The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-05-26
Hon. A. B. Davis on Public Schools.

At meeting of the Public School Teach
ers' Association of Montgomery county, last
week. Hon. Allen Bowie Davis, president of
the county school board, delivered an address,
the following summary of which we find in
the Baltimore SIN of May u:
Mr. Davis in his address commented upon the
serious evils resulting from the improper extension
of the studies of the public schools of Maryland and
expressed the opinion that to this undue and I'M
lawful extension must be attributed i'll great part
the shameful iliteracy revealed by the last census
together with other proofs of the failure of the Sys
TEN. at present managed to produce satisfactory
results. The primary school, in Mr. Davis VleW IS
the most important in the whole system of public
instruction. Reading, writing and arithmetic are
subjects in which all youths, rich and poor alike,
need instruction. This much education is lmpera-
lively required, either minimum equipment of
those whose circumstances prohibit their contnu-
ing their schooling or as the necessary basis ior all
subsequent instruction of higher character. The
common schools should be confined to the plan OF
these common needs; the moment any advance is
made to higher plane of instruction, the persons
who enjoy its benefits should expect to pay for 1t.
Mr. Davis protests against the inequality ana lnJus-
tce of taxing the poor and needy for instruction IN
which, from the force of their circumstances, they
cannot share. Burdens and benefits should go TO-
gether. Abiding to the fact that Maryland had her
system of schools, academies and collegiate lnst-
lions before the New England system, with Its clad
crate and pretentious batch of snowy ologies was
introduced, the speaker showed that this INTRODUCE
ton of the higher studies in the common schools is
unnecessary and ineXcuSable here, seeing that the
State provides for them in its academies and colleges
books and free instruction for large mum Der OF ad-
vanced students As many as 500 persons, Mr.. Davis
said are thus provided for ill addition to 200 at the
State Normal School, and free Scholarships for each
county and the city of Baltimore in St Johns Col
legc and other institutions of like high grade.
Hence there is no excuse for impairing the eiil-
cheney of the primary schools by injecting into them
studies amply provided for elsewhere. When the
higher studies flourish in the primary school It is
at the expense of the primary studes and with the
result of increasing illiteracy With severe disap-
prevail Mr. Davis quoted from speech of Professor
Newell, delivered at HagerstOwn i'll August, 1879 in
which "extravagant and unlawful extension of the
course of study in the public schools is seriously
advocated. No limit. said Mr.. Davis is recognized
by the persons at present i'll charge of our educa,
tiOnal policy Are also to have dancing schools.
Mr. Davis asked The speaker cited, in contrasting
them the State law prescribing the proper course OF
study and in bylaws of boards of education, show
ing that the law is disregarded. The result is cost
to the State-less $4,000 for academies &c.of 81,
900 for public schools nine times the cost
of the executive judicial and legislative depart
ments combined. Confined to their proper sphere:
the common schools, in Mr.. Davis opinion, could
be run with more satisfactory efficiency at but little
if any over a cost of Sl00O0O0 thus saving enough
to pay the interest on the States debt"