The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-07-15
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 1882.
Teachers Salaries.

munication on Public School Teachers
Salaries from public school official, which
may be regarded as semi-ofheial. While
the article may be satisfactory to the writer,
the people viii fail to see wherein the AD-
yocATE was wrong is saying that to most
people the reduction of teachers salaries
win appear as unnecessary.
The School Board is simply the govern
ing body of tie public school system in this
county To put schools in operation and
maintain them they receive certain amount
of money from the state, and the law re-
quires the County Commissioners, when
necessary. to supplement the fund by
special levy for school purposes, but such
levy is not to erceed ten cents on the 500
ssunless the County Commissioners shall
approve and sanction an additional tax.
The School Board has no power to levy
and collect funds. The state furnishes
part and the county furnishes the balance
They have specified sum to work on, and
they must administerth the affairs their Office
as efficiently as they can with the means at
their disposal When they have done that,
they have done their whole duty.
Now, if teachers are only getting barely
living salaries, as the School Board reso-
luton savs, it seems hard to cut them still
lower in order to better the condition of
school-houses and to provide new ones. If
the salaries are "6arely tiriag ones, any
reduction must border ON starvation rates.
The people do not want to see such reduc-
ton, and they would rather put up with
Inconvenience than to thus reduce the
wages of teachers. As noted last week,
the School Board win have about 81 900
more for next year than they lad for this,
and that sum win enable them to repair ten
or more Of the school buildings most in
deed IF the reduction is made a. propos
ed, saving 81 $50, this sum, together with
the 81 900 extra received from the state,
win make nm increase for next years ex-
penses Of $3.50.
As the County Commissioners say in an
article in this issue, there are other neees-
sites as wen as public schools Before
public schools in importance come every
other item of county expense, yet to public
schools i appropriated about double the
amount that Is expended for any other Pur-
pose The public money Is expended for
courts, aims house, jail, county roads,
bridges, registration of voters, holding Of
elections, pensions and schools While not
undertaking the value Of public education,
everyone must see that pnblie schools are
the least important Of 80 the items Of esun- .
y expense.
The Couney Commissioners say also, and /
truly 20, that the people do not want any
increase Of taxation. With the necessities
of the Commissioners they do not feel able /
20 give any more to the School Board, and 1
they do not think the Board should expect I
il, As they low get forty per cent. more
than the law requires them to provide.
We shalI not pursue the subject further, 1
a. the County Commissioners reply to the
School Board very effectively We win
state in regard to the act Of the legislature +
providing for q school house af Harvey,
that the ADVOCATE well knew that iss
provisions were NIT mandatory upon the /
Commissioners. It was thought that the
Commissioners, By authority Of that law
and in Difference 10 the wishes Of the peo-
pie of that section. woald provide school
building. Further examination Of the
matter has led us to question the y:ghs Of
the County Commissioners 70 carry out the
act. The building Of school-housss is en-
tirely outside Of their duties.
In the Communication from the school
Official. Is Incorporated the letter addressed
70 the County Commissioners BY the School
Board, asking additional appropriation A
considerable portion Of the letter is oecn-
pied in discussion Of the law regarding
The powers and duties Of the County Com
missioners conserving appropriations to the
SchooI Board. That the Interpretation
given to the law Is erTOneeas may Be seen
By 4 glance at the provisions Of che law,
which reads as follows
.sThe state school tax and free school fund
are primarily intended, under this act, "a pay
the salsries Of the teachers Of The several
counties, and TO provide school hooks and
stationery for the children Of the staia- "
however, in apportioning the said Este school
tax aanong the different counties and che city
of Baltimore the share Of any eonnfy should
prove inadequate for the purposes aforesaid,
then fhe county commissioners of such c0uH-
u are hereby antlsarized, empowered. direct
ed and required 10 Levy and collect sueh q tax
upon che assessabie properly OF sneh eoaHtS
~ the board Of county seheol commissioners
shan designate a. sufficient - naake COED the
defeieney: pr0rided aad tax shall not eNeeed
ten cents IN the hundred dollars, aniess the
eounty commissioners shall spPFoye aud SAGE
fiom an addisional tax.
The plain English Of this Is, that the
County Commissioners must levy such sum
for school purposes As the School Board
may designate, provided the levy does not
exceed ten cents in the $500. Beyond
thai the matter is discretional with the
County Commissioners If their judg-
ineut should - decide, they can 90 above
fen cents, e not there is no law to compel
them At present the County Commits
sioners do not think the people want any
levy for schools or other purposes,
The speeches and achievements Of Presi-
dent Garfield are written on the brightest |
pages Of our country's history, and win serve I
10 aid its progress in all time to eome.-Bat-
ffhaore County Herald
Garfeld's speeches were only sentiment [