Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-02-16
tis siaiaw sEGoamusloArzD.l
COMPULSORY EDucAr1oN.

ject of compulsory education, it may be
necessary for me to refer briefly TO The
Report of the Board of State School Com
missioners for the year ending Sept. Both.
1870. in order that I may bring before
the minds of your ureaders some Of the
plainest facts. with which. perhaps. they
may not all be familiars i shall also take
occasion to refer to their report for the
year ending Sept. Both, 1874 in support
of my position. The references shall
make shall relate to the counties alone,
omitting Baltimore city. "a
The report for 1870 shows the number
Of scholars to have been 77.454, in the
counties. These figures, If we should
look no further would doubtless have
some tendency ito advance the idea that
the people Of Maryland had taken the SUBJ
ject of education to heart, and were earn
estly and zealously availing themselves of
means and opportunities of educating their
children but when we take into conside-
ration one other fact in this connection our
6rst Impressions prove to be false. That
factis this /: that Notwithstanding the large
number of scholars enrolled, We find the
average number in attendance to be COM
paratively very small, numbering only
40, Isl, or about 81 per cent. thus clear
ly showing the average non attendance to
be 48 per cent. or 81 1903 pupils. These
statements I consider to be sufficient to
show conclusiVely, that the people oil
Maryland are not earnestly availing them-
selves Of the opportunities and means oi
educating their children. nor can it be
claimed that they have the subject at heart
at all. i shall next notice the amount ol
capital expended for educational purposes
in the counties for the year ending Sept.
Both, 1870. The total expenditure is set
down at $728. .O58 65., Quite . aconside-
ration, and yet the most that We can show
that have really ayailed themselyes Of this
great expenditure Of money for education
al purposes is about SO per cent. Of the
aggregate number of pupils enrolled upon
the school registers for all the schools in
Maryland. s-''i. p"
These statements, sir, show to all In
tents and purposes that our people are in
different upon this most important subject.
clearly demonstrating their contempt for
the cause, holding it as thing not to be
appreciated, and actually refusing to ac-
cept the greatest gift in the power of any
State to bestow-an education-the light
of which would dispel the gloom Of ignor-
+ance that enveiops a very large number
of our people but from which they refuse
to be taken. I am surprised that educa-
tion and the means thereof should be 80
shamefully neglected. Why is it so neg.
lected7 Is it because it is "a free gift,
offered to all alike? I cannot do other.
wise than allow this conclusion to force
itself upon. me that ignorance is the
cause, it having assumed defiant posi-
ton, positively refuses to be enlightened,
arraying itself against the State and bid.
ding her defiance. 'Tis said that 'skuow-
ledge is power," and, sir, will add, that
Ignorance is powerful; and I doubt not,
that unless the State Of Maryland boldly
and fearlessly asserts her authority and
supremacy, the day will dawn in her his
tory when ignorance will be poUer. ~.
Now, sir. if you please, we will exam
inc the report for the year ending Sept
30th, 1871, to see If there has been any
Improvements. In some respects there has
been, but in what? Thenumber of schools
has been increased from l 1850 to / ,390,
the total number of scholars enrolled hal
also increased from II Asa to 80. .829 /; ;bu
what is the average attendance? W.
find it to be even less than SO per cent,
showing a decrease of 2 per cent. less
than the average attendance for 1870
while it also shows the increase Of no,
attendance from 4S per cent. to be 80 pei
cent. for the year 1871. These fact'
demonstrate my proposition. that educa
tional interests are declining, and the sub
ject itself is most shamefully neglected By
large masses of the people and spurued al
matter of little or no consequences.
The hope of the country is in the rising
generation. so also is the hope of. the STATE
Of Maryland, and nobly has she endeavor'
ed, and is still endeavoring to raise al
and train her youth to make them ade
quate to the great responsibilities that vii
devolve upon them some day in the future
not very far distant. Shall the risi1t
generation be less qualified than the zen
Grafton that is now gradually passing Of
the stage Of action?' May God forbid