The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-04-20
Public School Law.

! The Public School law which passed the
General Assembly at the session just closed.
makes the following changes in the old law:
The title Of "Bosrd of State School COM
missioners" Is changed to estate Board
of District School Commissioners" is
changed to Board of District School
Trustees"
The following provisions are added:
every county School Commissioner shall
have power to take affidavits, and admin
lister oaths in all matters pertaining to
public schools. but without charge or fee"
All the property, ETC., vested in the public
school authorities of any county for the
use of schools is transferred to and vested
in the BOARD of County Commissioners"
instead of g County School Commission
ers."
The Board of County School Commits
| sioners shall make out and publish annually
| in the month of September lin at least two
newspapers publised in their respective
counties, if there be two, and of opposite
politics, ii there be SUCH detailed, min
ute and accurate statement of the ex-
penses OF their said schools, specifying
therein each particular item, and for what
and to whom paid
The Board of District School Trustees
shall cause instruction to be given ten
months in the year, if possible.
The provisions relating to the certifi-
cate to be issued by the County Examiners
to teachers are qualified as follows:
Nor shall such certificate continue in
force for more than six months, unless the
person receiving the same shall satisfy the
Examiner of his fitness for governing a
| school, and his ability to impart instruc-
ton in the varied branches taught in the
public schools; but when the Examiner
shall have satisfied himself upon these
points, he shall be empowered to issue
certificate, which shall continue in force
| for three years"
The law levies a State tax of eleven cents
on the 500, being an increase of one cent
over the law. 1t also provides that in
addition to the Boards of County School
| Commissioners " the Secretaries, Exami-
ners and District School Trustees appoint
ed under them," shall serve out the full
term for which they were appointed.
The sections in relation to colored
schools are changed as follows:
I Section l. 1t shall be the duty of the
Board of County School Commissioners to
establish one Or more public schools in
each election district, for all colored youths
between six and twenty years of age, to
which admission shall be free, and which
shall be kept open as long as the other
| public schools of the particular county;
provided the average attendance be not
less than fifteen scholars.
Sec. 2. These schools shall be under
| the direction of the Board of District
School Trustees of the respective school
districts within the limits of which they
are established; they shall be subject to the
same laws, and furnish instruction in the
same branches as the schools for the white
| children.
" Sec. 5. For the maintenance and sup
port of these schools for colored children,
the sum of fifty thousand dollars shall be
set apart from the whole amount of State
school tax levied in each and every year;
and the Comptroller shall apportion this
sum to the several counties and the city of
Baltimore, in proportion to their respec.
tive colored population between the ages
of five and twenty years; said apportion-
ment to be made at the time he apportions
the levy for white schools.
Sec. 4. The total amount of taxes paid
for school purposes by the colored people
of any county, or within the city of Balti
more, together with any donations that
may be made for the purpose, shall also be
devoted to the maintenance of the schools
for colored children; the Board of County
| School Commissioners shall have power
also to appropriate any additional sum
which, in their Judgment they deem