The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-02
Our Public Schools.
MCHENRY, May %, 1877

ED. REPUBLICAN The fact that
the schools have been open such a
short time in the year, it seems, has
become subject of general COM
plant, and unless the County Com
missioners make a liberal levy, so
the schools can be opened seven and
a half months we do not believe
that they will be representing the
wishes Of the people of the county.
1t is true the people are paying a
very high tax, yet we do not believe
that they are willing to forfeit the
intelligence of their children for the
sake of saving a few dollars. We
have yet to hear the first person ex-
press an unwillingness to pay taxes
for the support of public schools, but
on the contrary have heard good
many complain of the short term
that the schools were open. We do
not sea any policy in paying the
School Board for years work when
the schools are in operation only
three and half months, for the
salary of the Examiner and the per
diem of the School Commissioners
will be the same whether the schools
are opened ten or only three and
half months, and the county also
forteits every year one fourth of the
State fund, for not keeping schools
open the required length of time;
thus, we see, there is a useless ex-
penditure, and instead of there be-
ing any economy in the matter, there
is an unnecessary waste of the peo-
pies money, and this too, of the
money given for the support of an
institution of which our county is
justly proud, and which, if aban-
doned, will ere long make itself felt
upon the intelligence and morality
Of the people. The public school is
not an eleemosynary institution, and
any money levied for its support is
no favor bestowed upon the children
of the county, but it is debt justly
due them, as their birth-right, of
American citizens; and whenever
the Commissioners fail to make a
proper levy for its support, they do
a great injustice to the children of
the county, and fail to pay a debt
which they justly owe. 1t must GER
tainly be a little Notifying to the
people of Garrett to know that ours
is the only county in the State that
has less than seven and a half months
school, while twelve out of the tWen-
ty three counties have ten months.
Allegany county, next year, will
make long stride forward in edu-
cational matters by opening its
schools ten months, and if Garrett
is only to have three and a half
months, its children may conclude
that it was an unfortunate affair for
them. when it was separated from
Allegany, and the people will see
that they made grand mistake. 1t
is a demoralizing fact, yet neverthe-
less true, that when the expenses of
the county are to be lessened, that it
is done by plunging the retrench-
ment knife in the public school fund.
If this state of affairs is to continue
as it has for the last two years, it
will inevitably show It's effect in the
shape of poor schools; schools that
will not be worth the support of the
people. What the people want is a
liberal school levy, and then have
the money properly expended. The
financial condition of the county is
such that they cannot afford any
wasting. The school question will
be the most important one that will
engage the attention of the Commits
sioners, and we hope they will think
seriously of it. We believe that if
they make liberal levy they will
have the approval of the people, hut
if the schools cannot be opened any
longer than they were last year, we
believe it would be good policy to
have no schools at all for we cannot
see any justice in giving the school
officers years salary and the teach
ers only for one fourth of a year.
Let the teachers know what they
may expect, either by making lib
eral levy or none at all +; if none, then
they will seek employment out of the
county, or leave the profession of
teaching altogether, and seek some
other employment that will at least
give them decent living.
PED.
ACCIDENT, Md, May 26, 1877.