Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-06-11

- the merly appointed School Trustees
Of Sc. Aary's Coaney:
GeG<mn :-Upca yoa Win soon De-
vslve The outy Of selsstisg teaehers for tie
psbl;s seheols Of the county. Mouentoss
depend upon your sesios.-|
HE skild rss Of se~day win be the nsa
81 xonen-of tomorrow. They sooo
sGksosr places ~ the fathers and mothers
q I sucess1isg generation. and to them
us-mnst surrender the supervision and
sontrol Of our Industrial. municipal and
pelificai instructions. Will society adj
vance under their management and con-
trol, or Jsill j retrogr.de towards eignor-,
anee. criminality and barbarism
This question il before you. and the
answer must greatly depend upon the
epaskers you may select for the training
"a instruction Of the growing generation.
Can you be blinded By petty or person
n considerations in the faco Of . daty %
nomen,ous and so boiyr viii you weigh
the Temporary accommodation Of one sin-
gle iiadiiriidsal against the lifetime sse-
J;kae.s and Happiness Of an entire neiyh-
6srAood Of ehisdrn-reekless Of the con-
sequences to the continuity!
Yoor selection Of teachers f,r the ensu-
ing year will answer these questions.-
Neither sophistry nor pre,suce can blind
the people any longer. and no pcni-
~ humiliation can blot ont the crimi-
J15ay u sacrificing the general good 70
private or personal considerations.
Under the laws Of the State you have
been appointed the guardians Of her chill
dreu. You have accepted the appoint-
ment and you cannot ignore its sacred d.
ties. l appeal to you as men Of honor
N men Who understand their duties, aud
will not-cannot-dare not forfeit their
own seif-respect. ~
Permit me to caution you against the
delusivc notion that any teacher is good
enough for abenighted neighborhood, and
particularly for a colored school. The
bright light of science is most needed in
dark places. and there We require the
most active. exemplary and perscvcring
teachers. The law makes no distinction
between conditions or colors. Light for
all'' is the spirit Of tho school Law. You
have no authority to interpret it different
iy. 'i'.
Gentlemen. our public schools are uu-
popular-they are becoming more so eve
~ year. Our taxpayers submit reluc-
family to taxation for their support. because
SO many of them are unworthy ofsupport.
The State Superintendent. during his short
stay in this county. while granting that a
good teacher was badly. shamefully re-
Enumerated. avowed che opinion that 9TH
ers had been "a hundred fold" overpaid
This might appear to be very strong If
not extravagant expression were it not
that erroneous instruction is injurious rath-
or than beneficial. while bad examples and
dissipated habits should be punished rath-
er than rewarded.
Our tax-court may even now be con.
sidcring the question of levying another
tenth Of one per cent. for the benefit
Of the public schools. The law snpposes
that every taxpayer will be more than re-
munerated for this outlay BY the ccnse-
quent Improvement in his social condition.
Is this superstition true or falacious =? Is
il just or right to enforce the tax without
enforcing also the promised advantages I
Should the County Commissioners re.
fuse to levy the tax. might they not hon
es,ly shelter themselves behind tho first
consideration in all taxation and plead in
their justification that no apprcciable good
has been derived from their previous lev
les Might they not summon in their
defence the concurrent testimony Of three
County Misunderstanding through q
space Of nearly twenty years7
1t cannot be denied. gentlemen, that
money enough has been paid for school
purposes in St. Mary's county to reward
every faithful teacher in the county to bis
entire satisfaction, and that it has been
withheld from those to whom alone it was
justly due. and squandercd upon others
who merited nothing.
Give us good teachers then or give rs noae
Be.ter-far better that our school houses
should be closed-closed forever, than that
the people should be taxed to support idle
au1 incompetent men. impartiug OCCASION
ally erroneous instruction. who nigh! 9TH
erwise be occupied ia the industrial pur-
suits Of life.
Do not neglect this Timely warning -
Our schools were not instituted for the
benefit or accommodation of teachers. and
least Of all TO furnish support to idles.-
Give US good teachers. and the tax-pay-
ers will aid il necessary in their support.
but if some radical change is not made in
the old administration Of the school sys-
TEN, the people will ask for repeal Of
the school tax. They ought to demad it,,
and the demand should be granted.
1t cannot be expected tina, good and
experienced teachers can be supplied from
the county for all Of the public schools
within its borders. Outside OF tried men.
however. you may 6ud many who have
most if not all the qualifications and essen
tial characteristics Of q successful teacher.
A sufficient stock of education is indis-
pcnsable. bat TO be literally educated Is a
secondary consideration. Let your ap-
pointce be honest. truthful. reliable. un-
destinations, ambitious to excel. not Pc
DANTE, industrious, neat. studious. rea-
sonable in all things, 6rm. uniform. no
trifier, puuctual. economical. fond Of good
company-not given to lettering in bar
rooms and lounging saloons. and never
playing a secondary part in any company.
Among the lady teachers avoid the
"stuck up" and "the blue stocking styles.
and above all things appreciate ga boring
heart" connected 'eiiA an anyisldin5 sciH.
A tickle. whimsical man can govern
children only BY the rod. while yielding.
pretending aud iuconsian. woman can do
L.