The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-03-09
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.


The school law will undergo material
change if there is time enough to pass a
bill through the two houses. Mr.. Stump's
committee has already agreed upon the
heads, and the DILL will be reported as soon
as it can be drawn. The existing school
law is taken for the framework. Instead
of creating his coad tutors on the State
board from the ranks of the county boar Is,
as now, the State board is made elective by
the people, one member from each of the
Judicial circuits, the Governor to be in
Guided As IA member also. This will make
Il board of nine members, and is a compro
mise between board appointed, as had
been proposed on the one hand, by the Gov
ernor, and on the other to be elective in the
several congressional districts. No salary
shall be paid the members of the State
board. though their travelling expenses will
be allowed, and they may elect clerk, for
whom there will be sufficient to do.
1t is not contemplated to authorize a
general superintendent of instruction in the
State, though the system would appear TO
be incomplete without such a controlling
and directing head to superintend the exc
cutlon of the law. The idea is simply to
constitute the member from each judicial
circuit the superintendent in the county or
u,
board to direct things generally. 1t is be-
| Ieved eight men of sufficient leisure ana
capacity can be obtained to work for honor
and love of the State and its Institutions III
| the great cause of public education, and il
is believed that by dividing the supervision
among them better work can be done than
through one man having TO go at stated
times all over the State from Alegany to
Worchester.
: The State board is directed to appoint
three county commissioners in counties
having less than 100 schools, and five com
IN i>sioEers in counties having more than
100 schools. The county commissioners
are now appointed by the Judges of the
circuits, auu their number are three, five or
seven, according to the number of schools
1t was with great reluctance that the ap
pointing power was taken from the hand,
of the Judges Some members of the ioln
committee on pubic education were dis
posed to disregard even the threats and the
protests of tue judges against this require
ment of the law, and to insist upon 1t as a
requirement of their patriotism that the
judges should continue to ACT, but MIR
Williams, OF Baltimore county, demon
StraIcd SO clearly that the requirement was
against the declaration of the bill OF ri.h
that three departments of the govern
mtnt. Legislative. executive and judicial.
Fought t. be forever separate" and "no
person eXeI cising the functions of one shall
assume or discharge the duties of anoth, r.
also that no judge shall hold any Other
political trust or have employment OF
any kind - outside of the duties of Judge.
that the change was decided us one neces
sary to be made. 1t was therefore ordered
with dissent.
The county boards will appoint examiu
ers as at present, and the State board will
fix their salaries and bond. The State
board will also determine where assistant
examiners are necessary. The reports of
the county boards are TO be made semi
annually to the State board, and the secre-
tary thereof will make the compilations
This renders unnecessary the exercise o,
that office 10y the principal of the State
Normal School, whose duties are to be re
strcted to the Normal School and nothing
else. Even the section of the law which
mtkeS him trust, e of the Stale Agrcul
tut Al College is stricken out.
Among the duties of the State board is
to designate the text books that are to be
used in the schools of the State and to
make the contracts with the publishers
The county boards shall fix the salaries of
teachers and purchase the books for their
schools as adopted and contracted fuI by
the State board, aud also to superintend
the distribution of the same in their re-
spective cnunties. The county boards will
publish their accounts as the State board
may direct. Vacancies in the county
boards are to be appointed by the member
of The STate board III the judicial circuit
where it occurs. There shall be separate
schools for white and colored children, but
the educational fund shall be a common
one.
Certificates of teachers shall not be given
by the principal Gf the State Normal School
The State board may appoint any one TO
examine teachers and award the certin are
on report of competency. Diplomas OF
graduation from the State Normal School
will, of course, be considered in the favor
81 an applicant for the place of teacher,
but it is not a t;nalty which will insure a
certificate to teach. Tie sal larry of the |
principal of the State Normal Sai.on! is !
fixed at 50. 600 IA year instead of 50 90 as !
at present. All money from pay students
to normal Or model schools. kinder garten, |
6c., shall be strictly accounted for by the !
principal Of the State Normal School and |
paid over to the &tate board Of EDUCATION
1t is decided to continue the eaIsting |
high schools in the counties, but one half
the Expenses hereof must be paid hy the
patrons. Neither school commissioners
nor other school officers shall be directly or