The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-01-27

The Sch0olS.-We publish elsewhere, q
financial statement of the Public Schools
of the county. The most unpleasant fea-
ture about the Report is debt OF 81 1888.
-. on which interest was paid during the
period covered by the statement, from the
1st of October. 1870, to September 10th,
1871, amounting to 81, 1860. This debt
with the interest it draws, is equal to near
" half the sum required to defray the
expenses of the schools of the county for
an entire year, The cost of books for the
schools during the year. Notwithstanding
efforts to cut it down on the part of the
Board, was $4,3S5.2., which is too much,
and shows lack Of that attention which
teachers should he compelled to give to this
matter This feature of our Public Schools
is capable of more thorough reform it
School houses continues to be heavy, and
while the houses that are built are, for the
time being, comfortable they are mostly
frame buildings. which, in a few years will
decay, and become more or less damaged,
and require constant and heavy outlay to
keep them in order. 1t strikes US that
School-houses should be built of brick or
stone, which would cost little more in the
beginning but would be saving in the
end, while such buildings are much more
secure from fire. Educating colored chill
dren seems to present a vexed problem,
and the present school law on this point
tried by the theory which is the very foun-
dation of all public education, must be
utterly condemned. The law sets apart
that portion of the school tax collected
from colored property holders, as fund,
and the only fund. to educate colored chill
dren. This, it will be seen, is mere moi
ty. If this feature of the school law be
repealed and colored schools supported out
of the general school fund, still another
obstacle to their education remains in the
law, which requires separate School-houses
to be erected for the exclusive use of col
ored children. In some localities where
the colored population is comparatively
dense. this would present no great obstacle,
but in those sections of the county where
but few children of this class are to be
found scattered over a territory of several
miles square, to collect number sufficient
to compose school is obviously impracti-
cable. If it is necessary to the safety and
proper development of the State, that
every child should have the advantage of a
common-school education: and if the strict
est economy in taxation in connection with
this important object is to have weight
according to its Importance, it is clear that
the system of mixed schools will have
to be adopted, however repugnant it may
seem. Some forty years and more ago,
before the prejudices and bitter feelings
which sprang up with the abolition agitation
existed, both races attended the same
schools, without eliciting a remark, or Gre
ating social contamination.
Public education in our county is lacking
in one other thing more important than any
or all of the foregoing obstacles combined
and this great want is public interest. The
parents don't take that interest in the edu-
cation of their children which they should.
In fact they seem, in a majority of cases,
almost Indifferent. If they had the sub
ject of education at heart, new School
houses would spring up in every part of
the county where they are needed, and
they would be ornamented and furnished
in manner to make them attractive and
pleasant to the children, in place of the
dreary iail-like establishments that too
many are.
1t would be infinitely more profitable if
parents would spend their surplus means
in giving their children thorough useful
education, than in teaching them by pre-
cept and example, habits of extravance
and luxurious tastes. If half the interest
was taken in the cause of public education
that is manifested in Church decoration
and Church fairs-we do not include reli-
gon in this category-what an impetus
would be given to our public schools. But
who even heard of fair to build or fur
nsh School-house; or of school-room
wreathed and decorated on Christmas or
other holidays; with a fete to gladden. the
little hearts Of the children, many of
whose cherries homes have never afforded
a ray of real happiness?