The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-07-08
Reducing Teachers Salary.

Reducing Teachers Salary.
In Cur local columns this morning win
be found the proceedings Of the County
School Board on Monday last. At slai
meeting resolutions were adopted to reduce,
for next year, the salaries If al grades Of
public school tessehers FIVE dollars per term.
This action, SAYS the Board, Is necessary
because the County Commissioners have
refused to increase the appropriation for
school purposes. To most people the res
olutions viii appeer as unnecessary. The
County Comnlissioners now give about
fourteen cents 81 their levy Of fifty cents
to the public schools amounting 70 ST.
000. This sum the Schoal Board has been
receiving annually Cor several years past,
and they have managed 70 make il d., To-
acsher with the sixteen or seventeen thou
sand dollars reseiyed from the state fund,
OF course some Of the school houses need
repairing and renewing. and repairing and
renewing has been going on every year.
The necessities 81 the Board are no greater
row than they have been. Next year, in
fact, the Board VIII have about si0Oa
more than they had this. for that sum has
just been apPortioned the county ca, Of a
surplus in the treasury, a part Of which
should have been paid the eouaiy in 1871
but which vas rot done because no taxes
were resolved that rear from the Washing
ton Branch of the Baiiimore 4 Ohin rail
oad. Should the Board mot Frseind is
action, snd reduce the salaries Il each of
the $50 teachers IN the county SIS. max
ing a saving of 81 $50, they viii have for
next year s2,s50uo above she ordinary
EXPENSES, including pepairs, new BUILDINGS,
&C.. the bad this year. Then. too. an act
Of tie Legislature reqaireS The County
Commissioner 70 build school house at
Harvey, w,rk that comes within the du-
ties a. the Seheol Board
We said IN the BEGINNING thar most PEG
Die would regard the reduction of teacher
salaries a. unnecessary, 70 require nearly
three Thousand dollars more this year, with
new school building provided for. means
very large improvements somewhere, and
II the present financial condition Of the
county the people do nos feel warranted in
making such expenditure. Carroll county
has ! debt thar should BE liquisiaied. This
the Commissioners are doing At the rate Of
over sloO0a a year, aud in three OF fous
years more every cent Of indebseiaeas can
/ be cancelled. provided no extraordinary de-
nsnis are made on the county treasury
! Besides. the building ii sre-proof vaults
I for the preservation the county record.
/ has become necessity, and she Legisla.
ture has directed the Commissioners 10 ereei
them. Then, too. We hare no jail, and tc
provide one viii no doubt make further de
mands on the treasury Aud further, a,
above noted. the County Commissioners ar,
directed bs the Legislature to build /
school house at Harvey.
al these demands the Commissioner
can meet without an increase Of lesy- ans
still have funds to reduce the county in
debtedness. But, if they undertake t
meet the demands OF the School Board il
addition, an increase Of levy i neeesSary
and an increase the people win not nov
stand, no matter for what purpose Th'
people want public schools but not at ih
expense Of increased taxation, Education
of the masses they regard as essential Il
good citizenship and good government, an'
an absolute necessity, but they do not ,hinl
it is necessary 70 have a school house o.
every Hill top or their standard very high
Higher education cannot be expected a
public expense. Il Is luxury TO be in
duIged in only BY those who, by thrift en-
terprise and economy, can afford it. Tn
average patron Of public schools eanno
spare the time required to attain advances
education, and high grade schools are no
demanded, except in the larger towns. If a
all.
It would be far better to continue t
practice that economy which the exigencie
of the case have enforced, than to reduc
the salaries Of teachers. some Of whom ar
now inadequately paid. Let the sehoo
Board wait until the county Indebtedness
has been discharged. before making heaF
Ter demands on the treasury. Let then
recind the order reducing the salaries o
teachers, for they viii have for next year
expenses the. sum Of s1,0OOO0 more thai
they had this year.