The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-04-04
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL QUESTION.
Sixth DISTRICT. March 31st.

SIXTH DISTRICT, March 31st, 1885.
Editors Union The school question seems to
be the chief topic discussed in different sections of
the county, and there is such diversity of opin-
ion that no one is likely to receive much informa
ton on the subject from reading the discussions
and resolutions
A few weeks ago very small minority of the
patrons of the school at Rhuls, in this district
after "fairly informing themselves from official
documents and verbal Information" resolved that
taxes should be increased We have seen the
official documents referred to, (they having been
scattered broadcast by the teachers of the differ
emit Schools but we fail to find the figures to show
where the money went, the reports always show
balance on hand at the end of the fiscal year.
If the schools are really as deeply in debt as the
"cerbaL Information" represents them to be, the
books of the School Commissioners must show it.
Then let the Commissioners go back to the time
when it is known that this debt did not exist and
make statement showing the receipts and ex-
penditures from that time until the present, and
if more money was expended than was received
the taxpayers can see for themselves, from that
statement, when the expenditures exceeded the
receipts and for what purpose the money was ex-
pended. We believe that the taxpayers of this
county are willing to support the public schools,
and when they know that the schools are in debt
we believe they will petition the County Commits
sioners to increase the levy but as the annual
reports always show balance on hand, and as
last years report shows a balance due the schools
from levy of that year Of $4,000 in addition to
the balance on hand of S7,2l1.38, we do not be-
lieve the taxpayers will be convinced that the
debt of $4,000 exists unless the figures are pro-
duced to show ,ohen the debt was contracted and
for achat purpose the money was spent.
We have been informed that all the teachers
were authorized by somebody to call meetings and
have resolutions passed similar to those adopted
at Rhul's school house, but some of them have not
done so. We have also been informed that Mr..
Bruff has taken the matter in hand himself and
has called kind of "grand central meeting" for
this district, the night of April 4th, at Middle
town school house, at which he and the speakers
to be imported from Towsontown will fully eluci-
date the subject of school finances. We shall be
glad to see and hear them, but we believe that
statement with the figures to show when and for
what purpose the debt was contracted, published
in the county papers, will be more convincing to
the taxpayers of the county than all the speeches
that may be made by Mr.. Bruff or any one else.
We have had enough "uerbal Information" now
let us have the figures to verify it.
Yours truly, TAX PAYER.
lOur correspondent is in error in saying that
Mr.. Bruff had a hand in getting up the meetings
at RuhPs. We have the best authority for say
ing that that gentleman had nothing whatever to
do with these meetings.-EDs. UNION.