The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-12-10
OfHarford County,
FOR TIE FISCAL YEAR, ENDING
SEPTEMBER BOTH, 1915.

Board publish their Annual Statement
The Graded School in Bel Air and the
High School in Havrc dc Grace were in OBJ
Grafton four terms, but the rural schools
were open only three terms. The Board
were obliged by their financial embarrass-
mcnt, TO discontinue the rural schools du-
ring the summer term. The Board assisted
the patrons who kept their schools open du-
ring the the summer term of 1872 and 1873
by an appropriation of $50 to each school,
which was continued during those terms
These two terms cost the Board about 81, 900
which, but for the opportunities of several
OF the trustees and patrons would have been
applied to the reduction of their indebted
ness.
When this Board came into office, January,
they found n debt of $11 ,2G1.S5 for Books
and Stationery. They have paid off this
debt and can show assets, the property of the
county, that will overbalance their present
Indebtedness. They have built and furnish
ed the following school houses with desks,
blaciboards and stoves, viz: In the 1st Dis.
trict, Abingdon, Furnace, Magnolia and
Edgcwoo1; in the Cd, Lapidum, Hartford
Seminary purchased, and Aberdeen in the
Sd, Forest Hill and lot, Mcchancsvile, above
the Hickory, Calvary, Union Chapel and
Rcese's purchased and repaired, Churchvile
and lot, and Fallston; in the 4th, Baptist,
kirkwo0d's, Chrome Hill, Daviss Corner
Rutledge's purchased, Jarrettsvlle purchas-
ed and repaired, Norrisville and lot Dry
Branch, Amoss or Summit Hall and Van
SAINTS purchased and in the 9TH District,
they built Stafford and paid $50 for the lot
Wilson's OF Sylvan Retreat lot cost 500,
and Rock Hill; No. 3 and lot purchased at
$125 Amounting to over $31 ,74G.39. TWEEN
ty-three school houses have been erected,
"a oh n unl ode al g.
school purposes. Many of the old dilapi-
dated school houses have been repaired, and
several require constant repairing to make
them comfortable.
1t will be perceived from table A, that t..
041 different pupils attended the public
schools of the county during the three terms
of school, an increase of four over the four
terms of school last year. Had the rural
schools been open during the summer term,
the number would have been probably s.
coo. The daily average attendance ofpupils
does not exhibit a corresponding increase
The irregular attendance may be partly as
cribed to the severe winter, and perhaps to
the indifference of some parents The
amount paid for fuel is largely in excess of
that paid in former years. This is doubtless
owing TO the rigorous winter. We trust
that our ucidentals will be confined to the
limit in our estimate. 1t will require ccono-
my on the part of the Board to keep the ey.
penses of the schools within the bounds of
the estimate. Our rent, it will be perceived,
is considerable item. We pay 1880 for
rent of Town Hall in Hayre de Grace. and
$3.50 for the Graded School in Bel Air. The
corporation in lIavre dc Grace have hereto
fore abaed 5000 of the rent to pay the sala-
RIGS of the teachers. 1t is very doubtful that
they will be SO literally disposed to donate
the 5000 for the past year now due
LISA source of inconvenience to the Board,
Us well MS injustice to the teachers, that the
| County Tax is not paid promptly and regu-
arly on the days designated by the school
law, in order that the Board may he able TO
pay the Teachers salaries at the expiration
of each term. "Thc laborer is worthy of his
hire" although it be Il pittance. Retrench.
ment in the salaries ofskilful and experience
ed teachers is calculated to drive them ont.
and bring in an inefficient corps.
We have established three grades of teach.
ers. The wisdom of this action is, we think.
apparent. The apprentice cannot expect the
| pay of his MASTER and the artist in teaching
and scholastic attachments is entitled to more
salary than the artisan. Our schools have
increased in all the districts since 1865, when
there were GO scholars in the county; now
there are 81, taught by o. teachers This in
| CIeuSe mas peel SluuulI, arising PROBABLY
from the increase of children, from the ur-
gent solicitation of citizens and patrons to
avail themselves ofpublic school advantages,
and their desire to have n school in their i'm =.
mediate neighborhood. While this anxiety
10 have school facilities convenient, is COM
mendable, yet il is expense to the tax PAYERS.
There are schools which have less than ten
daily pupils in attendance. These schools
are very expensive to the Board, and might
be closed in the point of economy Besides,
in many localities the schools are too close
to each other; consequently, these schools
are small. Some are not more than mile
apart. Retrcnchment must begin in this di-
recton, ifthc people desire the debt reduced,
and the expenses confined within the limit
! of our estimate
Let it be said, to The liberality and credit
of the intelligent and large lax PAYERS, that
they do not grudge the tax levied for the
public schools of the county, although they
generally do not participate in their bene-
fiji. No good and exemplary citizen will
grumble at paying his share in contributing
to so grand a result as the welfare and ele-
walton of the rising generation
There have been fifteen Colored Schools
in operation during the past year, and we
expect to have II open during the present
scholastic year. Six hundred and forty.one
colored pupils attended the Is schools Their
teachers are improving we are securing a
better class of teachers for them, and we hope
to carry out the benign intention of the Leg
islaturc towards this class. In conclusion
the Board trust that by strict economy they
will be able to reduce the Indebtedness to
the amount stated in their estimate of OK
penses for the ensuing year.
! RU Ordpr