The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-04-02
Correspondence Baifiaors County UAioM.
THE SCHOOL Law.

THIRB DISTRICT, March asst, 1881.
Messrs. Editors The communications IN your
valuable paper which appear FROM time 10 time ON
the school question are doing much good They
are getting the people 70 think and speak out on
subject dearest Of all others TO parents and other
publie-spirited eitiEens-the education Of the
rising generation In the poor mans colicge--the
public school, Your correspondent "Sam" right
y puts when he asserts, ait 10 the dearest insti
tuition 10 free people, and one from which VIC
| expect more benefit than from any other We are
taxed for" There 10 no tax moro cheeriully paid,
and mono the expenditure Of which Is moro widely
and sensitivsly felt. The effects Of its disburse-
msnt reaches almost every family In tho county,
and all, from the lsping school child 10 the adult
scholar, have their expressions either Of praise or
censure Of tho system. There never will be
school law entirely free from defects or exempt
from varied criticism while education, disposition
and temperament differ. The object Of legislation
should be TO make the system as simple and direct
~ the circumstances Of the people require. All
complications and doubtful or conflicting sections
should be eliminated from the law. Every clause
arranged fer wheels 10 work within wheels should
be stricken out. School affairs should be admin
istered BY officers elected by the people 10 whom
they would be directly responsible for the con-
sequences OF their official acts. II would be n
wholesome restraint upon their conduct. The
trustees should also DO elected by the voters Of
each school distict. These are generally deeply
interested Ia the welfare OF their school, and Il Is
wants and better qualified 10 select the trustees
than School Commissioner from . distant Sec
ton Of the county who Is total stranger TO every
resident In the district except the teacher for the
time being.
Some changes were proposed by Gov. Carroll In
his last message which are worthy Of consid-
GRAFTON. shall give his own words: "Thcre 10
always difficulty In making changes In reference
70 subject Of such great great public interest rs
the education Of our people. but there are one Or
IN-na L. u.
be improved without any arrangement Of the gen.
eral plan. called attention In my last message
20 the fact that there power Of supervision Of
the accounts Of the county School Commissioners
placed anywhere under the present law. They
have the right 10 insist upon q levy being made
for school purposes 10 the counties over and above
what Is paid 20 them by tho Comptroller. and are
accountable 10 no one for the disbursement Of
these funds. except In so far as they make n re-
port TO the State Board of Education. This Board
has no power TO dispute an item to examine u
voucher Of the report, but must simply accept IL az
presented. Although there Is no reason To believe
that In any part Of tho State there has been mis-
application Of the school funds, siili think there
should be power lodged with the State Board or
County Commissioners not only to examine the nc.
counts and vouchers, but 10 check any extrata-
ganee the County Boards may commit.
"The composition Of the State Board Of EIuca.
tion IL also. In my judgment, defective. Al pres
ent u IL composed Of the Exa Liners anil Ere icnis
Of the County Boards. with the principal Of the
Normal School. II appears to the that if thi.
Board Is 10 have greater supervisory power, IL
should consist of persons entirely indc and
disconnected with the public schools, rs Il Nigh,
well happen that the action Of the members them.
selves would be the subject of criticism. The oh
lection will apply at this time L. the principal nf
the Normal School. as under the present Law. this
institution Is the only one in the State whose nc.
counts come under the supervision of the Beard of
Education"
The late Governor shows clearly that some
changes are absolutely necessary. There il no ne.
countability for the disbursement Of fund.-, No
power 10 examine voucher, no check against ex-
travaganee. II the people had the election Of the
Commissioners Il would he wholesome and saluta.
~ in reference TO these defects. The composition
Of the State Board OF Education should be entirely
independent and diseonnc ;tci with the public
schools. and the principal Of the Normal School
should not be connected with the Board of J. luca
tion in any way. This last would prove an cx-
cellent amendment, but il should be supplemented
by striking from the school Law all special legisa-
ton in the interest Of the Normal School. I may
give you m illustration Of Il in another commuEi.
cation. A.