The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-03-25
CorrepOndsHes Baltimore County Union.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
0nAx,Tr. March 2o,h Iaa9

MEssRs. EDIroRs BALTIMORE couxTr UxIox:
Dear Sirs To begin where wo left OF wo win
next notice the subject q assistants. According
TO tho present law-chap. :, Sec. IA teacher
must have orer SO pupils 10 average attendance
before he ts entitled 10 assistant In his school.
After that he IL furnished an additional assistant
for every 40 additional pupils. Now when there
was system Of grading or chasing the schools.
~ at present, this rule might have worked much
more squitabiy In the distribution and labor Of
teachers when every additional scholar, being .op
his own hook" required that much additional
labor Of the teacher. But under the present sys-
TEN OF grading chasing the schools this porpor-
honate Increase Of duty does not exist. A school
Of 80 pupils has just the same number Of CLASSES
20 recitc lonly not 80 Target as the school OF 90
pupils, and yet the teacher with SO pupils is en-.
titled 10 no help while the school with 90 pupils
has three teachers.
The injustice Of this law 10 the rural district
schools, which seldom attain 20 the required mum.
Der In regular attendance and consequently rarely
enjoy the privilege and advantage Of any HELM.
must be apparent 10 every impartial Observer
The teacher with SO pupils has Just the same mum
ber Of classes, those children are Justly entitled
to equal attention and the same number Of recita.
tiOns per day as the school Of 20 pupils and vet Il
u possible that teacher can give the same at
tention TO his school Of SO pupils and devote tho
necessary time TO each recitation that the school
Of 90 pupils will receive from fAres feachsrsg The
different results must DO inevitable. The teacher
with his school Of so echolars has hut short time
90 hear his classes, and he must hurry through In
order to complete his days work, without any time
for demonstration, iilustrntion or explanation Of
any kind, or other classes will suffer loss. We
claim that 90 pupils are a. many as any teacher
can properly instruct without assistance, aud II
the rule we're changed TO 30 pupils (averafe at
tendancel for hrst assistant and an additional
sistant for every SO pupils, the Law would be much
more equitable to teachers and children.
h. l.ss. II - al. l.. i
10 increase the number OF teachers, but We think
u can be practically aud satisfactorily demon
ttrated that with proper expenditure aud less
less exiravaganee this change could DO operated
with little or no increase u the school fund. We
know that fne aud costly structures for school
house buildings may. On the order 81 shoe 10 hs
stranger. add temporarily 20 the credit Of the
iy; ba, who will contend that these, without ,lf-
efesf fearhsrs aHd yieHfy Of then. indicate the
comparatively high character of instruction or
mark the educational standing q our people =
Without the ability then Shave both. as all might
desire, think II the choice left 60 the peo
pie 90 have fine and exiravagant buildings with
the present supply Of teachers. or good anl com
Portable school houses With full supply of quail
lied and efficient teachers. they would not long de-
lay 10 the ehoire aud decision 81 Eiaf over stafsr
with this very desirable change in the law then
Ia regard 10 assistants and proper and impartial
distribution 81 principal teachers 81 known quail
hcation an1 efficiency. all would be benefited and
none dissatishcd.
Let ~ have commissioner of each distre,
elected by the people 70 look after the schools.
with proper trustees elected by the patrons Of each
school. and these features Of invii'ou, disineton
and partiAty will soon give place 60 general JUS
nee, general relief and general saiisfAction. The
people will recognize spirit Of impartiaiiy TO all
They will be encouraged 10 reneScd Interest in
their own families and hrcsides, and every one
will take hold With willing hanl and help bio,
a 49,
state Our schools will soon be fe-Popula;ed. AZ
q, ~tre. and NO will have no more Of ditninution
OF pupils Tor an increase Of expenditure. The
manner OF accounting for this falling OF IN annual
attendance u simply absurd, and We think Il the
officials would acknowledge little more inielli-
genee on the par, 81 the people they would prac
uce more honesty Ia their Official duties.
But We hop. the confederation Of these vieS'
viii NJ longer be LETT 10 chance. The order has
gone forth u has been decided by one whose
honesty and legal a'tainments are just source Of
pride to the people Of our county that the Las re