
together every month. This is commenda-
bic movement on the part of those teachers en-
gaging in it, the result of which will not only
lie productive of mutual improvement, but will
also cause the participants therein to take in
creased interest in the County Association.
SAMUEL KEPLER,
Examiner, &c.