The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-11-26
Annual Statenae nt
OF THE BOARD OF
SCHOOL CORNERSTONE
OfHarford County,
FOR TIE FISCAL YEAR, ENDING
SEPTEMBER BOTH, 1875.

In accordance with the School Law the
Board publish their Annual Statement.
The Graded School in Bel Air and the
High School in 1avre de Grace were in Oh.
Grafton four terms, but the rural schools
were open only three terms. The Board
were obliged, by their financial embarrass-
ment, 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 1871,
by an appropriation of $50 to each school
which was continued during those TERMS
These two terms cost the Board about ST, 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 debt of $11 2G1 SO for Books
and Stationery. They have paid off this
debt and can show assets, the property of the
county, that will overbalancG their present
Indebtedness. They have built and furnish
ed the following school houses with desks,
blackboards and stoves, viz: In the 1st Dis.
trct, Abingdon, Furnace, Magnolia and
Edgewood in the I'd, Lapidum, Hartford
Seminary purchased, and Aberdeen; in the
Sd, Forest Hill and lot, Mechanicsvile, above
the Hickory, Calvary, Union Chapel and
Reeses purchased and repaired, Churchvile
and lot, and Fallston in the 4lh, Baptist,
Kirkwood's, Chrome Hill Dayis's Corner
Rutledge's purchased, Jarrettsyille purchas.
ed and repaired, Norrisvlle and lot, Dry
! Branch, Amos's OF Summit Hall and Van
SAINTS purchased ; and in the 9TH District,
| they built Stafford and paid $50 for the lot ;
wilson's or Sylvan Retreat, lot cost 500,
and Rock Hill; No. 3 and lot purchased at
| Sl25 Amounting to over $31 TAG 80. Twen-
| ty-three school houses haze been erected,
which are commodious and well adapted for
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 ! :
O47 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.
100. The daily average attendance ofpupils
does not exhibit corresponding increase
| This 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 III former years. This is doubtless
owing TO the rigorous winter. We trust
that our incidentals will be confined to the
limit In our estimate. 1t will require econo.
my ON the part of the Board to Keep the ~
/ penses of the schools within the bounds of
the estimate. Our rent, it will be perceiveG
is n considerable item. We pay 1890 Enr
rent of Town Hall in Havre de Grace and
Sl5o Tor the Graded School in Bel Air, The
corporation III Havre dc Grace have hereto
fore abated 5000 of the rent to pay the salo.
rles OF lhe teachers. 1t is very doubtful That
they VIII be so literally disposed to donate
the S2OO Tor the past year now due.
llsa source ofinconvenience to the Board
rs well as injustice to the teachers thot ,ha
County Tax is not paid promptly and regu-
larly on the days designated by the schoooI
law, in order that the Board NAV he oble 70
pay the Teachers salaries at the exn;rot;on
OF each term. THE Iaborer is WORTHY of his
hire, although it be a pittance. Retrencb.
ment IN the salaries ofskilliul and eyperienc
cd teachers is calculated to drive Them ont
and bring in an inefficient corps.
We have established three grades of tcorh.
ers. The wisdom of this action is. we thinl
apparent. The apprentice cannot eynect thc
pay OF his master, and the artist in teocbin~
ana scholastic attainments is entitled to more
salary than the artisan. Our schools have
increased in all the districts since 1865, when
there were 60 scholars in the county, now
there are 81 taught by "a teachers. This in
crease has been gradual, arising probably
from the increase OF children, from the ur
gent soNcitallon OF citizens and patrons to
avail themselves ofpublic school ADVANTAGES
and their desire to have school in thoir Inn,
mediate neighborhood While this anxiety
TO have school facilities convenient is com.
mendable, yet it is expense to the tax payers
ihere are schools which have less than ten
daily pupils in attendance. These schools
are very expensive to the Board, and might
oe 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 n mile
apart Retrenchment must begin in this di.
rection, ifthe people desire the debt reduced
ana the expenses confined within the limit
of our estimate.
Let it be said, to The liberaliiy and credit
OF the intelligent and large tax PAYERS, TINT
they 90 not grudge the tax levied for the
public schools of the county, although they
fit. No good and exemplary citizen will
grumble at paying his share in contributing
to SO grand result as the welfare and clio,
Vatlon OF the rising generation.
Ihere nave 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
eolored pupils attended the Is schools. Their
teachers are improving; we are securing a
better class OF teachers for them, and VIC hone
to carry out the benign intention of the Leg.
lslature towards this class. In conclusion.
the Board trust that by strict economy thew
VIII be able to reduce the Indebtedness to
the amount stated in their estimate of OK
penses for the ensuing year.
BY order,