Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-03-29
rhe state Pubic school; Bil...

| - Inc D1ll rep0F1ed In the House OF DefegateS
by Mr. Henkle, Chairman of the Committee on
IEdacation, ON the l5th instant providing for
a general system of Free Public Schools for this
State, repeats all previous acts inconsistent
herewith, &c. The bill makes the following
changes in the existing law:
The title of "Board of State School Commits
sionerss, 10 changed to estate Board of Educa-
tom" the title of 'Board of District School
Commissioners, is changed to ''Board of Dis
trict School Trustees
7 The following provision is added: Every
County School Commissioner shall have power
to take affdivits, and administer oaths in all
matters pertaining to public schools, but with
out charge or fee.n All the property, &C.,
vested in the public school authorities of any
county for the use of schools is transferred to
and vested in the 'Board of County Commits
sioners, !" instead of County School Commits
sioners." The following provision is added !:
"The Board of County School Commissioners
shall make out and publish annually in the
month of September lin at least two newspa-
pers published in their respective counties, if
there be two, and ofopposite politics, if there
be such) q detailed, minute and accurate state
ment Of the expenses of their said schools speci-
flying therein each particular item, and for what
and to whom paid.' Ii
The Board of District School Trustees shall
cause instruction to be given ten months in the
year, IL possible.
The provisions relating to the certificate to
be issued by the County Examiners to teachers
are qualified as follows:
| 4s'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 school, and his a.
bility to impart instruction in the varied bran
ches taught in the public schools but when the
Examiner shall have satisfied himself upon these
points, he shall be empowered to issue certi-
cate, which shall continue in force for three
years.
| The bill levies State tax of eleven cents on
the 500, being an increase ofone cent over the
present law. 1t also provides that in addition
to the Boards of County School Commissioners
the Secretaries, Examiners and District School
Trustees appointed under them shall serve out
the full term for which they were appointed.
| In response to public sentiment, the wise
policy of greater provision for colored shoots
than the mere taxes paid by colored people is
embraced in the bill, and the sections in rela-
ton to colored schools are changed as follows
Section /. 1t shall be the duty of the Board
Of County School Commissioners to establish
one or more public schools in each election dis
t,ict, 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. @. These schools shall be under the direc-
| ton of the Board of District School Trustees
of irrespective school district within the limits
of which they are established; they shall be
subject to the same laws, and furnish instruc-
ton in the same branches as the schools for the
white children.
Sec. 8. For the maintenance and support 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 res
pective colored population between the ages of
Eve and twenty years said apportionment 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 Baltimore, togeth-
er with any donations that may be made for
the purpose shall also be devoted to the main
tenance 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 may deem
necessary for the support of these schools.
Bait. Sun.