The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-03-23
THE PROPOSED PUBLIC SCHOOL BILL.


THE PROPOSED PUBLIC SCHOOL BILL.
In our issue of the 9th inst, we pub
lished a somewhat lengthy synopsis of
the provisions of the general educa-
tional bill, recently agreed upon and re-
ported favorably by the joint legislative
committee, and revert to the subject
again, for the purpose of making cur
sorry notice of some of its most import
ant and distinctive features. One of
the most serious embarrassments under
which the popular educational interests
ofthe State have labored in the past has,
been the too frequent changes in our
State system made 10y successive legis-
atures. These systems have been
everything by turns and nothing long,
every legislature seeming to regard it
as its special mission to revise, amend
or alter the existing educational laws.
One system has been displaced by
another apparently promising more sat
isfactory results, onl Y to give place to
still another, which upon trial, develop
ed but few practical advantages over
its predecessor. The proposed bill
doubtless contains provisions admirable
enough in themselves, and in some re-
spects should it become law would,
if strictly administered, be an improve
ment upon our present system, more,
however, depending upon the manner
of its administration than upon the sup
posed perfection of the system itself
Changes, however, are not always i'm
ture of the new bill is the enlarged
powers it confers upon the State Board
of Education to consist of seven men,
bers made elective from the several
judicial districts of the State. These
powers, among others, embrace %
The appointment of the Board of Coun-
ty School Commissioners. (2) The fix
ing of the salaries of the County Sec
retarv, Treasurer and Examiners, the
approval of their bonds and the deter
mination of the local necessity for as
sistaDt examiners 60 The acceptance
and action upon the semi-annual reports
of the county boards. (4) The desi gn-
alton of text books to be used in the
schools of the State. (5) The execu-
ton of contracts for the same with pub
fishers. CO.. The examination of, and
awards to teachers of certificates of
competency. CD The general super
vision and direction of State educa-
tional affairs.
1t is not necessary for our present
purpose to state the other specific duties
imposed upon the State Board, since
the most important features of the law
are possibly embraced in the above
enumeration. Nor is it worth while to
discuss, in this connection, the ineXpe-
diency of changing the manner of APP
pointment of the county boards, since
the objection to their appointment by
the State Judges covers constitutional
questions, which, upon competent legal
authority, are we'll sustained. The
abolition of the Office of State Super
intendent, and the constituting the State
Board an elective body, to be chosen
from the several judicial districts of the
State, undoubtedly will meet popular
approval, whatever objection may lie,
to the fact that it is an unremuner-
ated body and is to be elected and
organized upon the presumption of in
dividual devotion to the great cause of
education. We regard this as a defec-
tive feature in the bill The selection
of the board is based upon the suppo-
sition that seven gentlemen of means,
culture, and leisure, can readily be found
willing to assume the responsibility of
the supervision of the educational in-
terests of the State, from pure love Of
routine, work, and authority We hold
another and we think better theory.
If the State has the right to claim
the time, capacity, and service of
the citizen, it assumes the obliga-
ton of individual compensation, and
which, in turn for individual service
rendered-in this or any other public
capacity, -invoIvest the coincidentaI per-
sonal obligation of faithful official ser
vice Nothing short of this secures to
the State the painstakng public officer
No less open to objection, in our opin-
ion, in view of the certain and satisfac-
factory performance of their duties bv
the county boards, is the comparative
subordination of their authority to that
of the State board. BY the provisions
of this bill, the county board cannot fix
the salary of its own secretary and
treasurer, and although it is constituted