Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-02-25
Association The

IeAcncrs AbsOCtaIOu - ne IeaCneTS
of this county, who compose the above asso-
citation, met on Saturday last in the Public
School building in this place. Letters from
absentees were read regretting their ina
bility to attend, and some other business of
Importance only TO the association was trans
acted. The following petition was unani-
mously adopted, after which the meeting
adjourned to assemble in Gaithersburg, on
Saturday, the 1s of March:
To the Honorable Board Of Commissioners Of
Montgomery county:
We, the undersigned citizens and tax
payers of Montgomery county and patrons
of the Public Schools thereof, most respect
fully request your honorable body to make
an additional levy for a sum sufficient to
keep open the Public Schools of this county,
to the 10th Of May, which will require S.
600, little less than seventy cents on each
thousand dollars of taxable property in the
county. BY law, free Public Schools are an
established institution of this county and
State and we desire mo half-hearted COM
pliance with the same We wish the schools
kept open not closed against our children dur
ing any part of the scholastic year. We do
not wish the school houses erected at our
expense, to stand empty and idle, as 50 many
monuments Of our apparent indifference to
what is dearest to our hearts-the welfare
of our children. The education OF youth, to
be efectual, should progress steadily, con-
stantly and continuously, not spasmodically
by fits and starts. 1t is not by the latter
method that sensible men prosecute any OBJ
ject in which they desire or expect to achieve
success We wish our children to be edu-
Gated, not tantalized with the shadow, while
the substance is withheld from them.
What object can be more important to us
than the education of our children. 1t is
not a matter Of mere expediency, like the
improvement of public building or the
addition of few more acres to the aims
house farm, which can be postponed, with
out much detriment TO the public interest,
till a more favorable condition of the coun-
tvs finances will permit it to be done. 1t is
a present, immediate and urgent necessity,
of paramount importance. The golden mo-
ments of youth, in which an education can
be obtained, are rapidly passing away from
many of them and the opportunity, once
lost, can never return. Like food and cloth
ing, it is an Indispensable necessity, subor-
date to none in the mind of any man who
has a proper regard of his offspring. The
amount necessary 10 carry ON our schools
should not he made the mere supplement to
any otter in order to raise the rate of taxa
ton to any specific per cent. or to confne
it TO any particular sum. Nor can any one
justly charge the management of the schools
with any waste of the school fund OF any
extravaganza in its expenditure. An ex-
animation of the statistics will commend
such management TO every mind, unbiased
by selfish considerations, for its economy
The actual cost per scholar, including in
cidentals, snch as fuel, repairing and books
furnished TO INDECENT children, Is not eight
dollars per annum, and excluding inciden-
tails, but little more than six dollars, just half
what it cost under the old system. We
trust, gentlemen, you will not refuse us that
pittance for cause fraught with conse-
quences So momentous. No one will deny
that the perpetuation of liberty itself de-
ponds upon the intelligence of the masses
We do not wish the chain of months Of the
scholastic year to be broken or shortened by
dropping link or cutting off any at the
end. The stopping of our schools, which has
become so disastrously frequent, is opening
gulf of ignorance at the feet of our chill
dren, into which they must certainly and
inevitably fall We wish to save them from
the misery and calamity which Turk in the
darkness Of its gloomy depths. To you we
present this petition and appeal, trusting in
your public spirit, your regard for education
and your respect for the wishes Of those whose
agents you are and your readiness to com
ply with their request, that you will not dis
appoint US and cause us to withdraw our
confidence. We have never complained of
the amount which We have had TO pay for
the education of our children; but we do
complain of the stopping of our schools.
1 Teachers will please circulate the above
for signatures and return to J. L. Arm
strong, secretary, Rockville, Nd, on or be-
fore 28th Of February.