The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-01-23
The Working of the the School Law.

The circuit court judges in Allegany coun-
ty refused to appoint school commissioners,
and the board appointed by them in January,
1873, accordingly holds over On the first of
January, 1880, the board elected new school
examiner The incumbent, J. W. S. Coch-
ranc, elected by them in 1875 and as he alleges
for their entire term of office, claimed that he
must hold over until u newly appointed
board elects his SUCCESSOR Accordingly he
refused to surrender his books and papers,
and sent n memorial to the State board of
Education. That body sought the opinion
of Attorney General Gwinn The answer
of the latter to the Governor is that as
the county school board had only power
to make one appointment, and made that in
1878, and as such examiner and treasurer was
part of the organization of the county school
board, and the Skate board only had power
to remove him under the act of 1874, he held
over with the board and must remain in office
until new board is appointed, unless the
State board should remove him for cause.
In Montgomery county, also, an issue has
arisen in regard to the appointment of coun-
ty school commissioners. The Judges of the
circuit court appointed A. Bowie Davis,
Richard White and Henry Rcnshaw as school
commissioners. They appointed Rev. Sam
uel r. White examiner and treasurer The
old examiner and treasurer, James Anderson,
refuses to vacatc his office or to give up the
seal, books and other effects of his office, and
intends to contest the constitutionaity of the
law which gives the appointment of the
county boards to the Judges. The question
will probably come up before the Court of
Appeals, but if they decide that the law is I'M
constitutional it will scarcely help Mr. An
dcrson; because ifthc school commissioners
have no right to appoint his successor, the
preceding board had no right to appoint
him.
The want of responsibility of the school
boards to the public has been apparent for
long time, and the proper remedy would I've
to allow the people themselves to elect the
school commissioners. The people collect
lively make as few mistakes, in the long rum
as individuals do, and as they are entrusted
with the power of clecting the judges them
selves, there can be no good reason why they
should not also he allowed the privilege of
electing the school commissioners
-
Judge PinlSney of the Criminal Court of
Baltimore city, in his recent charge to the
grand jury, alluded to some defects in our
criminal laws He suggests that the idle dis
hot ,,slo
should be abolished. As the law now stands
the rnffihn who assaults you on the street and
beats you to mummy is only guilty of n
misdemcanor, while the starving wretch who
filches your purse containing few pennies
is feion. In regard to offences of violence
against the person, the Judge thinks that the
law should be so amended as to make an as
sault with deadly weapon or other thing
with intent to do bodily injury punishable
with Imprisonment in the penitentiary, or
fine and Imprisonment in Jail, or both; and any
assault, although without an instrument at
tended with grievous bodily harm, if inten-
tional, with hard labor in Jail, in the discrc-
ton of the court. He also hoped the Legis-
lature will amend the Sunday and minors
liquor law, No intelligent citizen, he said,
can doubt that the peace and good order of
the city is due to the faithful enforcement of
these laws as far as practicable
On Wednesday the Legislature formally
elected Hon. Arthur p. German United State
Senator from Maryland, for six years from
the 4th of March, 1881.