The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-02-16

Mr.. EDITOR: Within the last few weeks there
have appeared In the county papers two articles
on pubic school matters containing statements
with regard to school officials, to which wish to
| call public attention through your columns.
of December 10Th, owning lis parentage TO Mr.,
Charles w. Burkins. of Hickory school; and the
latter IN the I'n'e$ OF last week, over the sigma
| ture or MIR. +. A. Brown, of Churchyille school,
| If these gentlemen were as well known to the
public as they may become. an answer were I'M
necessary, but for the benefit of too credulous
public it seems advisable to give light to these in
| quiring minds.
The charges made or insnuated are: LIST. that
| the School Commissioners draw more salary than
the law allows; I'd, that the Examiner falls short
OF his duty as such in not visiting schools there
principals of three schools draw per cent of the
whole salary or the whole corps of teachers 4th,
that their salaries are not subject to deductions
| for failure to make the standard average; 9Th,
that the plan of regulating the salary by the aver
age attendance Of pupils is unfair and unjust.
Commissioner Is the same as that of County
Commissioner, 50 per day and 10 cents per mile
epcs sl @ neT over me his salary not to
| ers meet in Bel Air only about IL times a wear.
singly they attend to school work more than this
ton In salary demanded by Mr.. Brown
I'd, the present County Examiner was appointed
last March, and the number OF visits paid by the
together in his report The labor for an Exam-
ner to close out an administration and new man
to familiarize himself with the Office is arduous
beyond conception; thus neither Examiner was
able to leave his Office as much as he desired last
year; ~ Is useless to call the attention of the
intelligent TO the heavy duties connected with
the office of Secretary, Treasurer and Examiner
of the School Board. None of these can possibly
when man gives his whole time to his work one
can scarcely ask more. Again, when the number
Of schools In county exceeds SO the Examiner is
entitled by law to an assistant. Hartford county
reports VI schools for last year thus Mr. Mitchell
Is doing two mems work on one mans salary
DESIRES "
81, II is not true that the principals of the three
SCHOOLS referred To receive per cent of the
| 1eachcrs salaries levied on the people at large
The hook fee changed in the bulk Of the schools
IS Az, 'Oand 100 cents per term according to grade
s s mg "a ~ 81 avre de Grace and Bel Air
sc6oois u Is 81 peri term with regard to grade thus
reducing the sum drawn from the general fund for
these principals salaries to per cent. 1t may he
gross injustice that those school districts which
are all more than self-supporting whose schools
cost less per capita than the others in the county
where the cost OF living is almost double what it
| IS elsewhere in the county, and where the dense
population pours into their school rooms over ROC
pupils, demanding an education somewhat pro-
parents. H0"ld pay their principals more than
otheI schools; but how this injustice comes about
| Mr.. Burkins has not yet shown
4th, ten schools in the county ran assistants
last year with principals on full salary: fail to
see therefore, why these three deserve censure
for getting their full salary-especialy when IL
must be evident that the standard average must
have been made to entitle them to assistants
ntn. ~ IS very customary to fix maximum and
|
received must fall according to the service rem.
dered. This is simply the rule applied to the pay.
ment OF teachers-they can neither go above nol
below certain sum. 1t is true that the salaries
are amentably low and have runous tendency
to drive from the county all the best teachers
but as matter of fact the School Board get every
cent the County Commissioners can he induced t1
levy from this levy the smallest possible amount
s taken for necessary expenses and the balance
divided among the teachers Now there seem.
little doubt that If either Mr. Brown or Mr. Bur
klns can show how It could be done the salarie,
ID IL. .t.,l.
theirs first of all as reward for their financer
ing.
But Mr.. Editor. in conclusion must expires.
my surprise at the sources whence these erie
come; The records show that for the term jus
closed only one of those gentlemen suffered ,
slight abatement Of his salary. For the preceding
term Mr.. Burkins received $40 for an average O.
Spupils, and Mr.. Brown $40 for an average of les
than three When man is getting $2G per tern
Tor a pup 1t does not seem that he is exactly tn,
right one to ask for more. 1t is to be sincerel,
hoped that these gentlemen will in the future de
. vote their talents to helping, not hurting, tn,
cause OF education in Hartford, and not impos
another letteron you from AN OBSERVER