The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-08-14
THE AEZS.
FRIDAY, AUGUST IA, 1874.
Communicated

We notice, by an advertisement in the Ba!ti
more Son. that the Board ofCounty School Com
misslonefs nave determined to establish Coun-
~ High school at llaVrc de Grace; which school
according to the advertisement alluded to, is 10
afford thorough course OF English and classi-
cal training to its pupils.
Now we beg leave to pectfully ask our read
ers, and especially those who represent us in
the Board ofCounty School Commissioners, care.
fully to consider Que or two important inquiries
baiore TINS expensive experiment is ventured
upon, VIZ: Is There, at the present time, any
pressing necessity for an institution of this char
ucter, to be supported by the already oterOur-
dened taxpayers of the county? And if so,
why should it be located in that remote and I'M
healthy corner of the county?
We admit that the time may come when our
educational progress will require such school,
ut some central point in the county; but for the
present necessities of our public educational in
lereSts, the Legislature has made ample proyi-
sion, ut least so far as regards the coarse OF study
in both primary and grammar schools. If our
school officers will only make GOOD use of the
abundant means already ut their command no
citizen OF the county can reasonably ask for n
more extensive course Of instruction in ourpub-
lie schools than that already presented. Let us
see what our prlvllegcs are in this respect
l. Our primary or second grade teachers are
required to pass a thorough examination in and
teach photography, ctymology, reading, writing,
arithmetic, geography, history of the Uniteu
States and English grammar.
e" III auultloh 10 tne foregoing branches, our
lrst grade or grammar school teachers are re.
qulred to thoroughly understand and teach book.
keeping, algebra and natural philosophy
3. (Chap. VII. See. 81 To the above require.
ments, the Constitution of the United States.
the Constitution of the State Of MARYLAND the
history of Maryland, vocal music. drawing
physiology, the laws of health good behavior
domestic economy, shall be added whenever the
Board of District School Trustees deem it eype
dient; and the County Board, if necessary, can
LAM
1. (Chap. XI Sec. p "Thc State Board of
Education may add additional requirements TO
those lhulcated Tor either grade Tor ccrtiiicate)
whenever the same may seem necessary
a" inc branches mentioned above have never
been required by our District Board and the in
curry would certainly seem pertinent-can the
pnOlc schools OF this county furnish thirty pu-
pills who can pass thorough or even q cyedtdble
examination IN the branches already prescribed
ior inc second grade or primary schools? Can
they furnish fire pupils who can pass Morough
examination in all the branches of study pre-
scrlbed.for the first grade or grammar schools
IL they can furnish them, let us have more teach
ers from among our own people, and fewer i'm
PoIta'lohs from abroad. If they cannot where
Is The necessity for this High School to be sup.
ported by public taxation, at an extra expense
OF not less than fifteen hundred dollars YEAR
exclusive OF the apparatus necessary to the sue.
cess of such an institution
-, me l1ea OF Its becoming classical institution
~, or OF any considerable portion of them, is, to
say Inc least utterly impractcablc. Even ifthe
loralloll were Il central one, and there were a
hundred pupils i'll the county who had entirely
mastered all the studies of the primary and
grammar schools of their respective neighbor.
moods, probably not ten of them would leave
lnclr homes in the higher and healthy portions of
me county, and go TO malarious and sickly dis.
irict, Tor any educational induccmcnt that could
be offered ~
Again, us local institution, IIavrc de Grace
mas no right to it. That district has already re-
cciVcd as large share of public school advanta.
yes as u can ask with any degree of modestv;
more, perhaps than any other portion Of the
county OF qlIal extent. 1t has iirst-class grad
ell school, embracing in its course of instruction
several academic branches besides those required
IN the grammar school course of study, with n
corps OF SIX teachers of the first grade, whose
SaiarcS amount in the aggregate to So 400 annu
n.y' we nope therefore, the citizens of that
ulStrlct VIII be reasonable enough to allow other
portions OF the county the advantages of at least
thorough and efficient system of primary
schools, before they ask so much more
a thorough and practical course of eleBientdrU
instruction, earnest and skilfu teachers, in neat
ana convenient houses, well furnished with out
ilhe maps, globes, black boards and other an
paratus necessary to the successful operation of
such system, with intelligent and yigilant To-
cai supervision, are far more important to the
people Oh the county at present, than q higher
course OF study Some school districts NAV need
Inc grammar school studies but these are not
very numerous. flour School Board will be gen
crous enough to supply the absolute necessities
OF our people, as indicated above, they will fore
go thc luxury OF high schools, ut least for the
present. Yours Ne
CHURCHvILLE.
HhJoW County, Aug 18th, 1874.