Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-02-03
[CoxnunucArxD.


CoHnuxncArxD.
Jan. s., 1876.
~ Al kavu read in the
iast - BEAcon : communica-
tion = ssgusture u T. n, in
NOT e he styles sscertain Auda-
tory = Wiki are urged the re
apPoln ! q the present Board of
Schoo1 nnissioners and the Exami-
ner, Some Of the reasons as
signed ery good, some need quail
i6catiod s would greatly lessen their
value. y others are simply falla-
cious. Now. sirs, I was not one
of the Z that met in Leonardtown,
and sAa therefore enter into VIM
diczsioa heir acts, for I know that
they az< lemen well qualified to
defend elves and the cause in
which q 9 engaged; but think it
might y ported upon n that
some Of &S1ements need much more
qualificat md axe much more amen
able e y Dr Of faIlscy than any
Of the aid landatory puEs ID question.
| Speaking 81 the teachers as . whole. N
says: They are, most Of them. we'll
meaning. but careless and inefficient,
and it is all nonsense to say they are
better than those of two years ago, ex-
cept some who have continued from that
time" Now, sirs, the teachers have
been thinking all this time that they
had been making rapid progress since
the appointment of the present Exami-
ner, as we'll in more thorough and
efficient knowledge of the branches they
were teaching as in the best mode Of
imparting that knowledge to their pu-
pills, and they had some confirmation of
this opinion, more than a year ago, BY
the statement of Prof, Newell at a
Teachers Institute held in this county,
when he said 'That for general intel
lIgence the teachers of st. Mary's would
compare favorablv with those of any
other county in the State" and the re-
suits of examinations show that they
have made considerable progress since
that time. Before the appointment Of
Mr.. Tippett as Examiner, whenever a
school became vacant there were so
many applicants that it was difficult for
ateacher we'll qualified to obtain situa-
ton as teacher, as one holding only a
permit was just as likely to get it, and
perhaps have 10 give it up ut the next
| examination; but since the standard of
qualification has been raised, only mer-
it and efficiency are rewarded | know
not what Ms ideas Of the qualifications
or efficiency of teacher are. He may
be so welded to the old way of doing
things as to ignore all the modern i'm
provements which experience and inge-
nuity have invented, aud would like TO
carry the public schools of the county
-iy-frovn thau height thex- have attained un.
der the resent able and rigid supervis-
ION back 20 the Low and unenviable
standard they occupied only a few years
ago. If such be the direction of his
Efforts, trust they will not meet with
success. He tells us "rhere is much
more that could be said against the
present management of the schools, but
all the errors they could commit would
be trivial in comparison with The errors
in the State law" take issue, more
particularly, with the gentleman here,
and maintain that our present State
School law is one of the most admira-
ble and efficient that has ever existed in
this State, though there NAV be some
parts that need revision and amend
ment. The provision that gives the
Commissioners power to close any of
the public schools when the average is
less than ten for two consecutive terms
does not command them to do so, but
simply says they may close them. thus
comforting discretionary poser. Doubt
less the Legislators supposed that the
School Commissioners, living among
the people, would be the best judges OF
any such necessity that might exist. II
fault there is in this respect, therefore
il is not altogether with the law. Blu,
this section might be amended. The
provision which requires the amour:
paid for license to tongers to catch oys.
tiers TO he paid into the school fund is
considerable item, and has greatly
aided the Commissioners in getting out
of debt. The amount paid by the COM
re into the State Treasury for pu!ilit
school purposes is ten cents on the one
hundred dollars, and amounts to less
than three housaad dollars, vet the
amount received by the county from the
State for the past year was S6,230.3
besides the Free School Fund OF
81, 404. IA. as per the pnblisbed state.
ment Of the Examiner aud Treasurer
can therefore see no good reason why
we should te dissatisfied with the pre-
sent School law, at least so far as the
white schools are concerned. Since
however, M says that according to his
views aud that Of many others it is d
disgrace to u.s." viii he not enlighter
us hy pointing out those dis racefu
features and suggest the remedy fol
it is useless to find fault with what We
have unless We can propose something
better, aud since he has promised u
with more anon" we await with anx
ietv the revelations, suggestions ant
outcroppings Of bis mighty genius. :.
CITIZEN.