The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-01-08
Annual Statement
OF TIE BOARD OF
School Com miSSiOnerS
Of Hartford County,
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, ENDING
SEPTEMBER BOTH, 1874.

In compliance with The School Law, the
Board submit their Annual Statement, re-
GREETING that they are obliged to exhibit con-
tinued financial embarrassment being ham
pered in their operations by carrying over
debts from year to year. The 70 Public
Schools of the county have been kept open
three Terms during the year. At the urgent
solicitations of many of the patrons, the
Board appropriated 500, less the Book Fees,
to assist the Trustees and patrons in keeping
the schools open during the Summer Term.
Fifty-eight School Districts availed them
selves of this appropriation, and continued
their schools during the Summer. The
Graded School in Havre de Grace was in OPP
Grafton during the Summer, the cost of which
was 1929, of which the Town Commissioners
contributed out Of the rent 5000 as hereto
fore.
The total cost of the Summer Term was
| $3,031.15, which was an addition to the
Boards Indebtedness.
The Board have built new School House
at Norrisville, 4th District, at q cost of
$1,24750, including ou'buildmgs; one at
Dry Branch, cost S1100, and one at Amos's,
or Summit Hall, cost 5000; and furnished
them with desks and black boards. The old
log houses were too small, cold, dilapidated
and totally unfit for school purposes Nor
risville has an attendance Of 20 pupils in
charge of an efficient principal, who requires
an assistant. Many of the school houses
have been repaired and furnished with desks,
| and many of the patrons are soliciting re-
| pairs and asking for furniture. Several of the
| old houses have virtually no black boards
and merely piece of board fastened to the
walls for desks There are at least 90 new
school houses needed In the county-2 in the
| list, in the Cd, 8 in the Sd, 5 in the 4th and
4 in the 9th districts, to make the pupils COM
Portable, and carry out efficiently our Public
School system in the county. The Board re-
| iterate their settled conviction that good
school house, furnished with the appropriate
apparatus, is an essential condition of sue
cess" The board have positively refused to
build any more school houses until the debt
| is liquidated. The repairs on the old school
houses cost S142. Snme of them were
scarcely worth repairing, hut the Board was
compelled by a sense of duty and the impor-
tunities of patrons to repair them or close
the schools.
1t is the imperative duty of the citizens of
the county to contribute of their means to
to build good school houses for the educa-
ton Of the rising generation. They form a
part of the real estate of The county.
There were 4,043 white children attended
the schools during the year-an increase
over last year of 223 The average daily at
tendance docs not show n corresponding in
crease.
Seventy-nine schools, exclusive of the
Havre de Grace and Bel Air Graded Schools,
are in operation.
The Havre de Grace School has been pros.
porous and gradually obtaining high degree
of efficiency. There are teachers and 400
pupils. The five rooms are over-crowded.-
The corporation are considering the best
means of charging The building. The sala-
ries of the seven teachers will amount in the
aggregate TO $4500per annum. The Graded
School in Bel Airywilh one principal and Q as
sistants is doingits work as well as could be
expected, and perhaps better. 1t has not
suitable buildings. Ii rep rted % pupils on
roll for the past term, and will, doubtless, I'M
der the management of It's able principal, ac
complish all that can be reasonably expected
under the present circumstances. The sala-
ries of these teachers will be $4,000 per an
mum.
There have been 10 Colored Schools in OPP
Grafton during the past year, attended by 5S1
scholars. The 100000 appropriated by the
| last Legislature for Colored Schools in the
State, will be paid out of the State School
Tax consequently, our distribute share of
this tax will be less than last year.
Our teachers are trying to discharge their
| uluubuo ohu SASiChpJ,
manifest n commendable zeal in their profess
sion, and evince desire to improve them
selves in methods of teaching and skill in the
conduct and management of their schools
They will compare favorably with the teach
ers of any county in the State. We deem it
superfuous to impress an intelligent PEG.
pie with the necessity of sustaining this i'm
portant interest-an interest on which our
political and social welfare depends.
BY intelligent supervision, wise economy
and good management, this judicious system
of education must promote the intellectual
and moral elevation of the citizens. The
County Commissioners are disposed TO be
liberal towards the Public Schools AS in
tellgent gentlemen and servants of the peo-
pie, we trust they will continue to be favora.
bly, disposed, and as anxious to see good
school houses as good bridges. 1t remains
with the tax payers to urge these gentlemen
to provide the means to carry out efficiently
the system of Free Public Education in the
county. BY order,
ROBERT HENRY,
dec95 Secretary.